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Door staff@engadget.com (Filipe Espósito) - 01 Sep 2026
Adding a background to your conversations in the Messages app only takes a few taps. On your iPhone, open the Messages app and tap any conversation where you want to change the background. Tap the contact or group icon, which you can see at the top of the conversation. Then, go to the Backgrounds tab.
Here you'll find a selection of wallpapers from Apple. There are Color, Sky, Water and Aurora to choose from. But the best part is that these wallpapers are all animated and customizable.
Prefer to use an image you shot yourself or found on the web? Just tap the Photo option among the available backgrounds and choose the photo you want. You'll also see a list of suggested backgrounds featuring photos from your library that the system thinks you might like. Just keep in mind that everyone in the conversation will see that same background, not just you.
The Playground feature can also generate backgrounds using Apple Intelligence. This requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later, though.
Here you'll find a selection of wallpapers from Apple. There are Color, Sky, Water and Aurora to choose from. But the best part is that these wallpapers are all animated and customizable.
Prefer to use an image you shot yourself or found on the web? Just tap the Photo option among the available backgrounds and choose the photo you want. You'll also see a list of suggested backgrounds featuring photos from your library that the system thinks you might like. Just keep in mind that everyone in the conversation will see that same background, not just you.
The Playground feature can also generate backgrounds using Apple Intelligence. This requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later, though.