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The upcoming release of macOS Tahoe 26 later this year will introduce several exciting features to the Messages app. You can look forward to enhanced customization options, improved search capabilities, better group messaging features, and more.
macOS Tahoe 26: New Features in Messages
Custom Backgrounds
For those seeking new ways to personalize chat experiences, macOS Tahoe adds the ability to set custom backgrounds for message threads. Users can select from a vast array of built-in backgrounds, utilize images from their Photos library, or even design original images through Image Playground.
Polling Feature
Users will now be able to create polls directly within message threads. This feature is particularly helpful for group decisions—like dinner plans or movie choices. As participants cast votes, results will be displayed in real-time for all members of the conversation.
Moreover, if you’re using a Mac with Apple Intelligence support, it can intelligently suggest when a poll would be appropriate based on the context of your discussions.
Typing Indicators in Group Messages
One much-anticipated update in macOS Tahoe is the addition of typing indicators for group messages, allowing users to see who is currently composing a reply in the chat.
Enhanced Spam Management
As spam messages have become increasingly problematic, macOS Tahoe introduces new features to help manage unwanted messages. New on-device filters will work to automatically eliminate spam from your conversation history, which you can monitor under a new “Spam” option in the app.
Additionally, messages from unknown senders will now be grouped into a new “Unknown Senders” folder, providing users with options to either ignore or categorize them.
Conclusion
macOS Tahoe 26 is set for public release later this fall, with a beta version available later this month. Which new features in the Messages app are you looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments!
