Apple’s Messages app keeps getting better; here are my favorite updates

9to5Mac is brought to you by Tello Mobile. Switching to Tello Mobile can bring the cost of your plan down to as little as $5 a month, or an unlimited plan for just $25 a month, all on America’s largest 5G network. See all of the available plans at tello.com. Apple’s Messages app is the most-used app for many iPhone users. As such, Apple regularly makes the app better with new features and important changes. Here’s a rundown of some of Apple’s biggest recent changes to Messages on iPhone. My favorite new features in Messages With iOS 26 last year, Apple added a host of new features to Messages. Here are some of my favorites: Message backgrounds: you can now set custom backgrounds for your individual threads and group chats in Messages. This gives you a new way to customize your conversations. Group chat upgrades: Apple added some much-needed improvements to group chats in Messages, including typing indicators. Group chats also support Apple Cash, making it easier to split a bill. Polls: When it comes time to decide where to go for dinner, what time to meet up, or anything else, you can now create polls in the Messages app. On Apple Intelligence devices, the Messages app can also automatically suggest and create polls for you. New filtering options: Spam messages are an increasingly big problem for iPhone users. In the upper-right corner of the Messages app, you can filter messages based on Unknown Senders, Transactions, Promotions, and Spam. This makes it easier to keep your main Messages interface clutter-free. With iOS 27 this year, Apple added even more to the Messages app — headlined by a focus on bug fixes and performance improvements. Bug fixes: Apple has fixed three of the most annoying Messages bugs. Failed messages will automatically retry sending, there’s now support for continuous sending of photos, videos, and messages, and improved syncing across devices. These changes alone make for a huge quality-of-life improvement for Messages. One-tap suggestions: In iOS 27, the Messages app offers one-tap suggestions based on the context of your messages, such as creating a reminder or a note. Smart reply: The Messages app in iOS 27 now offers much more intelligent Smart Reply suggestions that are based on your personalized writing styles. All of this comes as Apple has also continued to improve its implementation of RCS, making cross-platform communication with your Android friends and family even better. Most notably, Apple this year added support for end-to-end encryption when using RCS. What are some of your favorite features in the Messages app? What’s on your wishlist? Let us know down in the comments. Follow Chance: Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, and Mastodon. 9to5Mac is brought to you by Tello Mobile. Switching to Tello Mobile can bring the cost of your plan down to as little as $5 a month, or an unlimited plan for just $25 a month, all on America’s largest 5G network. See all of the available plans at tello.com. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.