What you should know
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- Google Messages is working on a new feature to allow users to disable animations within the app, addressing complaints about the current animation features.
- A new setting titled “Show expressive animations” is under development, suggesting a toggle option for disabling all animations or possibly specific types of reactions.
- Currently, the only method to disable animations in Google Messages is to turn them off system-wide, which is inconvenient for users who only want them disabled in Messages.
- The feature is still in development and it’s unclear if it will also affect animated emojis, separate from message animations.
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Full Story
Oh, guess what? Google Messages is on the brink of rolling out something pretty neat. They’re thinking about letting us turn off those flashy animations in the app. You know, after a bunch of folks weren’t too thrilled with them. Those animations popped up when RCS hit the big one billion active users last year. A bit much, maybe?
So, there’s this APK teardown thingy that 9to5Google did. They stumbled upon a new setting called “Show expressive animations” in the app’s version 20240422_01_RC00. Seems like we might get a simple on/off switch for all those animations. And maybe, just maybe, we could get picky with which types of reactions to nix.
Right now, if you’re not a fan of animations in Google Messages, it’s kinda all or nothing. You gotta shut ’em down for every app on your phone, which is a bit of a pain. Especially if it’s just Messages that’s bugging you. But hey, for some, hitting that nuclear option is worth it. Especially when just typing “it’s snowing” or dropping an “I love you” triggers an avalanche of screen effects. Talk about conversation killers.
Oh, and by the way, this whole disabling animations thing? It’s still baking in the oven. Not quite ready to serve. Plus, it’s a bit foggy if this will also apply to those animated emojis. They’re a whole different beast from message animations. In the meantime, if you’re desperate to stop the animation madness, you can dive into your phone’s “Accessibility” settings. Hit up “Color and motion,” then flick on “Remove animations.” A bit of a workaround, but it does the trick.
Animations in Google Messages were supposed to be this fun, sparkly addition. Kinda like how iPhone users get their kicks with iMessage. But, it seems Google might’ve gotten a tad carried away. Now, they’re hinting at giving us an “opt-out” button. For folks finding the animations more annoying than amusing, this is a breath of fresh air. Finally, a bit more control over how we experience the app.
