Usually, when you want to open a text message conversation on your Google Pixel 4A you will need to open the Messages app and then select the conversation.
But if you text a lot, then you might be performing these steps multiple times over the course of the day.
If you were looking for an easier way to view your most important or active conversations, then you may have turned on the “Bubbles” option.
This causes bubbles to appear on the left side of your screen, which you can tap to go directly to the conversation. It saves an extra tap by letting you open a conversation directly from the Home screen without having to go into the Messages app.
But if you have decided that their constant presence on the screen isn’t worth it, then you might prefer to turn off the bubble feature instead.
You can turn off the Pixel 4A bubble option by going to Messages > tap the three dots > Choose Settings > select Bubbles > tap Nothing can bubble.
Once you have disabled the bubble option, all of the conversation bubbles will disappear from the side of the screen.
Our tutorial continues below with more information on this conversation bubble feature in Android 11, as well as some other bubble options you have.
How to Disable the Bubble Feature in the Pixel 4A Messaging App
- Open Messages.
- Tap the three dots.
- Select Settings.
- Choose Bubbles.
- Tap Nothing can bubble.
Our guide continues below with additional information on changing the text message bubble setting on your Android 11 phone, including pictures of these steps.
How to Stop Conversations from Bubbling on a Google Pixel 4A (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on a Google Pixel 4A in the Android 11 operating system.
Step 1: Open the Messages app.
Step 2: Touch the three vertical dots at the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Choose the Settings option.
Step 4: Select Bubbles near the top of the screen.
Step 5: Tap the Nothing can bubble option.
Our tutorial continues below with additional discussion about changing the bubble setting for your Pixel 4A phone in Android 11.
More Information on Conversation Bubbles in Android 11
When you follow the steps above to turn off the bubble feature for your Pixel 4A’s messaging app you have the option to choose between 3 different settings. These are:
- All conversations can bubble
- Select conversations can bubble
- Nothing can bubble
While the bubble option can be annoying if it’s enabled for every text message conversation that you engage in, it can be nice to use for the more active or important conversations you have.
If you like to see the conversation bubbles on your Home screen, but just don’t want it for everything, then using the “Select conversations can bubble” option might be better for you. When that option is active then you can bubble a conversation by tapping the rectangle with the arrow on that appears at the bottom-right of the notification for a message from that conversation.
If you already have bubbles turned on then you can also touch the Manage option at the bottom-left corner of the screen when you have a bubble open. Here you have these options:
- Dismiss bubble
- Don’t bubble conversation
- Messages settings
There is also a + icon at the top of the screen where you can see any recent or dismissed bubble conversations.
Additional Sources
Matthew Burleigh has been writing technology how-to articles and tutorials for over a decade. He has extensive experience in information technology both in small business and as a consultant.
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