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Google Messages latest bug is exposing texts you'd do anything to keep private [Updated]

Google Messages has developed a privacy problem.

By Aman Kumar

Updated: Sep 02, 2026, 12:50 AM

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Google Messages app on an Android phone. | Image by PhoneArena

Update from September 2, 2026

Google is reportedly aware of the ongoing issue and has issued the following statement:

We're currently rolling out a fix that will reach everyone over the coming weeks. Please ensure you stay up to date with the most recent version of Google Messages.

Google spokesperson, September 2026

The original story from September 1, 2026, follows below:

On one hand, new features are constantly being added to Google Messages; on the other hand, the app has been reported to be affected by different types of bugs and issues lately. We recently reported that group chats are not functioning as intended in the SMS app. Now, according to the latest reports, Google Messages is affected by a new bug that is sending old texts to the wrong person.

What's the issue all about?

Sending SMS through Google Messages is very easy. You simply open the app, select the contact, type the message, and hit the send button. But what if the app sends completely unrelated text instead of what you actually intended?

That's reportedly what's happening with some Google Messages users recently. There are multiple posts on platforms like Reddit and even Google's own community forum, with users basically complaining that the app is pulling up old, unrelated chats and then attaching them to new ones and sending them to people who were never supposed to see them.

Are you facing any sort of issue with the Google Messages app?

121 Votes

RCS is not working.

31.4%

Group chats is malfunctioning.

10.74%

Google Messages is sending old texts to random people.

23.14%

I'm not facing any issue with Google Messages.

34.71%

Plenty of complaints on online forums

The moment I first heard about this issue, I went straight to the Google Messages subreddit and was able to easily spot a good number of related complaints. A user who claims to have a Google Pixel 9a posted that when they are sending a text message to Person A through Google Messages, the app sometimes pulls a very random text from one of the conversations they had with Person B years ago and sends it to Person A.

Another Reddit user shared a very awkward situation they were put into because of this bug in the Google texting app. They commented that, because of this issue, a sex-related conversation they had with one of their dates was sent to their mother. I can't even imagine how awkward and horrible the situation must have been for this user.

A video has also been shared by a user who appears to have a Pixel 11 Pro, showcasing how the bug is actually affecting the messaging experience. The video shows the user sending a message that reads, "We changed the door code," but it automatically gets replaced by text from one of their old chats that says, "Bloody red porcupine."

User comment about facing issue in Google Messages. | Image by Reddit

There are also comments that basically say the bug is even sending old verification codes and other personal details to people who were never intended to see them. In short, the latest problem has turned Google Messages into a privacy nightmare.

Here are some more interesting Google Messages stories:

Google Messages just got its best feature in years
Thanks to these two long-overdue fixes, Google Messages finally feels like a real messaging app
Google Messages just got a gorgeous iMessage-like makeover, but there's one problem

Is there any fix available?

Whenever an app is affected by any sort of bug, the very first course of action that is recommended is to clear the cache or restart the phone. Sometimes, performing these two basic tasks eliminates the problem. Unfortunately, reports indicate that neither of these actions was helpful in this case.

Users mention that the bug continues to affect their messaging experience even after toggling RCS and reinstalling the messaging app. However, some affected users claim that factory resetting did resolve the issue for them, but the catch here is that you are required not to restore the old messages. That means you would end up losing important messages for a problem that you didn't create.

Google is aware of the situation

The only good thing about the whole situation is that Google is aware of it. The company commented on a related post that it has collected the required details and forwarded them to the engineering team so that they can look into the issue properly.

This suggests that we might soon get to know what exactly is causing the issue and when the affected users can expect a fix. Until then, you should remain very careful whenever sending a message. If you notice an unrelated text, basically, one of your older texts has been sent, you should use the "Delete for everyone" feature to delete the message from both your end and the recipient's end. Then, you can use some other texting app to send the message.

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Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.

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