Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google has started rolling out custom chat wallpapers in the Google Messages app.
- This seems to be a very limited release for now, as only a few beta users have received it.
- The feature lets you choose a wallpaper for your chat, in addition to the existing color palette option.
Telegram user Pintu Patra spotted custom chat wallpapers in the Google Messages app on their Pixel phone. They then posted a screenshot in the Gapps Leaks group, as seen below.
Telegram user Pintu Patra
Furthermore, Redditor Stevenmc8602 also received the custom wallpapers feature. The user noted that they were running a beta version of Google Messages (messages.android_20260618_05_RC02.phone_ samsung_openbeta_dynamic) and that the existing “change colors” option indeed morphed into “Chat theme.”
Most users in the Reddit thread said they hadn’t received this functionality yet, despite running a beta version of Google Messages. This suggests that we’re looking at a limited rollout, even among beta testers.
In any event, the feature lets you choose a chat background from a selection of categorized wallpapers. However, you can also choose your own photo if the existing selection isn’t to your liking. This custom chat theme option also comes as Samsung Messages faces a shutdown next month. Samsung’s messaging client offered a healthy level of personalization, so this Google Messages addition arrives at a great time.
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