I finally fixed my 2 biggest annoyances with Google Messages — here’s how

Joe Maring / Android AuthoritySamsung Messages packs plenty of useful features that Google Messages lacks. I particularly like its customization and organization features, as well as the ability to auto-delete old messages. However, Google Messages remains my go-to messaging app for a few reasons.For one, I switch Android phones multiple times a year, and Google Messages makes my transitions frictionless. Then there’s Messages for Web, which lets me chat on my computer.That said, I’ve had two huge annoyances with Google Messages for years. While Google recently released a fix for one, it’s been possible to fix the other for years, though I never bothered. Here’s how I resolved both of them.Do the default settings for swipe gestures and Smart Reply suggestions bother you?1 votesSwipe left and swipe right gestures perform the same action The Google Messages app supports two swipe gestures: swipe left and swipe right. However, by default, both gestures are configured to perform the same action: archive the message. If you ask me, this defeats the purpose of having two gestures in the first place.Thankfully, Google has long offered the ability to configure both swipe gestures, so you can set them to perform two different actions. I’ve changed the actions for both gestures on my phone: swiping left on a message marks it as read or unread, whereas swiping right moves it to the bin.You can configure the actions just how you want them using these steps: Tap the profile icon in the top-right corner and select Messages settings. Scroll down and select Swipe actions. Here, tap the Customize button to the right of the gesture you want to configure, then select your preferred action from the pop-up menu. Repeat the same steps to configure the other swipe gesture. Tapping a Smart Reply suggestion sends it immediately Google Messages surfaces a bunch of Smart Reply suggestions below new incoming messages. Smart Reply suggestions, for those unaware, are context-aware, short responses, such as “Okay,” “Sure,” and “Interesting,” and you can tap one to send it across immediately.While this is handy when you can’t type the message yourself, I’ve found the behavior frustrating on numerous occasions. That’s largely because the suggestions aren’t always the most fitting; they’re often just one-word cold responses that sound too robotic when sent as is.To my surprise, Google introduced the option to edit Smart Reply suggestions before sending them a while ago. And thanks to it, I managed to change the default tap behavior on Smart Reply suggestions from send to edit. So now, instead of sending a suggestion when I tap it, the app opens it in edit mode, allowing me to make the desired changes before sending it.Changing Smart Reply’s tap behavior is easy: Open Messages, tap the profile icon in the top-right corner, and select Messages settings. Scroll down and go to Suggestions and actions > Suggestions. Finally, select Tap to edit. While here, make sure the Smart Replies option is toggled on. It should be enabled unless you disabled it for some reason. Now, any time you want to use a suggestion while replying to a message, tap it, and it will appear in the text field. Edit the message as you want and hit the button to send it. Some other Google Messages settings I’ve tweakedHadlee Simons / Android AuthorityAlongside Smart Reply suggestions and swipe gestures, I also have a few other Google Messages settings configured on my phone. This includes toggling off Show expressive animations to disable full-screen reaction animations and Hear outgoing and incoming message sounds to disable in-app sound effects. I also adjust the text size based on my phone’s screen size to fit more messages.Is Google Messages perfect? No. But now that I’ve finally addressed two of my biggest issues, I’m happier with it than ever before.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.