According to an APK teardown by 9to5Google, a new setting titled “Show expressive animations” is being worked on in version 20240422_01_RC00 of the app. This suggests that there will likely be a simple on/off toggle for all animations, and perhaps an option to do the same with more specific types of reactions within the app.
Screen Effects on Google Messages app | Credit: Google
It’s important to note that this feature is still under development and might not be available to the public for some time. Additionally, it’s unclear whether the toggle will also affect animated emojis, which are a separate feature from message animations. In the meantime, if you really want to turn off the animations, and don’t mind doing it system-wide, you can do so by going to your phone’s “Accessibility” settings, tap on “Color and motion,” then turn on “Remove animations.”
The addition of animations in Google Messages has been fun to experience, especially when seeing how much iOS users enjoy them on iMessage. However, it appears that Google may have overdone them a bit and is possibly adding a way to opt out. This is a welcome choice for users who find the current animations to be distracting or unnecessary, as it provides more control over the app’s user experience.
