Messages backgrounds in iOS 26 (and how to turn them off)

One of the small changes in iOS 26 is a new way to customize your Messages conversations: conversation backgrounds. You can set a photo, color, or animated style behind your message bubbles for individual chats or group threads.

This isn’t some crazy idea Apple came up with. They are simply following suit: Just about every other major texting app, like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have had similar features for years.

Some people will love this for the flair and for the visual differentiation of conversations. Others will want the old, simple look back. Fortunately, Apple made it easy to do both.

How to set a background for a Messages conversation

1. Open the conversation you want to customize in the Messages app

2. Tap the contact name or group title at the top of your chat.

3. Tap Backgrounds.

4. Choose from:

   • Photo (from your library)

   • Color (animated color gradients)

   • Playground uses Apple Intelligence (if available on your device) to generate just about any background you can think of

   • Animated styles: Sky, Water, or Aurora (if offered on your device)

   • None turns the background off for that conversation

5. Preview your choice, then tap the checkmark in the upper right corner to apply it.

Anyone in the chat who’s running iOS 26 or later will see the new background. It is also supposed to work with RCS (conversations with people on Android), but so far I haven’t found that to be reliable.

See your new background without distractions

While viewing a chat, you can swipe the conversation up to view your background without the chat bubbles in the way.

How to turn off conversation backgrounds universally

If you don’t want to see conversation backgrounds at all, you can disable the feature for yourself, while still allowing others in the chat to have their fun:

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap Apps → Messages.

3. Turn off Conversation Backgrounds.