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Yes. In Google Messages, touch and hold a message to open its action menu, then touch and hold the text inside it. Drag the selection handles over the words you want and tap Copy. You can also copy the whole message from the first menu.
How to copy part of a Google Messages text
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Open the conversation and touch and hold the message containing the text.
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When the message action menu appears, touch and hold the text itself.
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Drag the selection handles to highlight the words, number, code, or sentence you need.
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Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Smart Phone 128GB US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty Black- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
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Tap Copy in the text-selection dialog.
For a whole-message copy, touch and hold the message and choose Copy from its action menu instead. Google gives a phone number and a one-time password as examples of text you might select individually. See Google’s instructions for quick actions and copying part of a message.
What the redesigned long-press menu offers
Touching and holding a message opens a floating menu near the selected message rather than relying only on a toolbar at the top of the screen. The available actions depend on the message and context. Google lists these quick actions:
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Edit: Edit a message you sent, if it is within 15 minutes of sending.
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Reply or Forward: Respond to the message or send it on.
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Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Smart Phone 128GB, US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty Blue- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
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Copy: Copy the whole message; selecting text within it lets you copy only the highlighted portion.
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Star: Mark a message for later.
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Delete: Remove the message.
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Select more: Select additional messages.
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Info: View message information.
Photo messages may show media-specific actions, including Save or Remix, as reported by 9to5Google; those options are not universal actions for every message.
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It works with more than RCS text messages
Google’s Help page says touch-and-hold actions apply to text, images, videos, links, files, locations, and contact cards—not only RCS conversations. The precise options can vary with the item you press.
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Google Messages Community Manager Debashruti Roy announced on September 30, 2026, that “The new long-press redesign for Google Messages has officially launched.” Google says the redesign supports light and dark themes and is optimized for landscape use. The announcement does not give a device-by-device or regional rollout timetable.
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- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Activating is easy, just 3 steps.
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Earlier, 9to5Google reported seeing the menu in stable app version 20260910_03_RC02 on September 24, 2026, and described a server-side component. That was an outlet observation, not an official compatibility guarantee. If your menu looks different or the redesigned controls are not visible, the available sources do not establish that your phone is outdated or that you are using the gesture incorrectly. Google’s launch announcement and Help page explain the feature and gestures, but not a complete rollout schedule.
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