What to know
- Google Messages is developing a new in-app backup and restore feature that will allow users to directly save their conversations and media within the app.
- The system will offer end-to-end encryption for backups, secured by your screen lock, ensuring that no one, including Google, can access your data.
- Users will be able to automatically restore their conversations when signing into a new device, with an option to sync media only over Wi-Fi.
Google might be improving its messaging experience by developing a new in-app backup and restore system for Google Messages. This new feature will eliminate the need to visit system Settings, as users can manage their backups directly within the app.
The feature, discovered in the latest Google Messages beta version 20241118_02_RC00, will secure your conversations with end-to-end encryption, provided your device has a screen lock enabled. This means your messages and media will remain private, with no access available to Google or third parties.
When you sign in to a new device, the system will automatically restore your conversations, making the transition between devices seamless. To help manage data usage, you’ll have the option to sync media files exclusively over Wi-Fi connections.
The backup system will integrate closely with your Google Account and Google One storage. While users can choose to use Messages without backup, turning off the feature will permanently delete conversations from your Google Account, though they’ll remain available on your device.
For Google Fi users, the current sync system isn’t yet compatible with the new backup and restore feature, but compatibility may arrive in future updates. This development represents a significant improvement over the current backup system, which relies on Google One and has sometimes proven unreliable for restoring text messages on new devices.
The feature appears to be in its final stages of development, suggesting that a public release could be coming soon. This addition will bring Google Messages in line with other popular messaging apps that already offer built-in backup solutions.
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