Google Messages introduces custom chat themes and backgrounds

Google has officially announced the rollout of custom chat themes and backgrounds for Google Messages on Android. This feature, which requires RCS, allows users to personalize individual conversations by selecting specific bubble accent colors and chat wallpapers.

Users can choose from a gallery of curated backgrounds—including categories such as Animals, Landscapes, and Space—or upload their own personal images. The message bubbles are designed to automatically adjust their color palette to complement the selected wallpaper. These customizations are private to the user and do not affect the visual experience of the recipient.

The rollout has been inconsistent, appearing on some devices while remaining unavailable on others. While many users have accessed the feature through the Google Messages beta program, the deployment appears to be occurring on a device-by-device or account-by-account basis.