Get started with the Google Messages app

You can send and receive text messages, photos, voice messages, and video using Google Messages. If you don't have Google Messages, you can get it from Google Play.

Make Google Messages your default messaging app

Important: Some of these steps only work on Android 6.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.

Important: Your messages are stored in the SMS database on your device, and other apps may be able to access your messages. For more information about how to manage your app permissions, contact your device manufacturer.

If your device has more than one messaging app, you can make Google Messages your default messaging app. When you make Google Messages your default messaging app, you can review your text message history in Google Messages, and you'll only be able to send and receive new text messages in Google Messages.

To set Google Messages as your default messaging app, select an option:

1. Open Google Messages . Learn where to find your apps.
2. When prompted to change your default messaging app, follow the onscreen instructions.

Alternatively:

1. Open Settings .
2. Click Apps.
3. In the list of apps, click Google Messages SMS Google Messages .

If you no longer want Google Messages to be your default messaging app, you can uninstall Google Messages or change your default messaging app from your device's settings.

Start a conversation with one of your contacts

If a contact is already in your phone, it'll show as a contact in your Google Messages. You can also add a new contact from within the app itself.

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Tap Start chat.
3. Enter the name, phone number, or email of the person you want to send a message to.
4. Enter your message.
5. Tap Send .

Add a new number in your conversation list as a contact

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Select a conversation that exists with someone not in your contacts.
3. Tap More Add contact.

Add a new contact from a group conversation

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Select a group conversation with the number you want to add as a contact.
3. Tap More Details.
4. Tap the number you want to add Add contact.

Change notification settings for specific people

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open a conversation with the person you want to change notifications for.
3. Tap More Details Notifications.

Tip: You can turn notifications on or off completely for this person, or edit advanced settings for how notifications display on your device.

Reply to a message

You can send replies to messages. When you send a reply to a specific message in a conversation, the content of the original message is quoted along with your reply.

Tip: If you use a computer, you can view replies to messages, but you can't send replies. Replies are available if you have chat features turned on. Learn more about chat features.

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Tap and hold the message you want to reply to in a conversation.
3. Tap the Reply arrow .
4. Enter your message.

Get a verification code from a message

Some apps and websites send you a verification code, a security code, or a one-time password to use to sign in or confirm your identity.

Copy code from a message

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open a message with a verification code.
3. Click Copy {Code}.
4. On the app or website, paste the code.

Tip: Google can’t view your messages or verification codes. They aren't sent to Google servers as part of this feature.

Search for messages, photos, places & more

Search in messages

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Tap Search .
3. Enter your search terms.
   • To narrow your search, you can use filters.

Tip: To remove previews, turn off link previews in settings. 

Schedule messages to send later

Schedule messages

Important: With Android 7.0 and up, you can schedule messages to send on phones. If your phone isn't connected to Wi-Fi or data at the scheduled time, your message is sent when your device reconnects.

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open a conversation.
3. Enter your message.
4. Touch and hold Send .
5. Choose from the suggestions. 
   • Optional: If you choose your own date and time, a calendar opens. After you pick a date, a clock opens so you can pick a time. Tap Next.
6. Tap Send .

Tip: If you open a conversation with a scheduled message, there's a “Scheduled message” notification.

Edit, send, or delete a scheduled message

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open the conversation with the scheduled message.
3. Next to the scheduled message, tap Schedule .
4. You can update, send, or delete the scheduled message.

Make a message larger

Zoom in on a message to increase text size

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Go to a conversation
3. Select a message.
4. Pinch to zoom in on the message and make the text bigger.

Tip: To decrease the text size back to the default setting, pinch to zoom out.

Learn how to change your display settings on Android.

Related resources

• Your chats stay private with spam detection
• Understand the basics of privacy in Google Messages
• About suspicious message alerts