Google is set to enhance the functionality of its Messages app by introducing a feature that allows users to selectively copy portions of text. Currently, long-pressing a message results in the entire text being copied, which has been a source of frustration for users who only want specific parts. This change is being tested in the latest beta version of Google Messages and is expected to improve the user experience significantly.
In the upcoming update, a contextual menu will appear when users long-press a message, enabling them to highlight and copy only the desired text. Until this feature is fully rolled out, users must continue to copy the entire message, paste it elsewhere, and manually edit the content. Google is known for allowing granular text selection across its other applications, such as Gmail and Chrome, making the lack of this feature in Google Messages particularly notable.
This improvement comes as Google recognizes the need to eliminate the limitations of the Messages app, which has lagged behind other messaging platforms like Telegram and iMessage that already offer this functionality. While a few months may pass before the feature is available to all users, the change is a significant step forward for the app.