2 Ways to Change SMS and iMessage Color and Font on iPhone or iPad

Quick Tips

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Per App Settings, and add Messages. Select Messages and use the Increase Contrast option to darken the bubble color.
• You can also use Bold Text, and the Larger Text option in the above settings menu to customize the font.
• Alternatively, you can download an app called Color Text Bubbles which changes the color of the text bubbles and sends it as an image on iMessage.

What Does the Standard Message Color Represent

The message bubbles are available in three different colors. And each one denotes something specific.

1. The blue bubble: The iMessage color, i.e., messages sent to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user using iMessage.

2. The green bubble: The SMS color, i.e., messages sent as SMS to any user (Apple or Android).

3. The Grey bubble: The color of any received message, regardless if it is an iMessage or SMS.

As has been noted earlier, there is no native way to use a different color for the text bubble. And while you can change the font style and size, the options are pretty limited.

So, we’ll show you the customization you can do natively and a third-party alternative with varied customization options.

Method 1: Change iMessage Bubble Color and Fonts With Accessibility

Step 1: Go to Settings and select Accessibility > Per-App Settings.

Step 2: Here, tap Add App. Choose Messages from the list.

Step 3: Next, tap Messages to customize the bubble color.

To change the SMS or iMessage bubble color: Select Increase Contrast and select On.

Here’s how the text bubbles look after you change the above settings.

Customize Messages fonts:

• To make the font stronger, select Bold Text and turn it On.
• To make the font bigger or smaller, select Larger Text and adjust the slider accordingly.

Here’s how the text bubbles will look after you enable the above settings.

Note: The changes in bubble color and font will be on your device only, i.e., the receiver will not be affected by it. They will receive the SMS or iMessage as per their device settings.

To undo the changes, repeat the above steps. However, if you want to restore everything to its default color and font size, go to Settings → Accessibility → Per-App Settings → Swipe left Messages → Select Delete.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party App to Change the Text Color or Font in iMessage

Due to Apple’s privacy restrictions, you can’t change the message color or fonts. However, third-party apps like the one we are using for this article, Color Text Bubbles, use a workaround. They simply send a colored image that resembles a colored message bubble.

Step 1: Download Color Text Bubbles. Launch iMessage and open any conversation.

Step 2: Tap the App Store icon, scroll, and select the Color Text Bubbles app.

Step 3: You can either select something from pre-built messages or enter a custom one, tap Type Custom Message.

Step 4: If you select the latter, tap the text bubble and add the text that you want.

Step 5: Next up, select any of the following options from the icons:

• Icon with arrow – To switch the message arrow from right to left or vice versa.
• Bubble – Select any available color.

• Text – Choose the font size and color.
• Heart icon – To turn the text into a sticker to be used later.

Step 6: Once you’ve created the customized bubble, tap Send (bear with the ad, tap X or Later).

Step 7: Finally tap the send icon (the up arrow) to send the customized message bubble across.

Also Read: 9 iMessage tricks to add special effects on iPhone