Google Messages will now let you record a selfie GIF, but not everyone has it yet
Google Messages is getting a fun upgrade with the rollout of three-second Selfie GIFs. This new feature lets you inject a bit more personality and visual flair into your conversations, but unfortunately, it hasn't rolled out widely yet.
As reported by 9to5Google, and rumored as an upcoming feature as far back as January, Selfie GIFs are meant to be a playful and engaging addition to the Messages app — similar to all the features that were announced when RCS reached one billion monthly active users. This time, though, Google opted for a more quiet approach and simply updated its support pages, thus confirming the existence of the feature.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the feature has reached many users yet. I am currently on the latest version of the Google Messages beta and also running Android 15 Beta 1 (I like to live on the wild side) and I am not seeing this feature activated for me yet. This suggests that the rollout could be server-wide or simply one of those rare features that rolls out in the stable version of messages before it does in the beta.
In either case, in its instructions, Google outlines the process in these simple steps:
- Open up a conversation in Google Messages.
- Long-press the camera icon located in the text field.
- You may also see a prompt within the conversation suggesting you record a selfie GIF. If you see that prompt, tap it.
- Get ready, as you'll have a short countdown before the recording magically starts and stops. Want more control? Tap the red button to manually start the recording, with the option to restart if needed.
- Once you've captured your three-second selfie GIF, it will be automatically saved to your camera roll for easy sharing.
Selfie GIF taking process | Image via TheSpAndroid.blogspot.com
If you're a Google Messages user, keep an eye out for the Selfie GIF feature landing on your device soon. And once it does, get ready to add some animated fun to your chats.
Things that are NOT allowed: