Google Messages rolls out redesigned search to beta testers

Search overhaul reaches beta testers

A redesigned search interface is now reaching some people running the Google Messages beta, according to Android Authority. The change arrives after months of hints buried in the app's code, and it no longer needs to be switched on manually as it did in September.

Not every tester on the Android Authority team has received the new interface, which suggests Google is turning it on gradually through a server-side rollout rather than releasing it to everyone at once.

What the new search looks like

The redesigned screen replaces the previous row of filter buttons with a visual overview of content shared across conversations. Images, videos and links each get their own section, complete with previews and an arrow to browse further.

The search field also moves to the bottom of the screen. When a query is typed, results are split into separate sections for matching chats and individual messages, and there is a shortcut to run the search inside one specific conversation. That should help when looking for something buried deep in a long thread.

A search shortcut inside conversations

A second change is also surfacing for some testers: a search icon directly within individual conversations. Until now, searching within a chat required opening the three-dot menu.

Android Authority first discovered this shortcut in September, where it appeared as a floating icon while scrolling through a chat. None of the publication's own devices has received it yet, but a report from a Reddit user indicates testing has broadened beyond the manually enabled preview.

The context behind the changes

The rollout follows another recent addition to the app: a floating search button on the Messages home screen, placed alongside the button for starting a new chat.

Taken together, the changes point to Google spending time on making older conversations and shared content easier to retrieve, an area where the messaging app had lagged behind the rest of its interface.

Who gets it and when

For now, the redesigned search is limited to select beta testers of Google Messages. There is no confirmed timeline for a wider release.

Readers who want to try the new interface early can join the app's beta channel through the Play Store, though availability may vary from one account to another during a gradual rollout.