Google Messages is preinstalled on most Android telephones, although this is not the one motive behind its success.
The corporate’s Messages app is one of the simplest ways to textual content on Android as a result of the app does lots of issues proper.
I realized about its strengths after utilizing it casually whereas SMS Organizer was my predominant textual content messaging app. I’ve by no means seemed again since then.
Google Messages has changed the SMS Organizer app on each my Samsung Galaxy S21 and Motorola Edge 50 Neo, and I take advantage of it every day. I have been utilizing it for a number of years, and it is solely turn into higher since I switched.
Nevertheless, even the solar has spots, and so does Google Messages. It is solely not too long ago that I noticed the app can achieve this far more to deliver extra customers to its fold.
As an ardent supporter of the app, it is irritating to see that Google Messages cannot do most of the issues I not too long ago felt I wanted.
Right here is every little thing I miss in Google Messages that frustrates me.
I all the time raved about this genius Google Messages function — however I ended utilizing it
A sensible function with an surprising value
Deleting messages which are older than a sure age
I really like how my Android cellphone detects apps that I have never utilized in a very long time and places them to deep sleep. It additionally notifies me after placing them right into a deep sleep.
That is clever, and I would like Google Messages to study from it.
I’ve been utilizing Google Messages for years, so threads which are not related have piled up. It’s going to proceed to worsen except I spot and delete them from my inbox.
Whereas cleansing up my inbox a number of days in the past, I used to be questioning if Google Messages may auto-delete messages older than a particular age.
If fully eradicating them from the cellphone appears too drastic, it might no less than transfer them to the trash. It is not that huge of an ask, on condition that Google Messages now incorporates a Trash folder.
I might like to have this as an non-obligatory function within the Google Messages app, with the flexibility to set an age threshold.
A ‘choose all’ button
Google Messages lets you take sure actions, equivalent to pinning, archiving, and deleting shortly. All you do is long-press the message and choose the correct choice from the highest.
It’s also possible to shortly bulk choose particular person messages with a single faucet after choosing the primary message utilizing the long-press gesture. Nevertheless, you possibly can’t choose all messages with a single faucet.
I do not miss this on the Google Messages’ inbox web page as a result of I by no means wanted to use any actions to all my messages. However I really feel its absence each time I clear the spam messages.
Within the Spam and blocked web page in Google Messages, I need to choose every message after which faucet Delete to do away with them. When you’ve got loads of spam messages, deleting them will take extra time than it ought to.
Google Messages would not provide the choice to pick out all messages wherever within the app, not even on the Archived web page. If not all over the place within the app, no less than introduce the choice to the Spam and blocked web page.
Two buttons to begin a chat
The Google Messages inbox web page reveals all of your threads in a single place, with a button to begin a chat on the backside. I really like the Begin chat button for a way shortly it permits me to begin a dialog with somebody.
Nevertheless, this does not work if you wish to shortly drop a message to one of many teams you created. Tapping the Begin chat button will present you the choice to create a bunch, nevertheless it will not let you choose your present teams and message all contributors.
That is the place the 2 “Begin chat” buttons come in useful. One would begin a dialog with a person, and the opposite one would present a listing of teams I created to let me ship a message to all members.
I lament that we do not have this function within the Google Messages app.
Copy a particular a part of a message
Once I first switched to the Google Messages app, I used to be shocked that it lacked one thing so simple as copying a particular a part of a message. We’re approaching the center of 2026, and we nonetheless haven’t got it.
I am extra hopeful in regards to the arrival of this function in Google Messages as a result of proof suggests Google has already began engaged on the function.
Nevertheless, it is nonetheless annoying to see that Google has taken this lengthy to begin engaged on this function. If it will get scrapped down the road or delayed a yr or extra, it’s going to be much more irritating.
I like Google Messages greater than ever, however the frustration stays
Lots of my colleagues at Android Police ditched Google Messages and switched to a different app. A few of them nonetheless aren’t prepared to change to Google Messages for all its shortcomings.
I even have some complaints, a few of which I listed above. Nevertheless, not one of the points are too huge to make me a convert. The app has additionally gained some useful new options over time, which have saved me from leaving.
I really like Google Messages greater than ever due to all these helpful options that Google launched within the current previous. That is the rationale for my frustration — I can not give up regardless of the issues.