The influx of messages I get monthly is overwhelming. It’s mostly bank debits, one-time passwords (OTPs), promotional spam, and data usage warnings.

Sorting them on my mobile devices is a huge chore, and the nature of the texts doesn’t help. I would not have any issues if they were exciting texts from friends or family.

Those types feed my nostalgia. But they only come through WhatsApp and other social media channels. Google Messages is a reminder of bills and upcoming events I haven’t dealt with.

Lately, I’ve faced the clutter head-on and turned the app into an effective organizer. Here are my top tricks.

Use a personal keyword tagging system

In group chats, I’ve developed a habit of tagging my own messages.

If someone drops a task or an update that I need to act on, I’ll reply underneath with a short tag like “to-do.”

Group chats are full of overlapping jokes and side comments. It might be tough to recall exact phrasings when searching later.

So, I search for my tag, and Google Messages pulls up every marked item. Sometimes, I try to weave it naturally into a sentence. For example, replying with “this just gave me an idea” instead of “idea.” It sounds less robotic and awkward.

Schedule messages to yourself

I’m becoming less ashamed of talking to myself. It actually helps with memory and focus.

Likewise, I’m not afraid to text myself sometimes. Messages’ schedule tool has become one of my most useful organizational hacks.

I use time-delayed reminders that land exactly when I need them. I normally switch to my work iPhone during specific hours and put my Android on Do Not Disturb mode.

I exempt my other phone line from blocked contacts and appoint texts to it. It adds to my clock and calendar reminders to take a break, call someone, or run an errand.

The notification feels more urgent than a calendar alert because it arrives like a real text. Tap the + icon in the lower-left corner of the text box, then select Schedule send to get started.

Schedule texts to family abroad

Having loved ones abroad comes with emotions. Life overseas can feel lonely, and homesickness is common.

It’s surprising how relatives who move away treasure every call or message. My cousins don’t skip check-ins, and they genuinely love keeping in touch. So, I try to dedicate my time to them.

But such calls demand attention. Matching energy on both sides of the world is a task between juggling work and school.

On busy days, I schedule texts because of the difference in time zones. That way, they know I’m thinking of them. It’s better than planning a call that both parties will be too tired to commit to.

Star and pin important conversations

I pin entire chats I can’t afford to lose track of to the top of my inbox. My class and friend groups are always active.

The last thing I want is a series of OTPs pushing them down the list. I long-press the chats and tap the tack or pin icon to anchor them.

Texts within conversations can also get buried quickly. If I see something interesting or urgent, I’ll long-press it and tap the star icon in the upper-right corner. Then revisit it later through the search bar.

Use swipe actions to clean up the inbox

My most used actions on Google Messages are deleting and marking items as read. I hardly bother to read texts unless they’re from a particular contact.

I could allow them to pile up, then use the select feature to trash them. But I’d have to scroll and glance at each one and decide which one to keep.

Swipe actions help me deal with a message immediately when it arrives. I’ll choose which direction does what and save myself from notification floods.

To configure the actions, tap your profile icon in the upper-right corner. Go to Messages Settings > Swipe actions. Then choose what happens when you swipe left or right on a text.

Get to the point with subject headlines

I dislike it when someone sends a “hey” or “hello” and waits for me to respond before they share what’s on their mind.

While I appreciate the greeting, it feels more helpful when people get to the point right away.

In the context of first-time greetings or emergencies, I value clear communication. I would respond faster when I know the full message upfront.

It’s the same principle that makes email subject lines useful. They give you hints about text content before even opening it.

The Subject field in Messages works similarly and allows you to mark texts as urgent. When composing a message, tap the three-dot icon on the conversation screen. Then select Show subject field.

Archive old conversations

Archiving old conversations isn’t anything new or mind-blowing. But it’s among Messages’ most useful tools. It tucks chats neatly out of sight. So, you don’t have to delete them permanently.

If you ever want to revisit your texts, visit the archive menu or take them back to the inbox.

My rule of archiving is that if a message doesn’t contain an ongoing discussion, a task I need to follow up on, or a contact I speak to regularly, I hide it.

If a conversation becomes active again, it reappears in the inbox without manual intervention.

I wish Google added a toggle to let you choose whether archived chats stay hidden or resurface like WhatsApp does.

It’s a missed opportunity to give users control of an important feature. But it’s not a dealbreaker. Long-press your preferred messages. Then tap the archive icon between the snooze and trash icons to begin archiving.

Send quick texts and make calculations with Gemini

Google brought its clunky AI to Messages, but it still has its good uses. It can’t read your messages and automatically sort them. It can only process content you choose to share.

It assists with calculations and budgeting when I paste select debit alerts into it.

Again, it helps me reply to messages faster.

Writing is literally my job, yet there are days when I’m short of words. I prompt Gemini to make a template for messages I want to reply to. Then I refine and deliver the result in seconds.

Tap Gemini’s button in the lower-right corner to give it commands.

Now you get the message

The shared features above aren’t even half of what Messages can do. Google has layered in much more to enhance communication.

Enable Rich Communication Services (RCS) to get typing indicators and high-quality media. OTP auto-deletion will wipe away your piling authentication codes within a day.

Device pairing is how I extend my texts to my laptop or desktop to keep conversations at all times. These features combined make texting on Android unbeatable.