Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
- A bug in the latest Google Messages beta automatically prompts emoji reactions in chats where the last received message is an image.
- The issue apparently appears only in the recent v20250406 beta version and not in older stable releases.
- Google has clarified that this is just a limited experiment for some beta users and doesn’t affect the main Google Messages app.
Update: April 9, 2025 (12:45 PM ET): Since the article below was published, Google reached out to clarify that this is just a limited experiment for some beta users. A Google spokesperson gave the following statement:
We’re constantly experimenting and testing new ways to improve our products for our users. This feature is a test experiment currently running for a limited group as part of our Google Messages beta programs.