Google Messages Updated with Long Press Menu for Text and Images

Google Messages displays light animations (PHOTO: X @commentcamarche)

Google is again updating the Google Messages app by testing a new long-press-based menu design for text and images. This update is said to replace the old toolbar that has been appearing at the top of the screen.

In the new design, when users long press a text or image message, a floating menu containing various action options will appear. This menu displays options such as Remix, Reply, Forward, Copy for text, Star, Delete, Select more, Info, and Save for images. Each option is equipped with an icon on the front to make it easier to recognize.

When the menu appears, Google Messages displays a light animation with a reflection effect on the selected message, accompanied by a vibration feedback. The background of the screen is also made blurry to highlight the active action menu. A row of emojis and the "Create" shortcut are still available as before.

This change marks a shift from the old design, where only three main actions were displayed in the top toolbar, while other options were hidden in additional menus. With this new approach, Google is said to be trying to modernize the messaging experience to make it more intuitive and in line with other popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp.

According to a report from 9to5Google, this long-press menu feature can be seen in the beta version of Google Messages 20251212_00_RC01 through a server-side update. Until now there is no certainty when the feature will be widely released for all users, but the public launch is expected to take a long time.