Google Launches Custom Chat Themes for Google Messages

Google launched Chat Themes for Google Messages, allowing users to personalize individual conversations with custom backgrounds and chat bubble colors. The feature is available to users with Rich Communication Services (RCS) enabled and follows several months of testing to bring the app's personalization capabilities in line with competitors like WhatsApp.

Users can customize their experience by selecting curated wallpapers from categories such as Animals, Landscapes, and Space, or by uploading personal photos from their gallery. The application can automatically adjust message bubble colors to match the chosen background, though users may also select specific colors or use manual overrides.

Google clarified that these customizations are local to the user's device. The themes and wallpapers are private and are not visible to other participants in the chat.