Android Messages rolling out advanced search w/ filters for images, videos, and links

Abner Li | Sep 25 2018 - 9:46 am PT

Following Android Messages officially receiving a Google Material Theme and dark mode, the default SMS/RCS client is now slated for advanced search functionality. This revamp features a new design, filters, and is rolling out later this week.

Alongside the Google Material Time, we managed to enable the search functionality back in June. Tapping the magnifying icon in the upper right corner slides down a new dedicated interface rather than the current in-line list of results.

Up top, Android Messages lists frequently contacted People, as well as a carousel of search categories such as Images, Videos, Places, Links, and Locations. The new feature better surfaces content from within chats, as well.

We share a lot of information in our messages, but it’s not always easy to look back and find that photo your mom sent a month ago or the address of the coffee shop your friend recommended. Now you can find more of the content shared in your conversations in Android Messages, by simply searching by contact or type of content.

Selecting a contact will bring up all conversations, including group chats, you currently have with a person. Below is a photos grid, video carousel, list of addresses, and URLs in a thread. Of course, users can still search for terms and see a list of results.

Heavily leveraging a Material Theme that matches the rest of the app, the search box has rounded corners and cards with faint outlines are present throughout. While some have decried the rest of the app’s redesign for deprecating features, this new search functionality should be very welcome and a notable improvement.

This new search functionality for Android Messages is rolling out later this week.