The steps, on iPhone and Android
The steps are the same on iPhone and Android. A theme belongs to one conversation, so you set it from inside that chat, not from your settings.
- Tap Messages at the bottom of the app.
- Tap the conversation you want to change.
- Tap the chat name at the top.
- Tap Theme.
- Tap a theme. The chat switches to it automatically.
To change it again, follow the same path and pick another one. Instagram describes a theme as a way to customize a chat, with the wallpaper and the color of messages as its examples.
How to make a custom theme with Meta AI
Besides the ready made themes, you can describe one and have Meta AI create it. These custom themes are only available in certain areas, so the option may not appear for you.
- Open the chat, tap the chat name at the top, then tap Theme.
- Tap Create with AI.
- Type a description, such as flowers in a garden, or tap Generate to get a suggested one.
- Tap Next in the bottom right. A preview of the theme appears.
- Tap Create in the bottom right to apply it.
From the preview you have three choices before you apply anything: Reload makes another version from the same description, tapping the description lets you write a new one, and More in the top right lets you rate or report the result.
An AI theme is not kept. Instagram says that changing an AI theme removes it and does not save it. If you like one, keep it on the chat, because switching to another theme means generating it again from scratch.
Why the theme option is missing
Three causes come out of Instagram's own pages:
- You are on a computer. Chat themes are not available on computers, in the browser or otherwise. Use the app on a phone or tablet.
- You are looking for Create with AI. Custom AI themes are limited to certain areas, so Theme can be there while Create with AI is not.
- You are looking in settings. There is no global theme setting. Theme sits under the chat name inside each conversation.
The Help Center does not say whether the person you are chatting with sees the theme you pick, or how to return to the original look other than choosing another theme. We do not guess at either; both are on the list for our own test accounts.
Theme or dark mode? Three settings people confuse
People searching for a chat theme are often after one of two other settings. Here is how they compare:
| Setting | What it changes | Where you set it |
|---|---|---|
| Chat theme | The look of one conversation, such as its wallpaper and message color. | Inside the chat: chat name, then Theme. |
| Dark mode | The colors of the whole app, for a darker appearance. | iPhone and iPad: the device settings. Android: Profile, Menu, Accessibility and translation, Dark mode. |
| Vanish mode | Whether messages disappear when you leave the chat. | Inside the chat, with a swipe up. |
Dark mode works differently on each phone. On an iPhone or iPad it cannot be switched in the Instagram app at all; it follows the device setting, which also darkens other apps. On Android the app has its own On, Off and System default choice, and may need Android 10. Either way it applies to one device, so Instagram.com on a computer is set separately.
Vanish mode is often switched on by accident with that swipe. If your chat suddenly looks different and messages are disappearing, read how to turn off vanish mode on Instagram rather than looking for a theme.
Other ways to organize your chats
A theme helps you tell one conversation from another once you are in it. Two other features help before you open anything:
- Pinned chats. On a personal account you can pin up to 3 chats to the top of your inbox. Tap Messages, tap and hold a conversation, then tap Pin. Unpin it the same way.
- Chat labels. Business accounts, and creator accounts in certain categories, can label chats as Lead, Booked, Ordered, Paid or Shipped, then filter by label. Swipe left on a chat, tap More, then Add label.
If you are new to messaging on Instagram, how to DM in Instagram covers sending the first message, and what DM means in social media covers how direct messages work across the apps.
For a business inbox
A theme is a personal touch, and on a business account it is mostly that. What changes how fast you answer customers is the order of the inbox, not its colors:
- Label every customer chat by where it stands, so an order waiting for payment does not sink under new questions.
- Keep the look of customer chats plain. A screenshot of your conversation may end up in a review or a story, and readable messages serve you better there than a busy wallpaper. Whether Instagram tells you about screenshots is covered in does Instagram notify when you screenshot.
- Check the account type first. Labels need a business or creator account, while pinning is for personal accounts only, so you get one or the other.
If DMs are where your sales happen and the inbox has outgrown you, the Instagram management service covers the inbox along with the posting.
How we will test this
Not run yetEverything above comes from the published sources listed below, and nothing here is presented as something we measured. Our own test on live accounts has not been run yet.
This is the test we will run: we set a theme and an AI theme on a chat between two test accounts, on iPhone and on Android, and record what the other side sees, how to return to the default look, and whether themes work in a group chat, with screenshots of each.
Platforms change behavior without announcing it, so once the first test is run we repeat it every quarter, and this section will say when it was run and on which devices and app versions.
Sources
Read on October 1, 2026.
- Instagram Help Center, Choose a theme for your chat on Instagram
- Instagram Help Center, Turn on Dark mode for Instagram
- Instagram Help Center, How to add labels to Instagram chats
- Instagram Help Center, Pin a chat to the top of your inbox on Instagram
- Instagram Help Center, read September 2026, Send messages in vanish mode on Instagram
Questions people ask next
How do I change the chat theme in Instagram?+
Tap Messages at the bottom, open the conversation, tap the chat name at the top, tap Theme, then tap a theme. The chat switches to it automatically.
Can I change the chat theme on a computer?+
No. Chat themes are not available on computers. Use the app on Android, iPhone or iPad.
Is it the same on iPhone and Android?+
Yes. The Help Center gives the same steps for both: the chat name at the top, then Theme.
What does a chat theme change?+
The look of that one conversation. Instagram gives the wallpaper and the color of messages as examples.
How do I make a chat theme with AI?+
Inside Theme, tap Create with AI, describe the theme or tap Generate for a suggestion, tap Next to preview it, then tap Create to apply it.
Why can't I see Create with AI?+
Custom themes by Meta AI are only available in certain areas, so the regular themes can appear without the AI option.
What happens to an AI theme if I change it?+
It is removed and not saved. To use it again you would have to generate a new one.
Is a chat theme the same as dark mode?+
No. A theme changes one conversation. Dark mode darkens the whole app, and on iPhone and iPad it follows the device settings rather than a switch in Instagram.
How do I turn on dark mode on Instagram for Android?+
Tap your profile, then Menu, then under Your app and media tap Accessibility and translation, then Dark mode, and choose On, Off or System default.
Why did my chat change color and messages disappear?+
That is likely vanish mode, which a swipe up in the chat turns on. Swipe up again to turn it off.
Does the other person see my chat theme?+
The Help Center does not say, so this guide does not claim either way. It is part of our own test plan for this page.
How many chats can I pin on Instagram?+
Up to 3, on a personal account. Tap and hold the conversation in your inbox, then tap Pin.