Google Messages gets Chat theme, letting you set wallpapers per conversation

Google Messages has started rolling out a feature called Chat theme, which lets you change how an individual conversation looks. It replaces the older 'Change colors' option that arrived in 2024, and it does considerably more.

There are two parts. A colours carousel changes the look of your message bubbles, with nine choices including a Dynamic Color option that adapts to the chat background. Separately, a wallpapers option changes the background of the conversation itself — you can upload your own picture, or pick from Google's collections such as Animals, Architecture, Black & White, Cityscapes, Landscapes, Macro, Space, Sunsets, and Textures. One thing to note is that whatever you choose only shows up on your own device; the person you are messaging still sees their own setup.

9to5Google reports the option sits in a conversation's overflow menu, and that a red badge appears when the feature has reached your phone. It is listed as a stable rollout rather than a beta, but Google Messages typically ships features gradually, so it may not be there yet.