Google Messages is changing the way it looks by completely redesigning the account menu. This is one of the last steps in the app’s move to the modern Material 3 Expressive design language.
This new update, which is being sent out to stable and beta channel users on version 20250922_00_RC00 and higher, replaces the old overlay-style menu with a new full-screen page.
The old design let users see the app’s top bar and a few conversations below it, but this new one is cleaner and more immersive.
The new layout has clear sections that make it easier to find your way around. The first group, called “More from this app,” gives you quick access to important features like Your profile, Archived conversations, Spam & blocked, Mark all as read, and Device pairing.
After this, you’ll see sections for your data in Google Messages, Messages settings, and Help & feedback, all in the unique and colorful containers that are a hallmark of the Material 3 Expressive design system.
The account switcher is still at the top of this new menu. This is the same as in other Google apps, but people often think it’s less important in the Messages app itself.
Google Messages has more than just a menu
This change in appearance is part of a larger effort to make Google Messages better for users. The app has a lot of features that make chatting more interesting and fun. For example, it lets you use hidden full-screen animations that can be set off by certain words in your conversations.
When you send messages like “Happy Birthday,” “Congratulations,” or “I love you,” your screen can fill with fun things like fireworks, balloons, or hearts that float. You need to make sure that RCS chats are turned on and that the “Show expressive animations” switch is on in your settings in order to use these.
The new ideas don’t stop there. Recent updates have added a lot of other useful features. You can now set reminders, schedule messages to be sent later, and get automatic transcriptions of voice messages right from your chats.
For safety and privacy, the app encrypts all personal conversations from start to finish, protects against spam, and has a feature that warns you about sensitive content by blurring images that might be explicit so you can choose whether or not to see them.
Google is also always trying out new features, like the ability to @mention people in group chats and a new “view details” page that shows you more about the messages you sent, including when they were delivered and read.
