It’s a frustrating little detail, but if you’ve ever set a custom picture for a group chat in Google Messages, you know it’s not easy to go back. Once you add a photo, you can only replace it with another one, not remove it for the original look. This design choice can be annoying for anyone who likes a tidy digital space. The good news is that Google appears to be working on an option to have more control over your group chat icon.
A teardown of Google Messages beta version v.messages.android_20250922_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic spotted by Android Authority, uncovered a new feature in the works called “Remove group icon.” With this option, tapping the group icon in the chat details opens it in full-screen view, and you will see the option to “Remove group icon.” Selecting it would strip away the chosen picture and return the group to the default four-avatar grid that Google originally intended. This marks the first clear indication that the Messages team is addressing what many consider an unnecessary limitation.
Currently, every group in the messaging app has an icon, either one you select or the default grid.You can change the icon, but you can’t just remove it. That’s why this new feature could be important to many users.
Still in testing, with no public rollout confirmed
Google is currently testing this feature in the background, but it’s not yet available to the public. As with many features found in code teardowns, there’s no promise it will launch. Still, seeing the option suggests Google is giving it real thought.
If this update rolls out to everyone, users will have more control over their group chat appearance. For those who like a simple look or don’t want a random image in their conversations, being able to remove the icon could be a nice improvement. For now, though, once your group chat has an icon, you’re stuck with it until Google makes this change official.
