Google Messages may soon let you invite friends with a link

Google Messages is a solid app, but it’s still playing catch-up with some fancier messaging tools out there. Good news, though—some exciting updates might be on the way! A sneak peek from a test version of the app hints at fresh features that could make chatting even better.

According to Android Authority, a new option called “join via link” has popped up in the beta version (20250311_01_RC00). It’s not working yet, but it’s pretty clear what it’s for: letting people join group chats with just a simple link. Right now, adding folks to a group chat means doing it one by one, so this would be a huge time-saver.

There’s more! The group chat info page might soon get a pencil icon. This could let you swap out the group’s picture with something you like. Google’s been tinkering with custom group images since December, and it’s looking more likely now.

The app is also testing a new look for picking contacts when you forward a message. Each contact will sit in its little box, with your frequent contacts up top under “Recent conversations,” followed by the rest in alphabetical order. It’s similar to how things are now but fresher, matching a recent update to the “Start chat” screen.

Your profile page might get a splash of color, too. The four icons under your contact photo—for voice calls, video calls, contacts, and search—could soon match your phone’s system colors in this beta. Finally, if you love GIFs, there’s a small but handy change. Tap the “+” button in a chat, pick a GIF, and soon you’ll be able to long-press it to report anything weird or out of place. These features are still in testing, so there’s no promise they’ll hit the main app anytime soon. But stuff like the group chat link could really shake things up, so fingers crossed we see them roll out before long!