10 methods for extra environment friendly Android messaging
Save time and talk extra successfully with these easy-to-miss superior choices for Google’s Android Messages app.
Google / JR Raphael, IDG
No matter what kind of Android telephone you carry or the way you normally use it, one factor is a near-universal fixed:
You’re gonna spend a ton of time sending and studying messages.
The messages could also be from shoppers, colleagues, or your cousin Crissy from Cleveland (rattling it, Crissy!). But no matter who sends ’em or what they’re about, they’re all popping up in your telephone and cluttering your weary brainspace.
My fellow Android adorer, I’m right here to inform you there’s a greater manner.
Google’s Android Messages app has gotten surprisingly good through the years. That’s no massive secret. If you are solely counting on what you see on the floor inside Android Messages, although, you are lacking out on a few of its strongest and underappreciated efficiency-enhancing choices.
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Today, we’ll discover the Android Messages app’s handiest out-of-sight superpowers. They could not have the ability to reduce down on the variety of messages you ship and obtain in your telephone (DAMN IT, CRISSY!), however they’ll assist you to spend much less time fussing with ’em. And they could simply assist you’ve got a extra nice expertise, too.
Let’s dive in, we could?
(If you are utilizing a telephone the place the Android Messages app wasn’t preinstalled or set because the default, by the way in which, you possibly can obtain it from the Play Store and provides it a whirl. Especially for those who’re coming from the world of Samsung’s wildly pointless self-made Messages various, you may be pleasantly shocked by what you discover.)
Android Messages methods for studying and receiving messages
1. Custom notifications for essential folks
We’ll begin with what may be my favourite little-known trick for Google’s Android Messages app: With a pair fast changes, you possibly can flip any of your contacts’ faces right into a customized notification icon. That icon will then present up on the high of your telephone at any time when that individual messages you for extra-easy visibility and entry.
See?
JR
The solely catch is that your telephone must be operating 2020’s Android 11 working system or larger for the function to be out there. (And truthfully, in case your telephone is not operating Android 11 at this level, you’ve got obtained larger fish to fry.)
Here’s how one can make it occur:
- The subsequent time you get a message from somebody, press and maintain your finger to the notification.
- That’ll pull up a display screen that appears a bit of somethin’ like this:
JR
- Tap the “Priority” line, then faucet “Apply” to avoid wasting the modifications.
And that is it: The subsequent time that individual messages you, you may see their profile image rather than the usual Messages icon in your standing bar, and the notification will present up in a particular part above another alerts.
2. Easier-to-read textual content
File this subsequent Android Messages function below “unintended discoveries”: The subsequent time you end up squinting at one thing in a messaging thread in your telephone, strive a very good old style zoom gesture on the display screen — inserting your finger and thumb collectively after which spreading ’em slowly aside.
You’d by no means understand it, however the Messages app helps that normal gesture for zooming right into a dialog. The inverse applies, too: When you are able to zoom again out and make all the pieces smaller, simply convey your two fingers nearer collectively.
And if these actions aren’t working for you, faucet the three-dot icon within the upper-right nook of the principle Messages display screen and choose “Settings,” then be certain the toggle subsequent to “Pinch to zoom dialog textual content” is within the on place.
Who knew?!
3. Smarter inline media
You know a implausible solution to waste time? I’ll inform ya: shifting from one app to a different simply to look at one thing somebody despatched you (like these blasted Bangles video Crissy is all the time blasting your manner).
Well, get this: Google’s Android Messages app can allow you to preview and even watch total YouTube movies with out ever leaving your present dialog — and it may give you useful previews of internet hyperlinks proper inside the app, too.
The secret is to be sure you’ve obtained the related choices enabled:
- Tap that three-dot icon within the upper-right nook of the principle Messages display screen.
- Select “Settings,” then faucet “Automatic previews.”
- Make positive the toggle subsequent to “Show all previews” is on and energetic.
Now, the following time somebody sends you a video hyperlink, you may see the video begin taking part in with none sound as quickly because it exhibits up:
JR
And if you wish to really watch it, you possibly can faucet the video — not the textual content hyperlink however the precise field the place the video is taking part in — to activate the sound and play all the factor proper then and there.
With internet pages, Messages will present you simply sufficient of a preview to allow you to make an informed choice about whether or not you wish to faucet the hyperlink or not.
JR
Almost painfully smart, would not ya say?
4. Less annoying iPhone interactions
One obnoxious aspect impact of Apple’s “nobody exists exterior of iOS” mentality is the way in which these foolish iPhone message reactions present up on Android.
You know what I’m talkin’ about, proper? Those pointless messages you get from iGoobers that say stuff like “Loved ‘Please cease texting me, Crissy'”?
As of a comparatively latest replace, Google’s Android Messages app is ready to intercept these absurd platform-specific reactions and switch ’em into normal reactions as a substitute of plain-text interruptions. All you’ve got gotta do is allow the choice:
- Head again into the Messages app’s settings.
- Tap “Advanced.”
- Look for the road labeled “Show iPhone reactions as emoji” and ensure the toggle subsequent to it’s within the on place.
All that is left is to breathe a heavy sigh of aid.
Android Messages methods for interacting with messages
5. Swift appointment scheduling
Working to plan a gathering or occasion with a fellow Homo sapien in Messages? Make your self a psychological be aware of this:
Anytime somebody sends you a message that features a particular date and time, the Messages app will underline that textual content — like this:
JR
You’d be forgiven for failing to appreciate, however you possibly can really faucet that underlined textual content to disclose a shortcut for opening that very same day and time in your calendar app. It’s an effective way to get a fast ‘n’ simple glimpse at your availability for the time you are discussing.
And for those who then wish to create a calendar occasion, simply search for the “Create occasion” command that ought to seem proper beneath that exact same message. That’ll hearth up a brand new calendar occasion for you on the spot, with the day and time already stuffed in.
JR
Don’tcha simply love easy step-savers?
6. Sanity-saving snoozing
We may write an entire ebook on all of the methods snoozing could make your life simpler on Android (and I did, in truth, as a part of a latest information over in my non-public useful resource group!) — however for our functions right here right now, the particular snoozing system we have to scrutinize is the one constructed proper into the Google-made Android Messages interface.
Lemme inform ya: If you have not gotten within the behavior of utilizing it, you are actually lacking out. It’s an extremely efficient solution to be sure you keep in mind to take care of a message at a particular future date and time.
And you’ve got obtained two other ways to make the most of it:
- If you wish to keep in mind a particular particular person message inside an Android Messages dialog, press and maintain your finger to the message in query — then search for the clock-shaped icon within the bar on the high of the display screen.
- If you’d moderately have your reminder present up for a whole thread with somebody as a substitute of a particular particular person message, press and maintain your finger to the thread inside the principle Messages display screen — then look for a similar clock-shaped icon within the high bar there.
Either manner you go, you can set your reminder for any future date and time you need:
JR
And regardless of how mushy that noggin of yours could also be, you may keep in mind to revisit that message at precisely the correct second.
7. Seamless message scheduling
If you are able to hammer out a response to a message proper now however don’t desire your reply to be despatched for some time but, skip the snoozing and easily schedule your message for the long run.
The Android Messages app’s scheduling system is spectacularly helpful. You can depend on it for setting reminders to be despatched to shoppers, business-related messages to be despatched out the following morning, or context-free middle-finger emojis to be despatched to your cousin in Cleveland.
To faucet into its productivity-boosting powers, simply kind out your message usually — however then, as a substitute of tapping the triangle-shaped ship icon on the proper of the composing window, press and maintain your finger onto that very same button if you’re carried out.
No moderately sane individual may notice it, however that’ll pull up a hidden menu for choosing exactly when your message ought to be despatched.
JR
And the individual on the opposite finish can have no manner of even figuring out that you just wrote the factor upfront.
Android Messages methods for locating messages
8. Important contact prioritizing
Ever want you may maintain your most essential messaging threads on the high of the record for simple ongoing entry?
Poof: Wish granted. Just maintain your finger onto the dialog in query on the principle Messages app display screen, then faucet the pushpin-shaped icon within the app’s high bar.
You can pin as much as three conversations that manner, they usually’ll all the time seem above all different threads in that most important inbox view.
9. Important message saving
When you run right into a message you recognize you may wish to reference once more, save your self the difficulty of making an attempt to dig it again up later and as a substitute star it on the spot to make it simple to search out sooner or later.
It could not be a lot simpler to do: While viewing a person message thread, press and maintain your finger onto the particular message you wish to save, then faucet the star-shaped icon that seems within the bar on the high of the display screen.
Then, if you wish to discover the message once more, faucet the three-dot icon within the upper-right nook of the principle Messages display screen and choose “Starred” from the menu that comes up. That’ll present you each message you’ve got starred for exceptionally simple resurfacing.
10. Advanced message looking
Starring is elegant, however typically, you have to dig up an previous message that you just did not exit of your solution to save.
The Android Messages app makes that even simpler than you would possibly notice. Tap the search bar on the high of the app’s most important display screen — and along with looking your total historical past message for any particular string of textual content, take be aware:
- You can faucet the image of any of your contacts after which kind in some textual content to restrict your search to messages solely from that one individual.
- You can scroll horizontally alongside the bins beneath the phrase “Categories” to look particularly at pictures, movies, places, or hyperlinks folks have despatched you.
- And you possibly can mix any of these variables for much more highly effective discovering — searching for hyperlinks you despatched to a selected shopper, for example, or places an out-of-town colleague despatched to you.
JR
Just you’ll want to keep away from telling Crissy that is potential. As far as she’s involved, all these Bangles movies by no means reached you, and you have no manner of monitoring ’em down now.
And don’t fret: Your secret’s secure with me.
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