{
  "id": 10420058,
  "title": "I turned off these 8 Google Messages features, and the app is so much better now",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/i-turned-off-these-8-google-messages-features-and-the-app-is-so-much",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-28T10:30:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Android Authority",
    "slug": "android-authority",
    "url": "https://www.androidauthority.com/google-messages-features-you-should-turn-off-3714244/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Google Messages, a feature-rich messaging app, offers various functionalities that users can enable or disable according to their preferences. In a recent week-long experiment, a user turned off several features and found the app to be significantly better. The features disabled included Gemini, Profile sharing, RCS chats, outgoing and incoming message sounds, bubbles, message follow-up reminders, and read receipts and typing indicators. The user found the app's interface less chaotic, notifications less intrusive, and experienced a more private, distraction-free messaging experience.",
  "summary": "The Messages app is better with these things turned off.",
  "key_points": [
    "Disabled Gemini AI for a cleaner interface",
    "Turned off Profile sharing for privacy",
    "Removed message sounds and bubbles for less distraction"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}