Google Messages Tips And Tricks: 15 Features To Use In 2026

Google Messages has picked up several features in 2026, and a few older tips no longer work the way guides say.

This list covers 15 that are worth using, with the current menu paths.

Each one takes under a minute to set up.

Quick answer: which features matter most?

Feature	Where to find it	Limit to know
RCS chats	Messages settings → RCS chats	Both people need RCS
Pinned chats	Press and hold a chat → pin icon	Up to 20 chats
Scheduled send	Press and hold the send button	Preset times or custom
Real-time location	Attachment → Real-time location	Up to 24 hours custom
Trash	Profile picture → Trash	30 days to restore
Edit a sent message	Press and hold your message → Edit	15 minutes
Auto-delete OTPs	Messages settings → Message organization	Deleted after 24 hours

1. Turn on RCS chats

Open Messages, tap your profile picture, then go to Messages settings → RCS chats and switch it on.

RCS adds typing indicators, read receipts, and better media quality than SMS or MMS.

iPhone users can turn on RCS under Settings → Messages → RCS Messaging.

2. Check whether a chat is encrypted

Google says an encrypted RCS chat shows an “RCS chat with” banner and a lock on the send button.

Encryption does not apply to SMS or MMS.

If the lock is missing, update Google Messages and confirm both people have RCS on.

3. Message iPhone users with encryption

Apple’s iOS 26.5 added end-to-end encrypted RCS between iPhone and Android.

Apple still labels it beta, it needs carrier support, and it is rolling out gradually.

On iPhone, check Settings → Messages → RCS Messaging for “End-to-End Encryption (Beta)”.

4. Verify who you are talking to

Open a one-on-one chat, tap More → Details → Verify encryption, and compare codes with the other person.

Verification is optional because messages are encrypted either way.

Both people need RCS chats on.

5. Pin up to 20 chats

Press and hold a conversation and tap the pin icon at the top.

The pin limit is 20, up from the lower caps older guides mention.

6. Schedule a text for later

Type your message, then press and hold the send button instead of tapping it.

Pick a preset such as tomorrow morning or choose a custom date and time.

A clock icon appears on the send button and the scheduled time shows above your text.

7. Share your real-time location

Google’s help page says to open the chat, tap Attachment → Real-time location, pick a duration, and tap Send.

Duration option	How long it shares
1 hour	One hour from sending
Today only	Until the end of the day
Until you turn this off	Until you stop it
Custom	Up to 24 hours

To stop sharing, open the location message, tap Stop next to your name, then Stop sharing.

Google notes the location itself is handled by its location sharing service, powered by Maps and Find Hub.

8. Recover deleted chats from Trash

Tap your profile picture, then Trash, then touch and hold a conversation and tap Restore.

You have 30 days, and each chat shows how many days are left.

Warning: deleting from inside Trash is permanent and cannot be undone.

9. Edit a sent message

Touch and hold your sent message, tap Edit, change the text, then tap the check mark.

Google says you have 15 minutes, and editing works in the app but not on the web version.

If the recipient cannot see edits, or the message was SMS, they get a new message starting with an asterisk.

10. Auto-delete one-time passcodes

Go to profile picture → Messages settings → Message organization and turn on auto-delete for OTPs.

Codes older than a day are removed, and new ones go to Trash 24 hours after they arrive.

Messages only catches codes it recognizes as OTPs.

11. Customize swipe actions

Open Messages settings → Swipe actions → Customize.

You can choose archive, delete, mark read or unread, or turn a swipe off.

Google’s help page also lists Trash as a swipe option once you set it up.

12. Send photos and video in higher quality

Tap the image icon, pick a file, then tap the HD or HD+ button before sending.

Option	Label	Best for
HD	Optimized for chat	Faster sends, less data
HD+	Original quality	Full resolution

Google recommends RCS because carriers compress MMS.

13. Use Messages on your computer

Go to messages.google.com/web, choose the QR code option, then scan it from profile picture → Device pairing.

Google has said web pairing will move to Google Account sign-in, and QR pairing was still available as of late April 2026.

14. Know what Magic Compose does

Magic Compose suggests replies and rewrites drafts in different styles from the Plus menu.

Google’s help page says rewrites are English-only, limited to users 18 and older, and need a device with AICore.

On those devices it uses on-device Gemini Nano, and Google says messages are not sent to Google.

It reads up to the 20 previous messages for suggestions, so skip it for sensitive chats if you are unsure.

15. Hide the Gemini button

Open profile picture → Messages settings → Gemini in Messages and turn off Show Gemini button.

This removes the shortcut without affecting anything else in the app.

Related Messages guides

• Google Messages RCS not working
• Messages for web and cross-platform RCS updates
• Google Messages vs Verizon Message+

Menu names can vary slightly by app version, and Google rolls features out gradually, so some options may not appear yet.

Official help: Trash, edit a sent message, real-time location.