4 annoying Google Messages settings I always change

Published Aug 11, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT Cory Gunther is a senior author and Newsletter Editor at Valnet, covering cutting-edge tech, Android, and more for How-To Geek. He's covered Android, cars, and technology for over a decade. When he's not reviewing the latest gadget, you can find him off-roading in his Toyota truck, fixing said truck, or doing something outdoors with friends and family. He's covered CES, SEMA, and MWC and reviewed countless phones, TVs, speakers, EVs, e-bikes, and more. Before Valnet, Cory worked for GottaBeMobile. His writing has also appeared on SlashGear, InputMag, and AndroidCentral. He's written over 9,000 articles. Google Messages is one of the most popular messaging apps for Android, especially now that the Samsung Messages app has been discontinued, which means millions more are finally using Google's option. And while Google Messages is great, there are several frustrating default settings that I always change for a better experience. From fixing swipe gestures that all do the same thing, editing smart reply suggestions, to getting rid of those obnoxious emoji animations, here's what you need to know. Change the swipe right and left gestures so they're not the same Delete or archive chats with ease Google Messages is packed with excellent features, but that doesn't mean it's all good. For example, it features swipe gestures for easy navigation and archiving chats, but both swipe-right and swipe-left gestures do the exact same thing, which makes no sense. By default, both gestures (left/right) perform the same task, which is to archive messages. Thankfully, Google makes it easy to change the swipe gesture to perform a different action, which, naturally, is to delete the conversation or message for good. Open Google Messages and tap your profile icon near the top-right, then scroll down to Messages settings. Next, scroll down to Swipe Actions, then customize the left and right swipes to archive, trash, or mark a message as read or unread. Additionally, you can turn the gestures off entirely if you keep swiping things away by accident. Turn off expressive animations Those emoji reactions have to go In 2024, Google added big, visually loud, full-screen "expressive animations" to Messages, and people either love them or hate them. Then, in 2025, single emoji reactions received a similar upgrade, and you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. When someone responds with any type of emoji, you see all sorts of visuals on the screen. It's obnoxious. While you might want to keep them, I certainly don't. Thankfully, you can go into the same menu inside Google Messages settings, scroll down to Expressive animations, and turn it off. In fact, this is just one of several frustrating aspects you can disable. Fix and customize the smart replies Tap to edit prevents them from automatically sending As many of you know, Google Messages displays several Smart Reply suggestions below new incoming messages. It's a great way to easily reply "Okay" or "Thanks" without taking the time to open the message and type out a reply. And while that's helpful, it could certainly be better. For one, many of the smart replies aren't all that great, and I'd rather say different things. And two, tapping the smart reply instantly sends it, and you've probably fired a few off by accident. I know I have. Earlier this summer, Google introduced new ways to use Smart Reply in Google Messages, including a new "Tap to edit" mode that makes things even better—as long as you change the default setting. Head into settings again by tapping on your profile icon near the top-right. Scroll down to Messages Settings > Suggestions and actions > Suggestions. From here, choose the Tap to edit option, and you're all set. From here on, instead of sending a suggestion instantly when you tap it, you'll be able to edit it first and then manually send it when you're ready. It's a substantially better experience, and the custom responses are nice, too. Turn off nudges and outgoing sounds I don't need the reminders And finally, the other settings I always change that Google Messages users may appreciate are those that turn off a few unnecessary features. I don't need to hear outgoing sounds whenever I send a message, and that's probably the first thing I disable. I don't understand why this is set on by default. Our phones already make enough noise with endless notifications, and I don't need more for message responses. Again, in the main Messages settings menu, toggle off the option labeled "Hear outgoing and incoming message sounds." And then, while you're at it, scroll back down to Suggestions and actions > Nudges > and disable the message reminders. These nudges are why you'll occasionally see an old text message resurface at the top of your list, with blue text underneath suggesting you may need to reply. The idea here is that Messages uses intelligence to recognize when a message may need a reply and surfaces it at the top to keep it front and center and get your attention. Sure, while this might be helpful for those who are forgetful or get overwhelmed by notifications, I always turn it off. You can also get rid of the birthday reminders, although that's generally useful, so I keep it enabled. And those are just the beginning These are just a few of the main default Google Messages settings I always change, but they're certainly not the only ones. Whether you're a long-time user or you just switched from Samsung Messages, there's a lot more to the app than this. You can set it to auto-delete OTP (one-time password) messages, pin important convos to the top, customize wallpapers and group chats, and parents will love the ability to hide and blur any sensitive content that a child may receive. Dig through the settings menu and look around. You'll be pleasantly surprised by all the options and features.