When you get a message, you can choose to be notified with a:
- Sound
- Vibration
- Reminder
You can also choose how:
- Your device sends pictures and videos
- Google Messages handles advanced tasks
Important: You're using a custom Android version. If these steps don't work for you, check with your device manufacturer.
Important: Some of these steps work only on Android 8.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
Change global settings
Change default notification settings- Open Google Messages .
- Tap your profile photo or icon Settings.
- Stop notifications from other apps: Tap Notifications Turn off All "Default settings" notifications.
- Get notifications on your phone from Google Messages: Tap Notifications Turn on Incoming messages.
- Stop sound notifications when you send messages: Turn off Hear outgoing message sounds.
- Open your device's Settings app .
- Tap Apps Default apps SMS app.
To make your font size smaller or larger:
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Select Accessibility Text and display.
- Select Font size.
- Use the slider to choose your font size.
To make items on your screen smaller or larger:
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Select Accessibility Text and display Display size.
- Use the slider to choose your display size.
Change advanced settings
Change how Google Messages sends pictures, videos & audio files- Open Google Messages .
- Tap your profile photo or icon Settings Advanced.
- Send a message or a file separately to each person in a conversation: Tap Group messaging Send an SMS reply to all recipients and get individual replies (mass text).
- Automatically download files in messages: Turn on Auto-download MMS.
- Automatically download files when data roams: Turn on Auto-download MMS when roaming.
- Open Google Messages .
- Tap your profile photo or icon Settings Advanced.
- Change special characters to simple characters: Turn on Use simple characters.
- Change the phone number you use to send files: Tap Phone number.
You can keep conversations accessible with bubble notifications. When you pin bubbles to your home screen, you can get messages from contacts in fewer steps.
- Open Google Messages .
- Tap your profile photo or icon Settings Bubbles.
- Choose:
- Get notifications for all conversations: Tap All conversations can bubble.
- Get notifications for certain contacts: Tap Selected conversations can bubble.
- Stop all notifications: Tap Nothing can bubble.
Tips:
- Change bubble settings for specific contacts: Open a conversation Tap More options Details Notifications.
- Dismiss a notification: Touch and hold the bubble, then drag it to the bottom of your screen.
- Open Google Messages .
- Open a 1:1 conversation or group message.
- Tap More Details or More Group details.
- Stop message notifications: Tap Notifications Silent.
- Get priority notifications: Tap Notifications Priority.
- Block messages from the phone number or group: Tap Block & report spam OK.
Optional: Check the box next to “Report spam” to send a spam report. - Add people to the conversation: Tap Add people.
Link previews from websites can be turned on or off:
- Open Google Messages .
- At the top right, tap your profile photo or icon Settings Automatic previews.
- Turn off Show all previews.
- Optional: To turn off previews when you send or get a link in a conversation, tap Show only web link previews.
Tip: Only share links you trust. URLs can include personal details, like your location or bank information.
Important: These steps only work on Android 10 and up.
- Open your device's Settings app .
- Tap Display.
- Turn Dark theme on or off.