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Add Custom Backgrounds to Messages in iOS 26

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Apple's iOS 26 finally brings custom conversation backgrounds to the Messages app, letting you personalize your chats with photos, colors, or images generated by Image Playground. Third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp have offered this kind of feature for years, so finally iPhone owners can now also add their own visual flair to text conversations in Apple's stock messaging app.

ten messages features
Custom backgrounds can help you organize conversations at a glance and add a personal touch to your most important chats. You might choose a sunset photo for family group chats, a solid color for work messages, or a fun AI-generated image for conversations with friends. Just note that when you change the background, everyone in the conversation will also see it.

Bear in mind that iOS 26 is currently in beta testing and will see a general release this fall.

How to Change a Messages Background

The following steps show you how to customize any conversation background in iOS 26:

  1. Open Messages on your iPhone, then tap the conversation you want to customize.
  2. Tap the contact name or group name at the top of the conversation, then tap Backgrounds.
    messages

  3. Choose from the available options: Photo (select an image from your photo library), Color (pick from preset solid colors), or Playground (describe an image for Image Playground to generate it). Alternatively, choose from Sky, Water, Aurora, or one of the Suggestions.
  4. Swipe left and right to preview the available Styles.
  5. Tap the top-right check button to apply your selection.
    messages

How to Reset to Default Background

If you want to return to the standard Messages background:

  1. Open the conversation with the custom background, then tap the contact name or group name at the top.
  2. Tap Backgrounds.
  3. Tap the None option, foremost in the selection screen, then tap the back arrow to confirm.

Tips for Better Backgrounds

Choose backgrounds that don't interfere with text readability. Dark photos work well with light text bubbles, while lighter backgrounds pair better with dark text. iOS 26 automatically adjusts text contrast, but some combinations work better than others.

messages
Custom backgrounds sync across all your devices signed in with the same Apple Account, so changes you make on your iPhone will appear on your iPad and Mac as well, provided they are updated to iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, respectively.

Tag: Messages

Top Rated Comments

adrianlondon Avatar
adrianlondon
16 months ago
Looks great! Legibility is overrated. (MacOS 26)



Attachment Image
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Attirex Avatar
Attirex
16 months ago
Why you would want to make your text thread look like a geocities web page ca. 1996 is beyond me.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jdawgnoonan Avatar
jdawgnoonan
16 months ago
To me this should never be an operating system level major feature. It is on par with new emojis.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Diopter Avatar
Diopter
16 months ago
It is kind of ridiculous that you can’t set a background just for yourself, without having to force it on the other person/people in the conversation.

Other apps like LINE allow you to set a background that only you see.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
miamialley Avatar
miamialley
16 months ago

It is kind of ridiculous that you can’t set a background just for yourself, without having to force it on the other person/people in the conversation.

Other apps like LINE allow you to set a background that only you see.
Completely agree. Apple really baffling lately with a lot of things.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
skiguy45
16 months ago
Looks horrendous.

I'll block anyone who turns in on for our conversations.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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