Google is working on a significant update for its messaging service, Google Messages. The company has begun testing the “mention” feature in RCS-based group chats. This feature entered development earlier this year and is now being gradually rolled out to beta users. The new feature aims to make it easier to attract the attention of specific people within a group.

A major update for Google Messages: @Mention is coming to group chats

Mentioning a user in group chats will now be as simple as using the “@” symbol. The most striking aspect of this feature is that it works independently of notification settings. Google Messages will ensure that the person you mention will see this specific mention even if their group notifications are muted. This will make reaching out to the relevant person for urgent or important matters much more efficient.

The first reports of the new feature were shared by users on Reddit. Users who have the feature enabled will be presented with a list of contacts when they type “@” in a group chat. A small prompt may also appear saying, “Try @ to get their attention.”

The name displayed during mentions is taken from the name stored in your device’s Google Contacts app. However, Google also offers users flexibility in this regard. There’s an option to edit the contact’s name in the message being sent. For example, you can easily remove a contact’s last name from the public message.

This new @mention feature is currently being tested through the Google Messages beta program (version 20251103_00_RC00). It’s important to note that the feature hasn’t yet been rolled out widely and is available to a limited number of beta users.

Google has been taking various steps to improve the group chat experience recently. In June, the company introduced the ability to set custom icons for group chats. In April, we noticed work allowing users to join groups via invite links and QR codes.

So, do you actively use the Google Messages app? Do you think this new @mention feature will make group chats more functional? Share your thoughts in the comments.