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After a recent revamp that removed the top search bar from the app, Google Messages was set to receive another UI tweak that would make it easier for users to send photos. As reported last month, this update would introduce a camera icon directly on the Messages home screen, streamlining the process of sending photos. This UI change is now rolling out widely.
Previously, sending photos using Google Messages involved either accessing the conversation and attaching the photo from the “Add” button or capturing the photo separately in the camera app and then selecting it from the conversation. Now, the easy-to-access camera icon lets you start the process of sending a photo from the beginning if you intend to capture and send a quick photo instead of forwarding one from the camera roll.
As you can see in the screenshots above, the camera icon is placed adjacent to the search icon on the top right of the app. Tapping on it, opens the camera app UI and viewfinder, allowing you to capture a quick photo. Once the photo has been taken, Messages then prompts you to select a recipient and attach the photo in a new message to the chosen recipient — while still giving you the control to add additional text and send at your leisure.
This new feature joins other experimental additions that Google Messages has been exploring, such as an animated emoji, an updated voice recorder, and Google Account login capabilities for the web version. Meanwhile, as new features continue to be rolled out, old ones seem to have suddenly gone missing from the app without explanation, most likely due to a bug.
The camera shortcut was previously in a limited rollout phase, with only a small group of Google Message users accessing it. That said, while the old method was relatively straightforward, this new shortcut strives to make the process even more effortless — facilitating seamless photo sharing.
