Google Messages will soon show images of contacts in chats

Google Messages is one of the most popular messaging apps on Android, thanks to its support for RCS chat features and its simple interface. The app is constantly updated with new features and improvements; the latest one is a subtle but noticeable change to how conversations look.

Previously, when you opened a chat with someone, you would only see their name at the top of the screen, next to the video and voice call buttons. The name also acted as a shortcut to their contact details page on Google Contacts. Now, Google has also added their profile photo, making it easier to identify who you are talking to and access their information.

The profile photo appears on the left side of the name, and both are still clickable to open Google Contacts. If you are in a group chat, you will see the group name and photo instead. The photos are picked up directly from Google Contacts, so if you want to change them, you must do it from there.

To make room for the profile photo, Google has removed the search button from the top bar. You can still search for messages or keywords within a conversation by tapping on the three-dot menu on the right corner and selecting “Search”. This is similar to how other messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram handle search.

This change is rolling out with Google Messages version 20230313_01_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic, which is currently available as a beta version on the Play Store or APKMirror. It may take some time before it reaches all users on the stable channel.

Google Messages is one of the best ways to communicate with your friends and family on Android, especially if they also have RCS chat enabled. With this update, Google has made conversations more personal and intuitive by adding contact images within chats.

What do you think of this change? Do you like seeing profile photos at the top of your chats? Let us know in the comments below!