Google Messages has been on a roll lately, delivering exciting new features and constantly updating the app with experience improvements. In April, we mentioned thatGoogle was testinga new Sensitive Content Warning system for images, and now it’s finally rolling out to everyone.
Last year, Googlerevealed a new initiativeto make Google Messages safe and secure by fighting spam and other issues. Eventually, we learned that a new “Sensitive Content Warning” system was one of those changes. The idea is to block inappropriate images from automatically appearing in the app, and users can choose to blur nude and otherwise sensitive photos.
After months of testing, Google is ready to deliver this safety net to everyone. It was first spotted late last year, hit the beta channel in April, and became available with the latest stable app update in August 2025.
Google’s new content moderation tool in Messages is optional. As long as you’re logged in to your Google account, you’ll find the option in settings. The entire process happens on-device, and a filter recognizes inappropriate content and blocks it from appearing in a message. Those using Google Messages then have the option to delete the message or tap a button to unblur the content.
Furthermore, Google’s system can direct people to online resources about why sharing or opening nude content may be harmful, makes it easy to block the number that sent said content, and then will let you open the image. It’s a multistep process aimed at protecting everyone.
Outgoing messages are equally important, and the sensitive content system will even require another step to send this type of content. Once enabled, when a user goes to send a message or image they probably shouldn’t, a pop-up says to “make responsible decisions online” and reminds them of the risks of doing so. Users must then tap confirm before sending out a nude image. This is one of those tools that parents will appreciate.
Again, this feature is turned off by default, but it’s easy to enable. Go to Google Messages Settings > Protection & Safety > Manage sensitive content warnings > Warnings in Google Messages to get started. It’s worth noting that parents can control this through the Family Link app, ensuring children can’t go into settings and disable it.
While Google’s Sensitive Content Warning system is a solid first step, it doesn’t look like the company wants to stop at just images. In July, we learned that Google Messages is alsotesting a similar system for videos, but that’s yet to arrive.
We’ll monitor future updates and let you know if anything changes. For now, get the latest version of Google Messages and try it out, or enable these tools on a child’s device.
