Summary
- Google Messages is introducing a new feature that allows users to set custom profile photos for their group chats, moving beyond the current auto-generated icons of initials and profile pictures.
- This functionality, currently rolling out to some users on the latest beta build, can be accessed via a pencil icon on the group info screen, allowing users to select and crop images from their device gallery.
- Initially, custom group icons will only be visible to other users who also have the feature rolled out to their devices, with more visibility and in-chat notifications expected once the feature has rolled out widely.
Google Messages is ready to enhance the way your group chats appear with a touch of personalization.
For those unaware, Google Messages currently auto-generates icons for all your group chats, which is essentially a smorgasbord of initials and profile pictures of group participants. This approach, although convenient, makes it difficult for users to differentiate between group chats and included participants, especially when they have similar profile pictures or the same name initials.
Google was spotted working on this limitation back in December 2024 in the form of custom RCS group chat profile photos, and it looks like the functionality is beginning to roll out to some users now.
Highlighted by Reddit user seeareeff (via 9to5Google), the option to set custom group chat icons/photos is available to some users running the latest Google Messages beta build. For what it’s worth, I’m on beta version 20250505_04_RC00, but don’t have access to the feature just yet.
Here’s how to spot if the feature has rolled out to you
Once available, you’ll start seeing a Google Contacts-like information screen UI with a pencil icon next to the current group icon/photo. Tapping it will take you straight to your device gallery, allowing you to select a custom image of your choice, with complete crop and rotate freedom. It’s worth noting that once you set a custom image, you can’t go back to the default icon look with initials and a mixup of participants’ profile photos anymore.
It isn’t entirely clear if all common image formats will be supported. Though what is clear is that users won’t be able to set GIFs as their group’s icon. Additionally, the new group photo will only be visible to those group participants that have the custom icon feature rolled out to their device. “I’ve yet to see anyone else with the feature.. I’ve changed every group I’m in and nobody has noticed,” wrote the user who first spotted the feature.
In an ideal scenario, where the feature has been rolled out widely, the group icon change would be reflected for all users, complete with an in-chat prompt to alert them of it.
