Google Messages Rolls Out 9-Color Chat Themes With Wallpapers for Android
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · Jun 23
Google Messages Rolls Out 9-Color Chat Themes With Wallpapers for Android
2 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · Jun 23
Summary
Google Messages is replacing its older “Change colors” setting with “Chat theme,” adding wallpaper backgrounds and broader chat customization for Android users.
The new tool includes a conversation preview, a carousel of colors tied to Android’s Dynamic Color palettes, and stock wallpaper categories such as Animals, Architecture and Cityscapes, plus a “Choose a photo” option.
Google said the changes are visible only to the user, marking a shift from the previous approach while bringing Messages closer to customization features common in rival chat apps.
The rollout appears staged rather than universal: devices checked by the report did not yet show the feature, and Reddit users said “Change colors” switches to “Chat theme” once enabled.
The update expands on the 2024 color-customization feature, which offered nine options for message bubbles and backgrounds but no full wallpaper-based themes.