Google Messages Introduces a New Long-Press Menu Across Stable and Beta Builds

Google is now delivering a redesigned long-press menu to users of its Messages app. The change replaces the previous top-toolbar layout with a floating menu that appears when a user long-presses a chat bubble or image. Both the 9to5Google and Droid-Life reports confirm that the update is being rolled out widely to stable and beta versions this week.

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The floating menu presents a row of icons for quick access to actions such as Remix (photos), Reply, Forward, Copy, Star, Delete, Select more, Info, and Save (photos). A notable addition is the ability to copy only a selected portion of a text message by dragging within the bubble, a capability that was previously limited to copying the entire message. The menu also retains the existing emoji and “Create” Photomoji shortcuts, and a swipe-from-right gesture still opens the “Create” button for sticker creation. When the menu is active, the conversation background blurs, and the interface provides a subtle bounce animation with haptic feedback to center the selected message.

9To5GoogleGoogle Messages Gets a Fancy New Menu

Testing of the new menu began in January, according to the 9to5Google account. The feature is now visible in stable build 20260910_03_RC02 and beta build 20260917_03, while earlier stable builds such as 20260903_04 also show the menu. Because the change involves a server-side component, users experiencing delays are advised to force-stop the app from the App Info screen.

Google Messages Gets a Fancy New Menu

By consolidating actions into a single floating panel and enabling precise text selection, the redesign aims to streamline message management and improve accessibility. The blur effect and haptic cues are intended to reduce visual clutter and provide clearer focus on the selected content. Early observations from both outlets suggest that the update enhances efficiency for everyday messaging tasks.

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