If your text conversations have been looking a little bland since Samsung started pushing everyone toward Google Messages, you might finally have something to look forward to. Google appears to be working on a proper customization overhaul for its messaging app, and it sounds like the kind of thing that should have been there from the start.
Samsung Messages spoiled us, apparently
For years, Samsung Messages users had access to a surprisingly deep level of chat personalization. Custom wallpapers pulled from your gallery, themed bubble colors, contrast adjustments, and even wallpaper-based themes through the Good Lock module made your chats feel like your own. It was not just functional, it was fun. Then Samsung confirmed it was phasing out Samsung Messages entirely in favor of Google Messages, largely because Samsung’s app no longer supports RCS. A fair trade on paper, but one that left a lot of users staring at a very plain, very beige chat window and wondering where all the personality went.
To be fair, Google Messages is not completely without options. You can tap the three-dot menu in any chat to find the “Change colors” option, which lets you swap the background and bubble colors. It works, but it is about as exciting as choosing between two shades of grey for your office walls. There is no photo upload, no mixing and matching, and no real sense that your chat window is yours. For people coming from Samsung Messages, the drop in customization has been a genuine frustration.
But, something zestier is on its way
Google appears to be actively developing a much more robust customization suite for Google Messages, and the signs are promising. Spotted strings within the app point to a dedicated “Custom” theme section that would let users tweak backgrounds, adjust bubble colors independently, and upload their own photos as chat wallpapers. There are also hints of Google Photos integration baked in, which would make pulling in personal images seamless. On top of that, a “Theme Preview” option suggests users will be able to see exactly how things look before committing, rather than blindly applying changes. Perhaps the most welcome detail is the ability to mix and match individual elements. Instead of being locked into preset theme packs, you could theoretically pair a custom photo background with a specific bubble color of your choice. That is the kind of flexibility Samsung Messages users have been asking for since the switch.
None of this has officially rolled out yet, so treat it with the usual early-development caution. Features spotted in development do not always make it to the final product, and timelines can stretch. That said, Google’s clear attention to what users loved about Samsung Messages is encouraging. A messaging app you actually enjoy looking at is meaningful thing, and right now, Google Messages is leaving a lot of that potential on the table. Hopefully not for much longer.
