New Feature Lets You Tag Members Even on Mute.
Google Messages is reportedly rolling out a new @mentions feature in RCS group chats, allowing users to tag specific members to grab their attention—even if those users have muted the conversation. According to media reports, this long-requested upgrade is now appearing for some users, making group communication more efficient and easier to manage.
Early hints of this feature first surfaced in April, when reports suggested Google was developing a mentions tool for RCS messaging, a key component of its efforts to enhance the default Android texting experience. Now, multiple users on Reddit have shared screenshots showing the feature live, suggesting that Google has begun wider testing. Mentions have reportedly appeared in Google Messages beta version 20251103_00_RC00, although access still seems limited to select testers.
One interesting detail is how Google handles contact names during mentions. The name that appears after the “@” symbol isn’t taken from the recipient’s Google account—it’s pulled directly from how you’ve saved that contact on your own device. So if someone is stored under a nickname or custom label, that personalized name will show up for everyone in the group when you mention them.
Users can also edit the displayed name before sending a message, including shortening or removing parts of it. Once the message is sent, the tagged person will receive a notification, even if they have the group chat muted, ensuring that important messages don’t get missed.
As Google continues improving RCS with features like encryption, message reactions, and now mentions, the platform is becoming a stronger competitor to apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and iMessage.
