Chat backgrounds can add a fun, personal touch to messages. They can give you a visual identifier for each thread so you can easily tell if you're messaging the right person or group, too. And Apple introduced chat backgrounds to Messages when the company released iOS 26 in September.
With this new feature, you can make your own picture a background, use one of Apple's premade backgrounds and, if you have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, generate your own unique background. Just know that if you add a background to a chat, everyone in that chat will see that background. So choose carefully.
Here's how to change a chat background in Messages with iOS 26 and what to know about the feature.
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How to add and change a chat background in Messages
1. Open Messages.
2. Tap into a chat with a saved contact.
3. Tap either the person's or group's name near the top of the chat.
4. Tap Backgrounds.
You could see seven Background options depending on what iPhone you have. Apple/Screenshot by CNET
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