iOS 26 Messages App: New Features, Polls, and Custom Backgrounds

Discover everything new in iOS 26's Messages app—from custom chat backgrounds to polls and typing indicators.
Matilda
iOS 26 Messages App: New Features, Polls, and Custom Backgrounds
Everything You Need to Know About the iOS 26 Messages App Apple's iOS 26 Messages app introduces some of the most-requested features that users have been waiting on for years. If you’re wondering what’s new in the latest update, you’re in for a treat. From personalized chat environments to dynamic group conversations, the Messages app in iOS 26 is more customizable, functional, and user-friendly than ever. Whether you use iMessage for one-on-one chats or group messages, this update delivers fresh tools that make your daily interactions smoother and more expressive. Image : Google Custom Chat Backgrounds in the iOS 26 Messages App One of the standout additions to the iOS 26 Messages app is the ability to set custom chat backgrounds. This visual personalization option brings iMessage in line with third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, which have offered background customization for years. With iOS 26, users can now select from preset designs like sky, aurora, and water t…