GoKawiilGoogle Messages rolls out customizable chat themes to Android users
Google Messages has begun rolling out a long-requested feature that lets users apply custom themes to individual chat conversations. The update, spotted on version 20260824_01_RC00, works on both stable and beta builds but requires RCS chats to be enabled. Users need to update the app via the Play Store and confirm RCS is turned on in settings to access the new option.
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Chat customization is a basic personalization feature that rival messaging apps have offered for years, so its absence made Google Messages feel behind despite its otherwise solid RCS functionality. Adding themes could help Google retain users who value visual personalization and further push adoption of RCS as the default texting standard on Android.
- Custom chat themes are now rolling out in Google Messages as of late August 2026.
- The feature requires an updated app version and RCS chats to be enabled.
- It's available on both stable and beta versions of Google Messages.
Google Pixel 9 smartphone — Google Messages features like chat themes tend to land first and work best on Pixel phones, where the app is deeply integrated. The Pixel 9 gives you a clean Android experience with fast updates, so you're among the first to get new customization tricks like these.
See Google Pixel 9 smartphone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: androidauthority.com, 2026-08-29
Published there as: “Google Messages just got a customization setting I’ve wanted for years — how to use it”
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