- Google Messages is testing the Nano Banana AI image generator
- Nano Banana will probably create and edit images directly in chats
- The app has a hidden banana icon that appears when you long press the image.
Google’s Nano Banana AI image maker is on its way to the Messages app, according to code (and an invisible banana button) found by Android Police. It appears that users will be able to edit and possibly produce images with Nano Banana (part of Gemini 2.5 Flash) directly within the app’s chats.
The banana-shaped icon that appears when you long-press on an image within a message thread is currently inactive. Still, it’s likely to arrive sooner rather than later as Google continues to expand Nano Banana’s presence in its apps.
The AI image model has already been implemented in NotebookLM and Search via Google Lens, and plans for Google Photos have already been announced. The messages can be the following and, if the pattern holds, they will not be the last.
Nano Banana’s role in Messages is still vague, but the location of the idle icon, which appears inside the toolbar after long-pressing an image, is notable. The placement suggests a greater focus on editing existing images than creating new ones from a written message. That could mean anything from filters and image cleansing to outright memeification, all of which Nano Banana does easily, presumably through quick prompts or a menu of standardized options.
Imagine taking a blurry photo of your dinner, holding it down, tapping the banana icon, and asking for a “delicious food blog-style photo.” Or respond to a friend’s awkward selfie with a version that shows a Tyrannosaurus Rex bombarding them.
message memes
Google’s interest in incorporating Nano Banana and other AI tools everywhere makes this particular move a no-brainer. Google claims that Nano Banana has already been used to create more than five billion images. But so many people already use Google Messages that Nano Banana could become the most used AI imaging tool in an instant.
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t competition. Meta AI is powering image generation in WhatsApp and Messenger, while Apple has custom emoji and image generation for iMessage. Even Snapchat has made AI imaging tools a core element of its product.
It’s unclear when Nano Banana will be in Messages, but you can always try using the new Nano Banana-compatible camera gear while you wait to tap that invisible banana.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
