Get interactive messages from businesses

You can receive interactive messages with rich media, like photos and videos, from businesses. For example, an airline could send you a message with your boarding pass.

Get interactive messages

To receive interactive messages, both you and the business need to turn on chat features.

If your phone and operator can use chat features, the option will appear in your advanced settings.

Tip: Availability varies, and operator charges may apply. Contact your operator for details.

1. Open the Messages app .
2. Tap More   Settings.
3. Tap Advanced  Chat features  Enable chat features.

If you can't find this option, it may not be available for your phone or operator.

Learn about verified businesses

When a business uses chat features, Google or other third-party providers can verify the business's identity. If the business is verified, it will say 'verified' or have a verified badge .

When you message the business, they'll receive a read receipt for each of their messages that you read. Learn more about how to turn off read receipts.

Get more info about a business

To get a business's information, tap the business’s name  Information.

To review the business's privacy policy and Terms of Service

1. Tap Info and options  Options.
2. Select an option:
   • View the privacy policy
   • View the Terms of Service

Block or report business messages

If you no longer want to receive messages from a business, you can block them.

1. Open the Messages app .
2. Open the conversation with the business that you want to block.
3. Tap More   Info and options.
4. Tap Options  Block [business name].
5. Select an option:
   • Report as spam: To report spam or poor business behaviour to Google, tap the tick. This will also block the business.
   • Block: Confirm that you want to block the business.

Tip: When you block a business, the conversation that you had with them is moved to the 'Spam and blocked' folder. To find business messages that you've blocked, tap More   Spam and blocked.

Unblock businesses

• Open the Messages app .
• Tap More   Blocked contacts.
• Tap the name of the business that you want to unblock.
• To confirm, tap Unblock.

Pay businesses for goods and services

Important: To receive a payment request from a business within an interactive message, you need to have chat features turned on. Chat features are available for select operators and businesses. Learn how to turn on chat features.

Certain businesses can request and receive payment from you within an interactive message. You can make this payment via your Google Pay account. Your Google email address won’t be shared with the business when you make a payment.

Respond to payment requests from businesses

Important: Payment requests and receipts are stored as text messages. If you delete these messages, your payment requests and receipts will also be deleted. If you give apps permission to read your text messages, they can read your payment requests and receipts. Apps can’t read your credit card or payment information.

1. Open the Messages app .
2. Select the message from a business.
3. Tap the prompt to continue the transaction.
4. An itemised list of costs will be displayed. Tap Checkout.
5. Select a payment method.
   • If you don’t have a payment method set up in Google Pay, tap Payment methods  Add card. Follow the instructions to add a credit or debit card.
6. Tap Continue.
7. At the bottom, swipe to pay. A tick will appear when your payment is completed.
8. You'll find your receipt in the conversation. To refund or cancel a payment, contact the business.