Google Addresses Crashing Issue in Messages Beta Program

Reports surfaced this week detailing widespread instability within the latest beta release of the Google Messages application, affecting users’ ability to compose new messages while still permitting responses via notifications. Numerous individuals have documented encountering crashes upon opening the app on Reddit and other online forums, as initially reported by 9to5Google.

The problem appears to be isolated to devices running version 20250805_00_RC00 of the Google Messages beta. User accounts indicate that affected devices span a diverse range of Android phones, including models from Google (Pixel), Samsung (Galaxy), and others, eliminating concerns about specific hardware brands. Similarly, reports have arisen across various mobile network providers such as Fido, Google Fi, T-Mobile, and Verizon, suggesting the fault is not carrier-dependent.

Testing by Tom’s Guide staff on non-beta versions of the app running on Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel 9 Pro, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 devices revealed no similar issues. A subsequent installation of the beta version on a Google Pixel 8a did not replicate the reported crash. Given that message reception – a background function – remains operational for affected users, experts believe the problem lies within the app’s foreground code, potentially related to its interaction with the device’s operating system. While this suggests a relatively straightforward resolution is possible, other underlying causes cannot be ruled out.

Google has since acknowledged the issue and attributed it to an internal experiment within their beta program. In a statement released on August 8th, Google confirmed that the bug impacted “a limited number of Google Messages open beta users” and has now been resolved via an automatic update requiring no user intervention.