Google Messages Adds New RCS Features in June 2026
Google is steadily reshaping its Messages app with a wave of new features designed to make conversations more personal, more secure, and better connected across Android and iPhone devices. While many additions are still arriving gradually through beta testing, the latest updates highlight Google's continued push to position Messages as the centerpiece of modern Android communication.
The June rollout introduces a mix of visual customization, interface refinements, and cross-platform improvements. Together, these changes aim to improve the everyday messaging experience while strengthening support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), the technology replacing traditional SMS.
One of the biggest additions is the arrival of Chat Themes, giving users significantly more control over the appearance of individual conversations. Replacing the previous "Change colors" option introduced in 2024, the new customization menu combines color schemes with customizable wallpapers to create a more personalized chat experience.
Users can choose from nine color themes, including Dynamic Color, which automatically adapts to the conversation background. Google is also offering a collection of built-in wallpapers spanning categories such as Animals, Architecture, Landscapes, Space, Cityscapes, Sunsets, Textures, Macro photography, and Black & White, while still allowing users to upload their own images.
Cross-platform messaging is also receiving meaningful upgrades. Once Apple releases iOS 27 later this year, Android and iPhone users communicating through RCS will gain support for quoted inline replies and emoji reactions on photos, eliminating the text-only descriptions previously shown in mixed-device conversations.
Google continues to refine the app's interface as well. A redesigned long-press menu is expanding through the beta channel, replacing the traditional toolbar with a floating contextual menu that centers the selected message or image while subtly blurring the background and adding haptic feedback for a smoother interaction.
Read receipts remain another area of active development. After experimenting with several designs, Google is testing a revised layout that restores familiar delivery icons while moving timestamps and encryption details behind a swipe gesture, allowing conversations to appear cleaner without removing important information.
Google is also preparing changes beyond the smartphone app itself. Future versions of Messages for Web will rely on Google Account sign-in instead of QR code pairing, simplifying access across multiple devices while aligning with Google's broader account-based ecosystem.
Another notable transition is taking place for Samsung users in the United States. Beginning in July, Samsung Messages will be phased out on newer devices, with Google Messages becoming the primary messaging application. On phones running Android 14 or later, the app can automatically move into the home screen dock during the migration process.
Several recently completed rollouts are now available to stable users. The voice message button has received a more noticeable visual redesign, making it easier to identify while composing conversations. Google has also introduced a "Tap to Draft" option that places Smart Reply suggestions into the text field before sending, reducing accidental responses and giving users an opportunity to edit suggested messages.
The company has additionally resolved an issue affecting the Selfie GIF shortcut, which previously appeared inconsistently within the attachment menu. The fix keeps menu layouts more predictable and helps preserve users' muscle memory when sharing media.
Security continues to be a major focus for Google's messaging platform. Following Apple's release of iOS 26.5, end-to-end encrypted RCS conversations between Android and iPhone users are now rolling out across supported carriers. Encrypted chats display familiar security indicators on both platforms, ensuring messages remain protected while traveling between devices.
Although many of the newest features are still arriving gradually through beta testing and staged deployments, the steady pace of updates signals Google's broader strategy. By expanding customization, refining usability, and improving interoperability with Apple's messaging ecosystem, Google Messages is evolving into a more capable alternative to traditional SMS while narrowing the gap between Android and iPhone communication.