Google Messages is changing how users view message details and reply to specific texts. The latest Google Messages swipe gestures are rolling out widely, giving users a quicker way to see timestamps and introducing a new swipe action for direct replies.
The update changes a familiar part of the messaging experience. Previously, tapping a message could reveal its timestamp, delivery information and RCS encryption status. The new design separates these actions into different gestures. Google messages
How the new Google Messages swipe gestures work
The biggest change is how you view timestamps.
Instead of tapping individual messages, users can now swipe left in a conversation to reveal timestamps across the messages on screen. The swipe also shows the RCS encryption status. This can be useful when looking through a conversation and trying to work out when several messages were sent.
Direct replies have also moved to a swipe gesture.
To reply to a particular message, users can now swipe right on the message bubble. The gesture selects that message for a direct reply, making it possible to respond to a specific part of a conversation without manually opening the message’s options.
The change may take a little getting used to, especially for people who have been using the previous tap-based controls for a long time.
What happens when you tap a message now?
Tapping has not disappeared completely.
Under the new setup, tapping a message can still show delivery information, while the timestamp and encryption details are accessed through the left-swipe gesture. Google appears to be using a brief timestamp preview after tapping as a hint that the controls have changed.
The new gestures are part of a wider set of changes arriving in Google Messages. The app has also recently started rolling out a redesigned long-press menu, which brings common actions such as Reply, Forward, Copy and Delete into a floating menu closer to the selected message.
When will the new gestures appear?
The timestamp and reply gestures are being widely rolled out, but availability can still vary between users. Reports have spotted the changes in Google Messages version 20260910_03_RC02, although the rollout also involves server-side changes.
If the new gestures have not appeared on your phone yet, checking for the latest Google Messages update may be worthwhile, although updating alone may not make the feature appear immediately.
