New Google Messages setting lets you turn off ‘expressive animations’ [U]

As previously spotted, Google Messages is now rolling out a “Show expressive animations” setting to disable Reaction Effects, Animated Emoji, and more.

Update 6/26: The “Show expressive animations” setting is now widely rolling out to the stable (version 20240603_01_RC01) and beta (20240621_01_RC00) channels.

Original 4/30: In Google Messages settings, you’ll find a new “Show expressive animations” on/off toggle below Send photos faster, Hear outgoing and incoming message sounds, and Pinch to zoom conversation text.

It’s enabled by default today. Once disabled, Animated Emoji is replaced by regular emoji characters, while you no longer have fullscreen Screen Effects (though Google might have rolled this back recently) and Reaction Effects (👍 ❤️ 😂 😮 😡 👎 💩 🎉 😠 😢).

That being said, reactions you leave on messages will animate, though the movement is tiny/minimal. Photomoji is also still available.

We’re seeing Show expressive animations setting with the latest Google Messages beta (20240426_01_RC00). It’s not yet rolled out to the stable channel from the devices we checked.

This is a much better solution than Google’s previous advice to “Remove animations” across the system and other apps. People have complained that animating each reaction is too much for such a common behavior.

Expressive animations off vs. on