Google Messages, the popular messaging app, is reportedly testing a new feature for its RCS group chat that will let users tag a specific person from the group. The feature, when introduced, will be similar to WhatsApp group chats. Once available, the @mention feature will make it convenient for users to get someone’s attention in larger chat groups, especially when a bunch of conversations are happening simultaneously.
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While there are no official details on the same, some Reddit users have shared the screenshot of the feature @ mentions going live in RCS group chats in version 20251103_00_RC00 beta of Google Messages.
Some Reddit users who use the RCS-enabled group chats shared that they started seeing a mention feature in Google Messages indicating that they can tag someone by using the “@” symbol to get their attention. The post also states that mentions will notify the tagged person even if they’ve muted the conversation.
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Those who have access to the feature report that typing “@” brings up a list of participants who can be tagged. After selecting someone, Google Messages lets you tweak how their name appears, such as removing a last name while still keeping the mention functional for everyone in the group.
The display name is based on how the contact is saved in your phone. You can shorten the name for the contact if you want. For example, someone saved as “Ashish Singh Digit” can be tagged simply as @Ashish, and they’ll still receive the notification. For unsaved numbers, Google Messages shows “@” followed by the phone number.
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The feature appears to be limited for certain beta users for now, as some beta users report that it still hasn’t shown up for them. Google is introducing it slowly rather than making it available to everyone at once. It’s expected to be available for a wider audience in the near future.