12 tricks and hidden functions to master google messages

Do not be fooled by the look. Behind its simple interface, the Google News messaging application, installed on many Android smartphones, is packed with features. Often very practical and sometimes misunderstood, these hidden functions, when they are known and mastered, can provide many services.

Whether it’s sending a text message from your computer, planning a message to remember a birthday, or creating a reminder after receiving an appointment via SMS, Google Messages can accomplish much more than one can imagine.

In the following lines you will find tips and sometimes hidden functions that will allow you to make the best use of Google News on your Android smartphone.

1. Send SMS from your computer

You may not know it, but you can send and receive text messages directly from your computer by connecting your Android smartphone to it. The connection process is very simple.

On your computer, open your favorite web browser and go to its dedicated page Google News for the Internet Where a QR code appears.

Now grab your smartphone, open Google News, press the Options button indicated by three small dots, and enter the menu at the top right of the screen Connecting the device Then press the button QR code reader.

The camera of your smartphone should then be unlocked. To scan it, point it to the QR code displayed on your computer’s web browser. You can now use the Google Messages app, which you normally use for text messages on your Android smartphone, right from your computer’s web browser.

Click the button Yes In the window Remember this computer If you want your smartphone and PC to be compatible.

2. Enable RCS messaging

In 2019, Google introduced the new RCS communication protocol in France, next to SMS, on Android smartphones. This protocol tends to change regular SMS, sending all the messages exchanged over the internet connection with all the benefits it can bring. You can use this as a classic chat, and take advantage of specific features such as sharing your geographic location in real time. To make things easier, the RCS protocol allows Google Messages to act like WhatsApp or iMessage.

If you do not already have one, there is still time to implement it. To do this, open Google News and press the three dotted button on the top right to access the options Settings Of the application.

Then go to the menu Chat features To Enable chat features.

In the warning pop-up that appears, tap I agree. In principle, the process of verifying your number should start automatically and be done automatically. If not, press the button Check the number.

3. Enable chat bubbles

One of the best qualities of Android is its openness. Google’s mobile OS offers more freedom for applications and offers a myriad of customization options. Of these, you can enable dialog bubbles.

To take advantage of it, enter Settings From the news, then from the menu BubblesTurn them on for conversations Selected Uniquely Or for that matter All.

If you choose the first option, you must enable chat bubbles for each of your conversations individually. To do this, you need to show Information Of the dialog, then enter the menu Announcements.

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Then you can activate the option Put the conversation in the bubble Bubble to display on top of other apps.

4. Follow up with your important conversations

If some of the conversations stored in Google News are more important than others, you may want to put them at the top of the list. This is entirely possible.

To do this, show a list of all your conversations and tap on one of them. Select the pin icon at the top of the screen to match the dialog at the top of the list.

5. Hide conversations

In your Messages app you can have a conversation and hide if there are any eyes around it. You can hide some conversations using the archive feature. Thanks to this, your conversations will no longer appear on the main page of the application and will be deleted. They are “stored” in a very well-hidden commitment section.

To archive the dialog, tap on it to select it, and then tap the card icon with the down arrow at the top of the screen.

To find the dialog, press the Options button, marked with three small dots at the top right of the main news page, and then enter the menu Archived. In the same way, you can remove the dialog from the archive by selecting the dialog and pressing the card icon with the up arrow.

6. Plan to send a message

You no longer have any reason to forget to send a birthday message to your loved ones. Since the end of 2020, Google Messages has added a functionality that allows the program to send SMS.

To schedule sending, enter the dialog and write your message. Then press your finger send button. A pop-up offer for scheduling will appear later. You can select one of the three suggestions displayed or select the date and time at your convenience.

7. Look for a message in the conversation

With the messages you send and receive over time, it can become very difficult to find a miss. Fortunately, any message in the conversation can be easily detected.

To do this, press the icon shown A Magnifying glass In the upper right of the dialog, enter and verify your search. Google News should display a list of results below the search field. Tap the arrows to scroll through them, and the searched words will be automatically highlighted in the detected messages.

8. Save important messages

Did you get the message important enough to save it and access it quickly? Instead of taking a screen shot that gets lost in your camera roll, you can add to the favorites list the important messages you receive.

To do this, in the dialog, long press the message and then select the icon Star At the top right of the screen. A star should be displayed in that message.

To easily find the message from the main page of Google News, point to the Options menu and enter the menu Followed. A complete list of the following messages can be found there.

9. Customize the contact SMS ringtone

Did you know that it is possible to customize the SMS ringtone for each of your contacts? Ideal for finding out who is sending you Missing without looking at your smartphone screen, this option is set directly from the dialog.

To do this, press the Options button and enter Information. Then enter the menu Announcements Then enter the section His To select another ringtone.

10. Create a reminder from Google News

Have you been invited to a meeting via a contact SMS? To make sure you don’t forget, you can create a reminder directly from the conversation. To do this, long press the message and touch the icon that shows the stopwatch at the top right of the screen.

A window Set the reminder To open. Choose or press one of the suggestions displayed Select the date and time Set a specific date and time for your reminder.

11. Share your location

You want to make an appointment with a loved one, but do not know the address of where you are? Why not share your location directly?

To do this, open the dialog of the person who wants to share your location and press the button + The message entry is located on the left side of the field and select the option Location.

In the Permission window that pops up, select Share Your Location PerfectAnd Only this time. Google Maps Map will appear with your current location. Press Send this status Share your location in real time with your reporter.

You will receive an SMS with a Google Maps link to locate your location.

12. Start a video call

If you use Google Messages on your Android smartphone, you can trigger a video call from a conversation with a loved one. How? ‘Or’ What? Simply press the camera icon at the top right of the dialog.

Be careful, however, video calls only work under one condition: you and your reporter have previously configured Google Duo on your smartphone.

Otherwise, Google News will automatically redirect you to the Google Play Store to download the app.