How To Change Instagram Chat Colours On Android and iPhone?

Zuckerberg recently pushed a huge update onto Instagram changing the way how you use its messaging feature. Things, such as emoji reactions, selfie stickers, and chat themes, were introduced. The new Instagram Update brings several themes like love, pride, or tie-dye, and gives a different color scheme for every person you text. Every time you change the chat theme, the other user will be notified of it, inside the chat, when they open it. Additionally, When you change the theme or bubble color, it will reflect for the other user as well.

• What is the new Instagram direct message update?

The recent update to DMs introduces new themes for the DM chats. The plain UI as you know it has gone and new ones with popping colors and designs are here. Presently, it is not possible to go back to the previous UI.

• Are the new themes available to all?

The feature is presently rolling out to select users around the world. However, a global rollout is on the way. The Instagram team is only making sure there aren’t any glitches. So, if you aren’t seeing the new colors yet, our advice is to sit tight.

Yet, if the Instagram chat themes are  available in your country, and still not functional, you can work it out in these ways: 

• There are two things – Themes and Colors & gradients. The chat themes add a wallpaper to the chat and change the bubble color of DM’s. But, choosing a new color only changes the message bubble color.
• The theme selected applies to a single chat only. You need to change the theme or color for each chat manually. It gives a great amount of personalization. 

• How to change the DM chat colors?

The options are quite limited for the time being. But there is an expectation that Instagram would roll out many more, much like Facebook Messenger gradients.

1. Step by Step method

To switch the chat colors, 

• Log in to the app and open the chat you want to customize. 
• Now, select the ‘i’ (info) button at the top-right corner. Look through the ‘Chat Settings’. Select ‘Themes.’ 
• Pick from the given ‘Themes’ and ‘Colors & Gradients’. 

2. Update the IG app

If you don’t see the theme setting in your DM’s, then you might need to update the app. 

• Search for Instagram on Play Store (Android) and App Store (iOS). 
• Tap to Update. Once updated, and you shall be greeted by a notification when you open the Instagram app. It will introduce Cross-app messaging or Messaging has changed. 
• Tap on it. Follow the instructions on-screen and get the theme feature.

If you don’t see any such notification, remove the app from the recent apps list or restart your phone after updating. Then try opening Instagram again, and you will, hopefully, see the new feature.

When the messaging update would be successfully completed, the DM icon will be replaced by the Facebook Messenger logo. This indicates that you will be able to use themes in the chats.

3. Update the Messaging Feature

If you missed the cross messaging notification, then :

• Go to your profile screen, tap on the three-bar icon, then select “Settings” from it.
• Tap on the “Update Messaging” that you see on the top. A screen showing new features of DM will open. 
• Tap on Update. Link your Instagram and Facebook accounts. You will then be able to message your Facebook contacts from Instagram. You can press “skip” also. 
• Now when you go to the Instagram app’s home screen, you will see that the Messenger logo has superseded the old DM icon. Open the chat, and you will be able to change the themes as per the instructions above. 

4. Log out of all accounts

Try logging out from your account. It has helped many users. To do that:

• Go to your profile and tap on the three-bar icon. Choose “Settings”
• Scroll down and tap on “Log out”. If you have multiple accounts, tap on “Log out of all” accounts.
• Restart your phone, then log in again. Hopefully, the chat themes will work for your account now.

5. Clear cache and data ( Only android users )

Clearing cache does not delete your Instagram photos or personal data from your phone. It will log you out from all your accounts on the phone. To clear data for the app :

• Go to “Apps settings”. Choose Instagram.
• Tap on Storage. 
• Then tap on Clear cache first. Go back and hit the Force Close button. 
• Open Instagram and you will be able to use chat themes after enabling the new feature. 

If that doesn’t work, tap on the Clear storage or Clear data button. Then try changing the chat theme.

6. Uninstall Instagram app

If none of the above-mentioned solutions work, try uninstalling the app. To uninstall :

• On Android: Open “App settings”. Go to Instagram. Choose the Uninstall button. Or, touch and long-press the app icon on the home screen and choose Uninstall. 
• On iPhone: Touch and hold the app icon and then select “Delete app”. 

• Can you go back to the previous theme?

If you don’t like the current update, you can go back. Android users can uninstall the current version and get the older APK file. But iOS users don’t have that option. But, you can switch to the original Instagram look by selecting “Classic” from the list of themes.

Instagram is used by millions of users worldwide to share their pictures, stories, and more with their followers. Now, with this new feature, any user can change their chat theme and ambiance. Instagram allows you to choose from a range of colors for your DMs apart from the classic white and night mode.