Google Messages Is Looking to Redesign Its Media Viewer, Paving Way for Threaded Replies

Mark
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Google Messages, the go-to app for messaging on most Android phones, has millions of users worldwide. Despite getting plenty of fresh features recently, it’s still missing a few things found in other apps. Now, it looks like the team behind Messages is working on bringing one of these much-wanted features to life.

In the latest Google Messages beta (version 20250115_03_RC00), Android Authority found a new design for the media viewer. Right now, when you tap on a photo or video in a conversation, your options are limited to saving or sharing. But this beta update adds some extra tools at the bottom left of the screen.

The new media viewer includes a circular chat bubble icon, six commonly used emojis, and a button to choose from more emojis. Tapping the chat bubble opens a thread-like view that shows all the replies to that image, making it easier to follow conversations, especially in group chats.

A video from Android Authority gives us a look at how this works. You can comment directly on an image, and the replies stack up in the thread, with the newest ones at the bottom.

There’s a similar setup when talking with Gemini, as seen in another video. However, in this case, emoji reactions aren’t part of the media viewer. For now, the usual way of long-pressing an image or video to get emoji reactions will stay the same.

Since this updated media viewer is only in a beta version activated manually, it’s uncertain when—or if—Google will roll it out to everyone. But with so much effort put into it, it’s likely we’ll see it in the stable version soon. Wouldn’t threaded replies for media make group chats so much smoother?

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Mark is the kind of person who gets way too excited about new software updates and can’t resist taking apart gadgets—just to see if they can put them back together. With years of experience in tech journalism and a love for all things digital, Mark writes about the stories behind the screens, from game-changing innovations to the everyday tech that keeps life running smoothly. Outside of work, they’re the go-to “tech support” for friends and family, whether it’s fixing a printer that won’t cooperate or explaining why Grandma’s laptop keeps showing pop-ups. When Mark isn’t glued to their screen, they’re probably building their dream PC, rewatching sci-fi movies for the hundredth time, or testing a gadget that promises to “change everything.” Spoiler: they’ll let you know if it actually does.