Google Messages Update: Partial Copy, New Menu and Games

Google Messages finally lets you copy just part of a text. Google confirmed on its Messages Help Community on September 30, 2026 that a redesigned long-press menu "has officially launched," and it has been rolling out widely since early October. On October 7, a teardown of the latest beta also turned up a list of in-chat games Google is building.

Here is what changed, how to use the new menu, how to get the update, and what is still only in beta code.

What Google Officially Rolled Out

The new long-press menu

Long press a message and you no longer get the old toolbar across the top of the screen. Instead, a floating menu appears right above the bubble you picked. Google's announcement lists quick access to Reply, Star, Forward and Info, plus editing a recently sent message and deleting it from the same menu. 9to5Google also spotted Copy and Select more for text, and Remix and Save for photos.

The redesign has full light and dark theme support that follows your system setting, and Google says the menu is now "optimized for landscape mode," so it stays usable on tablets, foldables and phones turned sideways.

Partial text copying

This is the part most people have wanted for years. Until now, Copy grabbed the whole message, so pulling a tracking number or an address out of a long text meant pasting everything and deleting the rest. Google calls partial copying "one of the most requested features."

Earlier this fall: Keep lists and chat themes

Two more official features arrived with Google's September Android Drop:

• Google Keep in Messages: share a Keep note or checklist in a chat, and everyone in the conversation can view, edit and tick off items.
• Chat themes: give each conversation its own background (a Google wallpaper or your own photo) and bubble colors that match it.

How to Copy Part of a Text in Google Messages

These are the steps from Google's own announcement:

1. Open a conversation and long press the message you want.
2. When the new menu appears, long press again directly on the text inside the bubble.
3. Drag the selection handles to cover only the words you need.
4. In the second pop-up, tap Copy, Translate or Select All.

How to Get the Update

The long-press menu ships in the stable app (version 20260910_03_RC02, per 9to5Google), but Google also switches it on from its servers. If you do not see it yet:

1. Open the Google Messages listing on Google Play and tap Update if it shows. The listing was last updated on October 5, 2026.
2. Force stop the app: go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Force stop, then open Messages again. 9to5Google recommends this when a server-side feature has not appeared.
3. Still nothing? Wait a few days. Server-side rollouts reach phones in waves, and there is no way to force them.

If your phone still uses another texting app by default (for example Samsung Messages on an older Galaxy), set Google Messages as your default SMS app to get any of this.

What Is Coming Next (Beta Code, Not Announced)

Everything in this section comes from app teardowns, where researchers dig through unreleased code in beta builds. It tells you what Google is working on, not what will ship or when.

Beta versions and dates as reported by each outlet. Status checked October 8, 2026.

The games list

Security researcher Abhishek Yadav found these names in the beta code, per Droid Life:

• Chess
• Checkers
• Pool
• Darts
• Cup Pong
• Basketball
• Crazy 8s
• Four in a Row
• Word Scramble

If it ships the way the names suggest, it would look a lot like the GamePigeon games iPhone users play inside iMessage. Until then, our list of the best free Android games has plenty to play with friends.

Why This Matters

Google Messages is the default texting app on Pixel phones and many other Android phones, so small changes reach a lot of people at once. Partial copying closes one of the oldest gaps with iMessage, and games and video calls would close two more. If you want to see where Android itself is heading, our guide to every Android 17 feature covers the system side, and our roundup of Android customization apps pairs well with the new chat themes.

FAQs

How do I copy only part of a text message in Google Messages?

Long press the message to open the new menu, then long press again on the text itself. Drag the handles to select the words you want and tap Copy. The same pop-up also offers Translate and Select All.

Why don't I have the new long-press menu yet?

Google turns it on from its servers, so it reaches phones in stages. Update Google Messages from the Play Store, force stop the app in Settings, and reopen it. If it still does not show, wait a few days.

Can you play games in Google Messages?

Not yet. Code for nine games, including Chess, Pool and Cup Pong, was found in a beta version on October 7, 2026. Google has not announced the feature or a release date.

Does Google Messages support video calls over RCS?

Not today. A beta build contains prompts for RCS video calls, but Google has not announced the feature.

What changed with swipe gestures in Google Messages?

Swipe left anywhere in a conversation to see timestamps for all messages, and swipe right on a single message to reply. Replies used to use a left swipe.

Is the new Google Messages menu on iPhone?

No. Google Messages is an Android app. iPhone users still text Android users over RCS through Apple's Messages app, which has its own long-press menu.

Cover background: Kristin Hardwick via Negative Space, CC0.