Particle.news

Google Messages Beta Lets You Copy Just Part of a Text

The tweak is surfacing in a Google Messages beta to help close gaps with Samsung’s app on Galaxy phones.

Overview

  • Android Authority spotted the change in beta build 20260212_01_RC00, with SamMobile and Dataconomy reporting its behavior.
  • Long‑pressing a message now opens a redesigned menu where the message text becomes selectable for dragging to copy only the highlighted portion.
  • The system selection toolbar appears for the highlighted text, while the existing Copy button still grabs the entire message.
  • The feature is limited to testers and is not visible for all beta users, with reports suggesting a wider stable rollout could follow in the coming weeks.
  • The update targets usability parity as Google Messages serves as the default on Galaxy devices to support broader RCS adoption.