In recent developments, Google Messages has gained significant traction, largely due to its innovative features such as AI-powered scam detection and the ability to “unsend” messages. These enhancements have made the app increasingly appealing to users seeking a more secure and versatile messaging experience.
Alongside these advancements, Google Messages has introduced a suite of visual status indicators designed to enhance user engagement. Among these, a blue dot appears next to contact cards, signaling activity and presence. While some of these symbols may be familiar to users of platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger, Google’s application does not always provide explicit explanations for their meanings.
To clarify, Google Messages employs a series of four distinct symbols or check marks to convey the delivery status of messages:
- Timer Symbol: This indicates that your message is in the process of being sent.
- Single Check Mark: This confirms that the message has been sent successfully.
- Double Check Marks: These signify that the message has been successfully delivered to the recipient.
- Color-Filled Double Check Marks: This final mark indicates that the recipient has read the message, although it will not appear if the recipient has disabled read receipts.
What do these other symbols mean in Google Messages?
In addition to the delivery status indicators, Google Messages features a typing indicator, represented by three dots bouncing up and down, which appears based on the recipient’s settings. This lets users know when the person they are conversing with is actively typing a response. Furthermore, a lock symbol may be displayed in certain conversations, indicating that the chat is secured with end-to-end encryption.
Conversely, a red exclamation mark signals that a message has failed to deliver, which could be due to various reasons such as connectivity issues, an expired cellular plan, or an invalid recipient number. If users do not see any of the aforementioned symbols or check marks (aside from the red exclamation mark), it typically suggests that either party lacks RCS advanced chat capabilities. In such instances, conversations revert to traditional SMS or MMS protocols. Users can verify whether advanced chat features are enabled by navigating to Messages settings > RCS chats > Turn on RCS chats.
