Google Messages first began testing a new circular read receipts design in August 2024. Since then, the update has gradually rolled out, and it now appears to be widely available for beta users.
With the redesign, read receipts no longer appear below the message bubble. Instead, they are now positioned in the bottom-right corner of the message bubble. This change also applies to standalone media messages. The previous double-bubble layout has been replaced with a single circular indicator that represents four different message states:
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Ellipsis – Sending
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Single check with ring – Sent
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Double check with ring – Delivered
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Solid double check in filled circle – Read
To view the time a message was sent and see the RCS encryption lock, users now need to swipe left on a message. Tapping a message triggers a bounce animation, highlighting the updated interaction. Swiping right allows users to reply directly to a specific message.
The updated read receipts are also visible in the main conversation list.
Google has been testing this design for an extended period. Some stable channel users have already had access to it for several months. However, in the beta channel, the feature has rolled out and been withdrawn multiple times for certain users.
As of beta version 20260220_01_RC00, Google Messages appears to be broadly rolling out the circular read receipts redesign to testers. The interface now seems finalized, although the rollout process has been notably gradual.
