macOS Tahoe 26: Top Messages App Features You’ll Love

Later this year, macOS Tahoe 26 will be made available to all users, and it includes some notable new features for the Messages app. Improved search functionality, group message improvements, additional personalization choices, and more are available.

For a list of all the additional features that the Mac Messages app will have later this year, see below.

macOS Tahoe 26: New features in Messages

Backgrounds

If you’ve been wishing for a fresh way to personalize your various chats in Messages, macOS Tahoe has got you covered. The update brings in the ability to set backgrounds for your message conversations. You can select from a wide array of built-in backgrounds, pick one from your own Photos library, or even design custom images using Image Playground.

Polls

Now, you can create polls within conversations in the Messages app. This feature will come in handy when deciding on dinner locations, movie choices, suitable days for gatherings, and more. As participants cast their votes, the results will be updated in real-time for everyone involved in the chat.

Additionally, if you’re using a Mac equipped with Apple Intelligence support, it can recognize when a poll would be beneficial and automatically generate one based on the context of your discussions.

Group message typing indicators

This is a feature that many have been anticipating. In macOS Tahoe 26, Apple has introduced typing indicators for group messages. This means you can see who is about to contribute to the conversation as they type.

Enhanced Filtering and Spam Protection

It’s well-known that the issue of spam messages has only intensified over the years. With macOS Tahoe, Apple is implementing new methods to help you manage your Messages conversations more effectively.

Firstly, Apple states that new on-device spam detection filters will automatically sift out spam messages from your conversation list. You can monitor these by clicking the new filtering option in the Messages app and selecting “Spam.”

Apple has also simplified the process of handling incoming messages from unknown senders. These messages will be sorted into a new “Unknown Senders” section within the Messages app, allowing you to view them and choose to “Mark as Known” or delete them entirely.

Enhanced Search

Apple proudly announces that it has enhanced the search functionality in the Messages app, now supporting more natural language queries. For instance, if you search for “photos of dad during our trip to New York,” the Messages app will display relevant conversations related to that event. This capability is driven by Apple Intelligence.

Real-Time Translation

Thanks to Apple Intelligence, Apple has introduced Real-Time Translation in the Messages app for the very first time:

In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages, so if a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type and delivered in the recipient’s preferred language. And when the user receives a response, each text can be instantly translated.

Conversation specifics

At last, Apple has crafted the conversation specifics interface within the Messages app on macOS Tahoe. It’s now simpler to see everything that has been exchanged in a conversation, including photos, links, and locations. You can also effortlessly check contact details for individual users, add new participants to a group message, and handle translation options.

Conclusion

Apple announces that macOS Tahoe 26 will be accessible to everyone later this fall. A public beta will be launched later this month. Which new Messages features are you most eager to explore? Share your thoughts in the comments.