Use Google Messages? I change these 9 settings on every Pixel 11 - here's why Gemini users should too

Google Messages has quietly become one of the most powerful apps on a Pixel 11, and with the Gemini 3.7 Flash integration that arrived in the August Pixel Drop, it's also become one of the most privacy-sensitive. I set up a new Pixel 11 Pro XL last week, and these are the nine Google Messages settings I changed before sending a single text - and why every Android 17 user running a Tensor G6-powered device should do the same. First, disable Smart Replies cloud processing. By default, Google Messages sends your conversation context to Google's servers to generate Gemini-powered reply suggestions. Toggle this off under Settings then Suggestions then Cloud Processing, and the replies will instead be generated locally by Gemini Nano on the Tensor G6 chip - slightly less sophisticated, but your messages never leave your device. Second, enable the new End-to-End Encryption indicator, which now shows a per-message encryption status so you can see exactly which texts in a conversation are protected. Third, turn on Magic Compose Local Mode, which forces the Gemini 3.7 Flash rewriting features - formal, casual, Shakespearean, and the new Excited tone - to run on-device rather than in the cloud. Fourth, enable the new Sensitive Content Detection, which uses on-device AI to flag messages containing potential phishing links, financial scams, or sensitive personal information before you tap them. Fifth, disable Read Receipts for group chats - a small but meaningful privacy win that Android 17 finally makes granular. Sixth, enable the new Auto-Delete Verification Codes feature, which clears one-time passwords from your message thread after they've been auto-filled, reducing clutter and removing a common phishing vector. Seventh, turn on the Gemini-Powered Conversation Summary, which generates a one-paragraph summary of long group chats you've missed - invaluable for keeping up with family threads. Eighth, enable the new Spam Protection Local Mode, which runs the spam classifier on the Tensor G6 rather than in the cloud. Ninth, and most importantly for Pixel 11 Pro Fold owners, enable the Dual-Screen Compose Mode, which lets you draft messages on the outer screen while viewing the full conversation on the inner display. None of these settings are obvious, and Google doesn't surface most of them during setup. But together, they transform Google Messages from a default SMS app into a genuinely private, AI-augmented communication tool that takes full advantage of what the Pixel 11 and Android 17 offer.