Google Messages for Android Is Finally Getting a Trash Folder

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Key Points of This Article

• A simple and long-awaited new feature appears to be coming to Google Messages, the default SMS/MMS/RCS client app for Android.
• An analysis of the in-app code from the app version messages.android_20251020_01_RC01.phone.openbeta_dynamic update, distributed around Friday, October 24, 2025, revealed the addition of code related to the implementation of a “Trash” folder.
• Messages stored in the “Trash” folder are automatically deleted after 30 days.

It appears that a simple and long-awaited new feature is coming to Google Messages, the default SMS/MMS/RCS messaging client app for Android.

An analysis of the in-app code from the app version messages.android_20251020_01_RC01.phone.openbeta_dynamic update, distributed around Friday, October 24, 2025, revealed the addition of code related to the implementation of a “Trash” folder. Currently, in the Google Messages app, when a message is deleted, its data is removed immediately. With the introduction of the “Trash” folder, deleted messages will first be moved to this folder.

Messages stored in the “Trash” folder will then be automatically deleted after 30 days.

<activity android:theme="@style/BugleToolbarTheme" android:name="com.google.android.apps.messaging.home.TrashFolderActivity" android:exported="false" android:screenOrientation="user" android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden" android:parentActivityName="com.google.android.apps.messaging.main.MainActivity"/>

<string name="action_menu_show_trash_folder">Trash</string>
<string name="trash_activity_title">Trash</string>
<string name="trash_conversation_list_empty_text">Conversations in trash are permanently deleted after 30 days</string>
<string name="delete_conversations_confirmation_dialog_text_trash_v2">Move to trash? Conversations will be permanently deleted from trash after 30 days.</string>
<string name="move_to_trash_action_title">Move to trash</string>
<string name="restore_conversations_action_title">Restore</string>
<string name="empty_trash_action_title">Empty trash</string>
<string name="confirm_delete_all_in_trash_dialog_message">Permanently delete all conversations in trash?</string>
<string name="confirm_delete_all_in_trash_dialog_title">Empty trash now?</string>

<bool name="trash_enabled_pref_default">true</bool>
<bool name="enable_trash_folder_by_default">true</bool>

<public type="string" name="action_menu_show_trash_folder" id="0x7f150039" />
<public type="string" name="trash_activity_title" id="0x7f1514eb" />
<public type="string" name="trash_conversation_list_empty_text" id="0x7f1514ec" />
<public type="string" name="delete_conversations_confirmation_dialog_text_trash_v2" id="0x7f15049b" />
<public type="string" name="move_to_trash_action_title" id="0x7f150bf3" />
<public type="string" name="restore_conversations_action_title" id="0x7f151111" />
<public type="string" name="empty_trash_action_title" id="0x7f15057f" />
<public type="string" name="confirm_delete_all_in_trash_dialog_message" id="0x7f15033c" />
<public type="string" name="confirm_delete_all_in_trash_dialog_title" id="0x7f15033d" />
<public type="bool" name="trash_enabled_pref_default" id="0x7f050047" />
<public type="bool" name="enable_trash_folder_by_default" id="0x7f05000c" />

The “Trash” folder for the Google Messages app on Android has not yet been officially rolled out. However, since the feature has been implemented in the code, it is expected to be launched soon.

“Google Messages” App Link