What You Can Actually Change About Message Colors

iPhone lets you change the color of individual conversations, but only if you're using iMessage with other iPhone users—not SMS text messages. The color change applies to the conversation thread itself (the bubble background and text), and you pick from a set of preset colors that Apple provides. If you're texting Android users or using regular SMS, the bubbles stay green and you cannot change them.

The color-changing feature works in the Messages app on any iPhone running iOS 17 or later. Older iPhones cannot do this. The change is visible only on your phone; the person you're texting sees the conversation in their own default colors unless they also change it on their end.

Key Takeaways

  • Color changes only work for iMessage conversations with other iPhone users, not SMS or Android texts.
  • You need iOS 17 or later on your iPhone to access the color-changing feature.
  • The color change appears only on your device and does not affect how the other person sees the conversation.
  • Apple provides ten preset colors to choose from: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, gray, brown, and black.
  • You change colors by opening the conversation, tapping the contact name at the top, and selecting a color from the menu.

Step-by-Step: Changing a Conversation Color

Open the Messages app and find the conversation you want to change. Tap and hold on the conversation thread (press your finger on it and hold for about one second). A menu will pop up with several options.

Look for the option that says "Change Color and Effects" or straightforward "Change Color"—the exact wording depends on your iOS version. Tap it. A row of colored circles will appear at the bottom of your screen. Tap the color you want. The conversation bubble will change to that color when ready, and the menu will close.

If you do not see the color option in the menu that appears, your iPhone is running an older version of iOS. Check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the number next to "Version." If it is lower than 17, you cannot use this feature.

The Ten Colors Available

Apple provides exactly ten preset colors. You cannot create custom colors or use colors outside this set. The colors are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, gray, brown, and black. Each one appears as a solid circle in the color picker menu.

The color you choose affects the message bubble background and the text color inside it. Apple adjusts the text color automatically so it remains readable against the bubble background. For example, if you choose black, the text inside will be white or light gray so you can still read it.

Why the Color Change Only Works for iMessage

iMessage is Apple's encrypted messaging service that runs only between Apple devices. SMS (regular text messaging) is a standard that works across all phone types, including Android. When you send an SMS, your iPhone cannot explore special formatting like custom colors because SMS does not support that feature.

You can tell whether a conversation is iMessage or SMS by looking at the bubble color in the Messages app. iMessage bubbles are blue. SMS bubbles are green. If a conversation shows green bubbles, changing the color will not work, and the color option may not appear in your menu at all.

Changing Colors Back to Default

If you want to undo a color change and return the conversation to its default appearance, tap and hold the conversation again and select "Change Color and Effects." Look for a circle with no color or labeled "Default" or "None"—this resets the conversation to show blue bubbles for iMessage or green for SMS.

Resetting the color does not affect the messages themselves or your conversation history. It only changes how the thread appears in your message list and when you open it.

Common Reasons the Color Option Does Not Appear

If you tap and hold a conversation and do not see a color option, check three things. First, make sure you are running iOS 17 or later. Second, confirm the conversation is iMessage (blue bubbles), not SMS (green bubbles). Third, try closing the Messages app completely and opening it again—sometimes the menu does not load on the first try.

If the conversation is with an Android user or uses SMS, the color feature will not be available no matter what iOS version you have. You would need to switch to iMessage, which only works if the other person also has an Apple device and has iMessage turned on in their settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the other person see the color I chose for our conversation?

No. The color change appears only on your iPhone. The other person sees the conversation in their own default colors unless they also change it on their device. The color is a personal preference that does not affect how the messages are sent or received.

What if I change the color and then the other person switches to Android?

The color will remain on your phone, but the conversation will no longer be iMessage. If you continue texting that person via SMS, the bubbles will turn green. The color you set stays in place until you manually change it back or reset it to default.

Can I set different colors for group chats?

Yes. Group iMessage conversations can be colored the same way as one-on-one conversations. Tap and hold the group chat and select "Change Color and Effects," then pick your color. The color applies only to that group thread on your device.

Do color changes work on iPad or Mac?

The color-changing feature is available on iPad running iPadOS 17 or later and on Mac running macOS Sonoma or later. The process is the same: tap and hold the conversation and select the color option.

What happens if I update to iOS 17 after using an older version?

Once you update, the color option will become available in the Messages app. Any conversations you had before the update will still show in their default colors until you manually change them.