The Messages app that comes standard on all Android phones sold in Spain hides many really useful functions.
When Google bought Android it did so with a very clear goal: position yourself in the mobile phone sector. Fifteen years have passed since then and it has been seen as a total success, especially if we see where giants like BlackBerry, Nokia or Microsoft itself are now, at least when it comes to mobile phones.
One of Google’s strategies was license the system for free to any manufacturer who would like to use it, but in exchange for installing its applications as standard. Some are well known, such as Gmail or Google Photos, but others attract less attention, even though they are used almost daily.
One of them is the application Messages, which is responsible for managing mobile SMS, although sometimes it is not the only app of this type that exists and that competes almost directly against WhatsApp. This application has many functions and some tricks that make our daily lives easier, especially when it comes to managing messages and blocking SPAM.
chat messages
This app is compatible with the RCS protocol, which allows you to use messages as if you were in a messaging application, creating individual chats. To activate this function you must enter the Settings of the application (accessed by clicking on the avatar in the upper right corner) and selecting the option RCS Chats.
There it must be verified that the option Activate RCS chats is active. If not, you can start it by simply clicking on the slider on the right side. You can check that everything is working well by looking at the status on that same screen, which should be marked with the text Connected in green.
Automatic download
In that same section you can configure whether you want file attachments in messages to be downloaded automatically. In this case, instead of giving a number of GB, it is limited by the weight of the file. You can choose whether they are up to 1.9 MB or 100 MBthe maximum, with several options among them.
If you want too You can disable this feature, so that data from our mobile rate is not spent unless we download it manually. It is something similar to what can be done on WhatsApp with videos.
Block SPAM
If we receive unwanted advertising messages, this app allows us to block a phone number and prevent these messages from appearing in the inbox. To do this you have to open Messages, select the message you want to block and click on the icon in the upper right corner, the one with the three points. There Click on Block and that’s it.
To have this option available you must activate it, if it is not standard. It’s made on Settings, SPAM Protection, Enable SPAM Protection. To check which number is being blocked, you can go to Settings and then SPAM and Blocked.
Bubbles
For years, Android has had a system that allows applications to be displayed on top of others, through bubbles that float on the screen. Messages allows the use of this type of solution, very convenient when you have to look at an activation code and paste it into another application.
To activate it what you have to do is go to Settings, Bubbles and there select that all conversations appear that way or choose the ones that we do want to have that behavior. The rest will continue to appear as normal notifications.
Smart response
This app shows that it is from Google in detail like that of Suggestions. Within that Settings section you have the option to activate the Smart responsewhich allows the system to suggest a response to SMS in the form of short phrases or emoticons, as it now does in other applications such as Gmail.
Additionally, there is also the option Suggested actions, which for example invites you to send recently taken photos when you are chatting with someone. These features appear on the screen by default if they are activated, but they are only sent if we click on them.
Schedule shipping
One of the most requested functions of WhatsApp is one that Telegram already has: scheduling shipments. Well, it turns out that Messages also has that option, allowing SMS to be sent exactly when you want. To use this function you just have to Press and hold the send button when the text is ready and, when the Schedule Send window appearschoose the specific time and day.
Pin and stand out
If you have many conversations in the app, it is convenient organize them. To take one to the top you have to select it and Click on the thumbtack icon. That way you will be the first on the list. Another option is archive them, sending them to a folder that does not delete them but removes them from the main screen, something similar to what is done with emails in Gmail. For this you have to select a conversation and Click on the folder icon with the down arrow.
Send from PC
Just like you can use WhatsApp from any web browser Using WhatsApp Web, the Google Messages app allows something similar. You just have to pair the device with a computer. To do this, go to Settings and Device Pairing.
When you enter that section you have to click on QR code scanner and point to the one that appears on the app’s website, in the URL From that moment You can send and receive messages from your computer, without having to touch your phone at all.
Automatic preview
If you enter Settings, Auto Preview, you can select whether you want to see as a preview only the web links that are sent to us, all the files or, on the contrary, none. You can even condition that it only activates when we are under Wi-Fi coverage.
