Here’s how Google Messages will note end-to-end encryption status for group chats

Abner Li | Dec 1 2022 - 10:38 am PT

In addition to a slew of other announcements in October, Google shared that group end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in Messages would start rolling out by year’s end. Ahead of that, some uses are seeing how Google Messages will note E2E encryption status in group chats.

Google Messages starts rolling out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for group chats in beta

There was already one indication that testing has started, and another is a new “end-to-end encryption” section inside Group details that provides an on or off (in red) “Status.”

Appearing between group name and options, Messages will note when “Group end-to-end encryption isn’t available for you and [x] others.” The “Learn more” link takes you to Google’s existing explainer/support article.

We’ve only received one report of this new E2EE section in Group details. A similar section does not appear for individual conversations, with “Verify encryption” unchanged. Messages uses lock icons to indicate encryption status in the bottom-right corner of messages and on the send button. It’s not clear if other in-group chat indicators will be leveraged.

None of the Google Messages devices we checked today feature the new group encryption status. Group E2EE should begin rolling out by year’s end, but wider availability won’t come until 2023.