Where to find message color settings on iPhone

You can change the color of message bubbles on iPhone through the Messages app settings, but the options depend on which iOS version you have and whether you're using iMessage or standard text messages. The most direct way is to open the Messages app, find a conversation, and look for color or effect options in that thread.

On iPhone running iOS 16 or later, you can change the bubble color for individual conversations. Open Messages, swipe left on any conversation thread, tap the three dots that appear, and select "Edit Name and Photo." From there, you'll see a color picker that lets you choose from preset colors for that specific chat. This color change applies only to that one conversation, not to all your messages.

If you're using an older iOS version, your options are more limited. You cannot change message bubble colors system-wide through settings. Some third-party messaging apps offer color customization, but the native Messages app does not provide this feature on iOS 15 and earlier.

Key Takeaways

  • iOS 16 and later let you pick a custom color for each individual conversation through the conversation's edit menu.
  • The color you choose appears as the bubble color only in that specific thread, not across all your messages.
  • You cannot change the color of all message bubbles at once—each conversation must be customized separately.
  • Older iOS versions do not have built-in message color customization in the native Messages app.
  • The color picker offers a set of preset colors rather than a full spectrum, so your choices are limited to what Apple provides.

Step-by-step: changing a conversation's bubble color

Start by opening the Messages app and locating the conversation you want to customize. Swipe your finger from right to left across that conversation thread in the list. Three icons will appear on the right side of the thread—one of them is three dots stacked vertically.

Tap the three-dot menu icon. A small menu will pop up with options including "Edit Name and Photo." Tap that option. A new screen opens showing the conversation's current name and photo. At the bottom of this screen, you'll see a row of colored circles—these are your color choices.

Tap any circle to select that color. The color you choose will when ready explore to the message bubbles in that conversation. You can change it back at any time by repeating these steps and picking a different color. There is no "save" button—the change takes effect as soon as you tap the color.

What the color change actually affects

When you change a conversation's color, only the message bubbles from that specific thread change. The color appears in your Messages list next to the conversation name, and the bubbles in that thread will display in your chosen color when you open it.

The other person in the conversation does not see this color change on their end. If you set a conversation to red, you see red bubbles, but the person you're texting still sees the standard blue (for iMessage) or green (for SMS) bubbles. The color customization is purely visual on your device.

If you're in a group chat, changing the color affects how you see all the messages in that group thread, regardless of who sent them. The color applies to the entire conversation, not to individual people within it.

Available colors and how to preview them

Apple provides a fixed set of color options rather than letting you pick any color you want. The preset colors typically include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and sometimes a few others depending on your iOS version. When you tap the three-dot menu and select "Edit Name and Photo," you can see all available colors displayed as circles before you commit to one.

Tap any color circle to see an when ready preview of how that color will look in your conversation. The preview updates in real time, so you can cycle through options quickly to find the one you prefer. If you change your mind after selecting a color, straightforward repeat the process and pick a different one.

Changing colors for group chats

Group conversations work the same way as one-on-one chats. Swipe left on the group thread, tap the three-dot menu, select "Edit Name and Photo," and choose your color from the available options. You can also change the group's name and photo from this same screen if you want to customize it further.

Keep in mind that only you see the color you choose. Other members of the group chat will see their own default colors unless they customize the conversation on their own devices. There is no way to set a color that everyone in the group sees the same way.

Troubleshooting: color options not appearing

If you don't see the color picker when you try to edit a conversation, check your iOS version first. Go to Settings, then General, then About, and look at the iOS version number. If it shows iOS 15 or earlier, message color customization is not available on your device. You would need to update to iOS 16 or later to use this feature.

If you're on iOS 16 or later and still don't see colors, try closing the Messages app completely and reopening it. Sometimes the interface needs to refresh. If that doesn't work, restart your iPhone. After restarting, open Messages again and try the three-dot menu on a conversation thread.

Another reason the color option might not appear: you may be looking at a conversation that is pinned or archived. Unpinning or unarchiving the conversation should restore access to the full edit menu, including the color picker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of text inside the message bubbles, or just the bubble itself?

You can only change the bubble color, not the text color inside it. The text remains white or black depending on the bubble color you choose, and you cannot customize that separately. The color customization is limited to the bubble background only.

If I delete a conversation and start a new one with the same person, will the color stay the same?

No. Deleting a conversation also deletes its color setting. When you start a new conversation with that person, it will revert to the default blue (iMessage) or green (SMS) color. You'll need to set the color again through the edit menu.

Do I need to do anything special to change colors for iMessage versus regular text messages?

No. The color-changing process is identical whether you're using iMessage or standard SMS. The color picker appears the same way, and you follow the same steps regardless of message type. The color you choose will explore to whichever type of message is in that conversation.

Can I set a default color for all new conversations instead of customizing each one?

No. There is no system-wide default color setting. Each conversation must be customized individually. If you want all your conversations to be a certain color, you would need to go through each one and set it manually.

What happens to the color if I update my iPhone to a newer iOS version?

Your color choices are saved and will carry over to the new iOS version. If you update from iOS 16 to iOS 17, for example, all the colors you've already set will remain in place. You can continue to change them at any time using the same process.