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- It turns out Google Messages supports text formatting, but currently, only the integrated Gemini chatbot can use it to format its own replies.
- The hidden feature uses Markdown syntax, as seen when the Gemini chatbot formats its own text with symbols like double asterisks for bolding.
- A full rollout may be challenging due to cross-platform compatibility needs, as text formatting isn’t a standard part of the RCS specification.
Google Messages was a simple SMS app back in the day, but since adopting Rich Communication Services (RCS) and becoming Android’s default texting app, it has steadily grown more feature-rich. However, it still lacks some basic quality-of-life features found in competing messaging apps, such as text formatting — or so we thought. It turns out Google Messages does have text formatting support, but it’s hidden away from users.
Many messaging apps let you apply basic formatting to your messages before sending them. You can typically bold, italicize, strikethrough, or underline text. Android apps with this capability usually let you format text by selecting it and choosing an option from a context menu or toolbar. Google is no stranger to this, as both Google Chat and Google Keep already support text formatting.
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