Danny Weber
Google Messages is rolling out Tap to Draft, a Smart Reply option that places suggested answers in the compose field before sending.
Google has started rolling out a new setting in Messages for Smart Reply: suggested replies can now be placed in the compose field first, edited, and only then sent to the other person. Previously, the flow was much stricter: users tapped one of the suggested options, and the message went straight into the chat.
The new feature is called “Tap to Draft”. It changes the usual Smart Reply behavior: after tapping a ready-made suggestion, the text is not sent automatically but appears in the input line. From there, it can be expanded, shortened, or simply checked before sending.
Early traces of this option were spotted at the beginning of the year, when it was known as “Tap to Edit.” Google later renamed the setting to “Tap to Draft”, and it has now started appearing for users of the stable Google Messages app on Android, including build 20260522_00_RC00.
To check whether the feature is available, open Google Messages, tap the profile icon, go to “Messages settings”, then open “Suggestions and actions” → “Suggestions” and make sure “Smart Reply” is enabled. After that, Smart Reply settings let users choose between two behavior modes.
“Tap to Send” keeps the old approach, where a selected reply is sent immediately. “Tap to Draft” adds an extra step and gives users more control over the message — a small change, but one that can prevent an awkward send.
© A. Krivonosov