Google Messages Tests Pinned-Chat Grid and Cuts Pin Limit to Six

The experiment shifts pinned conversations to larger contact tiles with live previews and could force users who rely on many pins to trim or reprioritize if it ships.

Overview

Reporting from Android Authority, Droid Life and Android Headlines says Google is testing a redesigned pin area that shows pinned chats as larger icon-like tiles at the top of the conversation list.
The leaked UI reportedly displays contact profile photos on the tiles, lets users rearrange pins, and replaces a tile with a message preview when a new message arrives.
The test reduces the maximum number of pinned conversations from 20 to six, a large cut that would require heavy pin users to choose which threads to keep at the top.
Coverage is based on screenshots and a short video from a beta build; Google has not confirmed the feature or given any public release timeline.
The layout resembles the grid-style pinned chats Apple introduced in iOS 14, reflecting a continued convergence of visual design choices across mobile platforms.