Google’s messaging app may soon allow you to disable animated reactions if you find them annoying. Google is working on an on/off toggle for the feature, according to an APK teardown. Reactions in Google Messages currently send little animations when someone responds to your message with an emoji. However, a teardown of the app’s code revealed plans for a “Show expressive animations” setting.
This setting would let you choose whether or not to see the reaction animations. It was discovered during the analysis of version 20240422_01_RC00 of Google Messages. The toggle will likely be located in the app’s Settings, below the option to pinch and zoom chat text. Turning it off is expected to deactivate all reaction animations and screen effects. This may also affect animated emoji graphics.
Google introduced reaction animations last November, but only made them widely available last month. While a fun addition for some, others find them annoying. The upcoming toggle should give more control over whether or not to see the animated responses. This is good news for those who want a simpler messaging experience without extra movement in their chats.
In addition, Google recently reverted the Messages compose box back to one line from two. The app continues improving based on user preferences. The animation set will provide another personalization option for enjoying Google Messages in a way that suits each person best.
