Streamlining daily texts is easier with these underrated Google Messages settings

Google Messages is one of the best messaging apps on Android.

Google Messages succeeds as a messaging app because it offers handy features that are easy to use. The app has what almost everyone needs.

While not everyone will love everything about Google Messages, the best part is that it's easy to use despite its feature-rich design.

Many of these features help you do things faster, saving you valuable time each day. If Google Messages is your daily driver, the cumulative time saved will be significant.

If you want to get things done faster on Google Messages, use these five underrated features to save time.

Auto-delete OTPs

Clear your messages of 'one-and-done' texts

Although they aren't foolproof, one-time passwords (OTPs) are an important security feature. However, their importance is ephemeral. You don't need them to stay after verification.

You can find OTP messages in Google Messages and delete them. However, this will take a lot of time, especially if the messages have piled up over a long time.

This is the hard way, and the only way to clear all your OTP messages if you use Google Messages with the default setting.

Instead of remembering to delete them after a few days, let the app handle it. It's simple.

Google Messages can automatically delete all your messages with OTPs and security codes from businesses after 24 hours.

To allow Google Messages to do it, go to the Google Messages Settings by tapping the profile icon and then finding and selecting the Message organization option. Finally, toggle the Auto-delete OTP messages after 24 hours option.

Star important messages

Find messages you need quickly

In many contexts, a star mark symbolizes importance. This is also true in Google Messages. You mark a message as Starred when you feel that it's an important one.

You can't mark an entire thread as Starred on Google Messages, but you can do it on multiple messages in a single thread. The biggest advantage is that you can easily access all the Starred messages in a single thread.

This is a widely known feature, but what users often forget is the Starred filter in the search bar.

Instead of opening each conversation individually, tap the search bar and select Starred to see all your starred messages from different threads in one place.

The easiest way is to open the conversation, identify what's important, long-press to select it, then tap the Star iconat the top.

This is better than scrolling through various conversations to find important messages in Google Messages.

This can save you a lot of time if you use the Google Messages app daily to communicate with friends and family.

Schedule send

You don't have to send every message right away

The best time when you can compose a great birthday wish or a congratulatory message may not always match the right time to send it. If so, you have to open the app again just to send the draft you prepared.

Another caveat is that you can't stop thinking about sending it at the right moment.

This is where message scheduling comes in handy. Google Messages can send the message on your behalf at the right time.

Message scheduling is easy on Google Messages. Long-press the send button, then choose the date and time you want the message delivered.

You can also edit your message after scheduling. You can also delete scheduled messages or send them immediately.

You can schedule multiple separate messages in different or the same threads, and they appear above recent threads on the sender's phone. You can also identify them by the Scheduled message label.

Everyone who can run Google Messages on their Android phone can use these features, not just people in the US.

Search filters

Find important messages quickly

If your Google Messages app has many threads, it can be hard to find what you're looking for. That is when you need to apply filters to narrow your search results.

Google Messages has several filters, including Starred, Unread, Known, Unknown, Images, Videos, Places, Links, and more.

However, you can't type a person's name and then apply a specific filter to narrow the search results further. So, applying the filter will show you all messages that match the filter — from everyone.

Unlike RCS messages, Search filters are available to anyone who can run the Google Messages app on their handset. So you don't have to be in a particular region to use it.

Pin conversations

Put important conversations at the top of your list

Whether it's people or tools, the important ones should be easy to access. But an app can't decide who the most important person is unless you mention that.

Google Messages doesn't let you label someone as important, but it does let you access all your conversations with them easily. One of the best ways to do it is to pin those conversations.

Pinning a thread on Google Messages is easy. Just press and hold the thread, then tap the pinning iconat the top. You can unpin the message the same way. When you long-press the pinned thread, you'll see an unpin option at the top.

You can pin multiple threads this way. Pinned messages appear ahead of all the other threads on Google Messages so that you can see them right after you open the app.

The pinning feature eliminates the need to search by name to find conversations you had with them. This saves time if new messages keep pushing important ones down the list.

Google Messages saves you time only if you're comfortable using it

Not everything works for everyone, and that's true for Google Messages. You may prefer another messaging app because you have used Google Messages for so long that switching feels like more work.

Switching also gives you access to tons of useful features you can't ignore. However, don't judge them based on someone else's experience. Try them on your phone and see how they fit your needs.

If you're trying Google Messages for the first time, keep your expectations in check; you've just moved into new territory. It'll take time for the app's overall design to grow on you.

However, don't apologize if you don't like the transition. In that case, those features don't mean anything in your world. Spend some time with them before deciding.

If it's your default messaging app, you'll adapt to these features more quickly.