Google Messages for Android is introducing the Advanced Protection modeannounced at the beginning of October, to combat spam and scam attempts through messages. The new feature expands the defenses already present in the app, which until now offered standard protection against spam and potentially dangerous suspicious links.
Advanced Protection mode introduces three main innovationsdesigned to detect more sophisticated threats and provide users with more information before taking risky actions. The first concerns the scam detectionwhich leverages cloud-based Gemini models to analyze the context of conversations with unknown senders and more quickly understand the intentions of potential scammers.
Compared to the detection system already present on the device, this approach aims to better identify even new and complex attacks. Google specifies that the processing takes place through Private AI Computean Android feature designed to protect data during analysis. Messages are processed in a secure, private environment, not accessible to other people, including Google.
Other news coming to Google Messages
The second news concerns links received from unknown senders. Advanced protection uses the Gemini Nano model directly on the device and real-time web signals to evaluate the trustworthiness of a link before it is opened. The feature is available on Pixel 10 and later modelsabout the series Samsung Galaxy S26up Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8as well as on other selected devices.
The third intervention concerns the security warningswhich have been redesigned to offer more context and give users more time to think before tapping a link received from a number not in their contacts. The goal is to encourage more informed decisions and reduce the risk of falling for phishing attempts or other scams.
Advanced protection is an optional feature and can be activated in the Google Messages settings, in the Protection and security section. Three options are available: advanced protection, standard protection and no protection, the latter not recommended. The novelty was identified in latest beta version of the appidentified by the number 20261020_00_RC00.
