Google Messages could soon bring back a crucial feature that was quietly removed

Google Messages has been spotted working on new features, such as the ability to copy just the URL from a message, the ability to mark messages as read, and emoji reactions in the Wear OS app. Now, we’ve spotted Google working on bringing back the ability to view message history, a feature that previously existed in Messages but was recently removed.

Google Messages lets people edit their sent messages in RCS chats. When a message is edited, Google Messages used to allow both the sender and the receiver to view the message’s edit history. This was done by long-pressing the edited message, tapping the three-dot menu at the top right, and tapping View details.

When Google Messages switched to the new details UI screen in July 2025, the ability to see message edit history was lost. Some users complained about this removal, but most users did not notice the loss.

Now, with Google Messages v20260121, we’ve spotted code indicating that edit history is about to return, now within the new details UI. We managed to activate the change to give you an early look:

Much like the old UI, users will soon be able to see the original message and the edited text when they choose to check a message’s edit history.

Edit history is not currently live in Google Messages, but it’s fair to presume it will roll out in beta soon, given its level of completion. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.