Use expressive features in Google Messages

Use reactions

To make messages more visual and playful, you can react to messages with an emoji, like a smiley face.

Get started with reactions

Important:

• To use reactions in Google Messages, connect your Google Messages account to an Android device.
• Reactions for SMS and MMS messages are available in the USA, France, Canada, and Australia.

Add a reaction

1. Tap and hold a message.
2. Choose an emoji reaction.

Tip: On a computer, to add a reaction, hover over a message. Click Reactions Select a reaction.

Change a reaction

Important: You can only change your own reactions.

1. Tap and hold the message you reacted to.
2. Select a new reaction.

Remove a reaction

Important: You can only remove your own reactions.

1. Tap and hold the message you reacted to.
2. Tap the highlighted reaction.

Find out who applied the reaction

In a group chat, anyone can add a reaction to a message. To find out who added a reaction, tap the group of emoji reactions.

Show iPhone reactions as texts

Important: This feature is only available in the U.S. on text messages sent in English.

When an iOS user reacts to a message, an emoji appears under their message. To get their reactions as texts, turn off the emoji reaction.

The emoji feature only applies when an iOS user reacts to text messages, not to images or any other file types.

1. Open Google Messages .
2. At the top right, tap profile photo Message settings Advanced.
3. Turn off Show iPhone reactions as emoji.

Use photomoji

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open a conversation.
3. Tap the message box Emoji Create .
4. Select a photo from your image gallery.
5. If there are multiple subjects in the photo, tap the one you want to send.
6. Tap Send .

Create photomoji to send as a reaction

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open a conversation.
3. Tap and hold a message.
4. Tap Create .
5. Select a photo from your image gallery.
6. If there are multiple subjects in the photo, tap the one you want to send.
7. Tap Send .

Learn more about photomoji.

Use animated emoji

Most of the emoji are animated. You can send an emoji to see it animate in fun, delightful ways. By default, animated emoji are turned on.

Use screen effects

There's a lot of hidden messages that'll trigger Screen Effects. You can send messages like “Happy Valentine’s Day” and see it animate, on both your screen and the recipient’s screen.

Disable animated features

Turn off expressive animations

1. On your Google Messages app, tap your Profile picture Messages settings .
2. Turn off Show expressive animations.

Alternatively, you can disable animations in device-level settings:

1. On your device, open the Settings app .
2. Select Accessibility Color and motion.
3. Turn on Remove animations.

Use camera effects

Important: The feature is only available for Pixel 6 and later, and Samsung Galaxy S20+ devices.

To access the feature:

1. Open Google Messages .
2. Open or start a conversation.
3. Tap Image capture Camera effects .
4. Tap an effect you want to apply to your image or video.
5. Tap Send .

Tips:

• The feature works for images and videos in RCS and MMS messages.
• Images with camera effects show up on Messages Web and RCS for iPhone devices.
• Available effects range from a simple touch up to look your best in different lighting conditions to seasonal effects.

Related resources

• Use Suggested actions in Google Messages
• Change Google Messages notifications & settings
• Edit group message options