Google is making changes to the “profile sharing” feature in its Google Messages app to allow users to customize contact names and photos on their own devices for both stored contacts and recipients of text messages.
As detailed by 9to5Google, a recent update had replaced custom names and photos with broadcasted profiles, but now users can revert back to assigning names and avatars to friends, colleagues, and family members as they see fit.
Google’s updated support page for profile sharing now provides instructions on setting a local contact photo that takes precedence over the one shared by the contact. To modify their name or image, users can tap on a contact’s name or picture within a Google Messages chat, then select their photo on the details page to choose between the shared version and a personalized one.
