Google Messages to roll out auto-OTP deletion, 'SMS Categories' features

Washington: Tech giant Google is all set to release new features for its Messages app. The upcoming updates will be exclusively rolled out to users in India. As per The Verge, Google is updating its Messages app to allow it to delete one-time passwords (OTPs) automatically, to stop the single-use codes from clogging up your inbox, the company announced.

Google also said that the app will be able to sort messages into categories, keeping your personal correspondence away from notifications about bank transactions and special offers.

The company further said that it is using a machine learning model to sort messages into categories like personal, transactions, OTPs, and offers, which sounds very similar to what it already offers for emails in Gmail. The sorting process happens on-device, Google said, so it should still work while offline. Google shared that the new features will roll out "over the coming weeks" in India, on Android phones running version 8 and above.

A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on whether the feature could see a release outside of the country. The upcoming auto-OTP deletion and SMS Categories features are optional and can be managed in settings. If you want to try them out, make sure you are using the latest version of the Google Messages app.