Google Messages Could Bring Back Ultra HDR With a Major Upgrade

Google continues to refine the messaging experience on Android, and a recent discovery suggests another upgrade could be on the way. Essentially, it’s a return. It looks like Google Messages is bringing back the support for Ultra HDR media.

Ultra HDR might return, and actually be useful

The latest beta version of Google Messages hints that Ultra HDR support might return, but this time with a more noticeable and improved implementation. According to the latest findings via Android Authority in the APK teardown, the new code spotted in the Google Messages v20260320 beta suggests the feature is coming back. This time, it may work much better.

Instead of limiting the HDR effect to the full image view, Google is now testing Ultra HDR rendering directly in chat thumbnails. That means users could immediately see brighter highlights and richer contrast without needing to open the image first.

Google originally introduced Ultra HDR support in Google Messages back in 2023, allowing users to send and receive high dynamic range images over RCS. However, the feature was quietly removed during a redesign in 2025. 

Previously, Ultra HDR in Google Messages wasn’t very noticeable. Users had to manually open images to see the HDR effect, while thumbnails looked like standard images. As a result, many people didn’t even realize the feature existed. With this update, Google appears to fix that limitation. Now, HDR is visible right inside conversations. This change should make the feature far more practical.

Another small feature is also in the works

Alongside Ultra HDR, the teardown also reveals a smaller but useful addition. Google is testing a “Copy” button for voice message transcripts, allowing users to quickly copy transcribed text to their clipboard. While minor, this feature could make voice messages more useful in everyday scenarios, especially for saving important information.

As with all APK teardowns, it’s important to keep expectations in check. These features are still hidden in the app’s code, which means they are not live yet. They could change before release. Google might never roll them out publicly.

Still, given how complete the implementation looks, there’s a strong chance we could see Ultra HDR return in a feature update. This would show Google it’s improving these features. If Ultra HDR returns with proper thumbnail support, it could finally become a feature users actually notice. Therefore, users may benefit from it in daily conversations.