I finally have Google Messages' new pinned chats UI. Here's how to get it on your phone now

We’ve seen glimpses and teases of Google Messages’ massive 2026 redesign for a while now, but last week the update finally started rolling out to users. And after lots of (mostly) patiently waiting, I just got the update on my Android phone a couple of days ago.

I’ve seen some mixed reactions to this latest Messages redesign, but after living with it for a bit, I have to admit I’m impressed. It’s been a while since the Messages app has seen such a radical transformation, but the wait was well worth it. Here’s what it looks like in action – and how to get in your Android phone, too.

This is the Google Messages redesign I’ve been waiting for

There are two main components to Google Messages’ new UI, the biggest being pinned chats. Previously, pinned conversations appeared at the top of your Messages inbox with a small pin icon next to them, but otherwise, there wasn’t much distinction between them and unpinned convos.

That changes with this redesign. Now, pinned chats are displayed as large circular icons and are much more clearly separated from your other conversations. You can press and hold pinned chats to rearrange their position, and new messages are clearly marked by replacing the profile photo of the person or group chat with a preview of the latest message.

The biggest downside is that pinned chats are now capped at six, which is considerably lower than the old 20 limit. I would like to see Google address this soon, but even so, I’ve really enjoyed this new look for pinned conversations. It’s made finding my most important chats so much easier, and I appreciate the greater distinction between those messages and my less important unpinned ones. And, visually, it just looks a lot sleeker, too.

The second biggest change is the new placement of the “Search” and “Start chat” buttons. The Search button used to be at the top of the app, while the Start chat button appeared in the bottom-right corner. Following this redesign, the buttons are now side by side at the very bottom. The Start chat button is a larger pill by default, but as you scroll, it shrinks to a small circle while the Search button becomes more prominent. It’s a really clever bit of UX, and the animation is extremely slick.

While Google Messages is still ultimately Google Messages, these changes make the app feel so much more modern and polished than before. The app now looks like it properly belongs with Google’s Material 3 Expressive design, and I think it’s more functional as well — be it better visibility for pinned chats or easier one-handed access to the Search button. If you ask me, Google cooked here.

How to get this Google Messages UI update

If you like what you’re seeing in this Google Messages update and want it on your Android phone, the good news is you can get it right now. The only caveat is that the Messages UI redesign is currently live only in the beta version of the app, but that’s not a big deal.

If you aren’t currently in the beta, joining is easy:

1. Visit the Google Messages beta program website.
2. Tap Become a tester

And that’s quite literally it! The page will refresh to confirm that you’ve joined the beta. Once you see that, you’re all set.

After joining the beta, you’ll get an update to the Messages app in the Play Store to put you on the latest beta version. It can take some time for the first beta update to arrive if you just joined (sometimes up to a few hours), but it will show up eventually. Just keep checking for any available updates (Play Store -> Profile icon -> Manage apps & device -> All apps up to date -> Check for updates), and it’ll be there soon enough. For reference, the changes are live on my Google Messages app with version 20261106.