Some of us have noticed that by now, the Google Messages app looks different and feels different. This is because Google has made or done some of the biggest updates that we have ever seen on Google messages. I know you want to know more about it, so keep following us and we will provide you with all the information that you need.
For a long time, Apple has been dominating the texting environment with its iMessage chat feature. This allows Apple users to chat within themselves using a private network that works with MMS. This is what brought the green bubble/blue bubble division between communities.
But Google has now decided that enough is enough, and even Android should have its own MMS chat feature on their devices. So, that is when they made some pretty major updates to the Google Messages application.
What Has Changed In Google Messages?
So many things in the Google messages have changed, and if you are a Google fan to the core like me, then you could have noticed all of them. Even with the slight changes, I noticed them all. Here are all the changes that google made to their Google Messages app.
- The Icon for the Google Messages app has changed
- The User Interface of the Application has changed. There is a large hovering search bar above which contains the menu on the left and Google settings on the right.
- You can sync your Gmail into Google Messages.
- You can pair Google messages to another device and can send and receive messages from any device seamlessly.
- You can connect it to Google Photos to send clearer pictures for half the size.
- Get Chat Feature, which is the MMS chat feature.
- You can now see message reactions from IOS users.
Make Google Messages Default Messaging Application
For some of the older devices or newer devices, Google Messages is not the default messaging application. Before we get to how to set up the app, you have to first do this. We can’t just jump the steps, here’s the step-by-step on how to make Google Messages your default messaging application.
- First, install Google Messages from the Play Store.
- Open the application, then you will be prompted to set it as the default application. All you have to do is follow the steps given to you.
If that did not work on your device, then:
- Go to the settings on your phone.
- Go to the Default Application menu in settings.
- Change the default messaging application to Google Messages.
How to Set up Google Messages To Use All The New Features
After you have installed Google Messages and you have made it your default messaging, you have to wait for all your messages to drop into the app. After that, you are now ready to set up Google Messages To Use All The New Features.
- Open the Google Message app.
- Tap on the account icon on the top right.
- Tap on Messages settings.
- Tap on Chat features.
- Tap enable Chat features, and it will prompt you to enter your phone number.
The status should now be showing connected in green color. This means you have now successfully set up google messages on your phone.
To Enable Every New Feature on Google’s Messaging App That You Need
Here are some things that you need to do that will allow you to maximize or fully utilize every new feature that Google has put into the application.
- Enable Chat Features.
- Enable Read Receipts.
- Enable Typing Indicators.
- Enable Automatically resend as text (SMS/MMS).
- Go back to the setting page and click on Google Photos, the enable Always send videos by link in text(SMS/MMS).
- Enable and hear outgoing and incoming message sounds.
- Enter Suggestions, then enable Smart Reply, Suggested Actions, and Suggested Stickers.
- On that same page, enter Nudges and enable Suggest message reminders and Birthday reminders.
- Enter Automatic Previews, then enable Show All Previews.
- Go to Verified SMS, then enable Verify business message sender.
- In settings, enter Spam protection, then enable Enable spam protection.
- In Advanced, Change Group messaging to Send and MSS, then enable Auto-download MMS and Show iPhone reactions as emojis.
If you are planning to use the swipe actions, you can enter it and edit it to your preferred swiped direction action.
Now, with all these settings, you can text fellow Android users using MMS instead of SMS. This means you get to send texts with data, not SMS. To know if a user has the Google chat feature enabled, you will see a chatting icon when texting with the person.
Moreso, I did not just say that the tables have turned on Apple just to gaslight you, it is true. You remember in the past when Android users could not react to messages and when IOS users did, it would be sent as a text, which was annoying. Also, did you notice the way I said past, yes google has fixed it and it is now a thing of the past.
Not only did Google fix this, but when Android users react to a chat, we will also send it to the IOS users as text while Android users get a full emoji. THE TABLES FULLY TURNED ON APPLE.
I think that I have successfully provided you all with the information that you all wanted. So, will you be using Google Messages as your default messaging app and will you be using the chat feature?