Google Messages adds new multi‑contact sharing options

Google is rolling out an update to its Messages app for Android that introduces a redesigned sharing menu. Users can now choose between “Send to group,” which creates or uses an existing group chat, and “Send separately,” which sends the selected content as individual messages to each recipient. The feature also detects existing group conversations to avoid duplicate chats.

The change appears in version 20260618_05_RC02 and is being deployed gradually, with the new menu currently visible only to a subset of users. Android Authority reported that the update also enables forwarding multiple photos or messages at once, a capability previously missing from the app. The enhancements come as Google Messages gains prominence on Android, especially as manufacturers such as Samsung shift users from proprietary messaging apps to Google’s RCS‑based service.