With iOS 26, Apple has amped up the iMessage customization game – like never before. If you ever wished to give your favorite iMessage chat thread a more eye-catching background by tweaking its color, pretty much in tune with the way WhatsApp offers, this new add-on is for you.
Now, you can change your iMessage chat background color on iPhone and iPad, ensuring it’s always in line with your taste. It gives you more control over how your conversations look, letting you customize the background to match your style or mood. Whether you want a subtle pastel, a dark theme for easier reading, or something bright and playful, you can now set it up in just a few steps.
Customize iMessage Chat Background Color on iPhone and iPad
Though Apple’s implementation of the iMessage background personalization seems to be inspired by the Meta-owned WhatsApp on the surface, the Cupertino giant actually offers more tools to let you fine-tune the color intensity.
- Head over to the Messages app > open a chat thread in question > tap on the Chat name at the top.
- After that, choose the Backgrounds tab > Select “Color”.
- Now, you can swipe left or right to choose the desired background style.
- However, if you want to have more color options, tap on the “Color” tab and then choose the preferred background color. After that, you can use the slider to perfectly adjust the intensity of the selected color.
- Additionally, you can also tap on the color palette and then adjust the color by using the “Grid”, “Spectrum”, or “Sliders”, depending on your preference.
- Once you have customized the background color, tap on the tick mark at the top to confirm the action.
And that’s about it!
Customizing your iMessage background color in iOS 26 is a simple yet powerful way to make your conversations feel more personal. With this new feature, Apple is giving users more freedom to express themselves and add a touch of individuality to their chats.
So, try experimenting with different colors until you find the perfect look that makes your messaging experience even better.
To watch how this cool feature works in real-time, check out this video:
