Telegram themes and wallpapers: dark mode, chat themes and custom themes
How to turn on dark mode on Telegram, change chat wallpapers, set a theme for one chat and create your own theme that you can share with a link.
Telegram lets you style the app on three levels: a theme for the whole app (light or dark), wallpapers for your chats, and a theme for one chat that the other person sees as well. The app theme and the wallpapers for all chats are in Settings: the Appearance section on iPhone and Chat Settings on Android and desktop. A theme or wallpaper for a single chat is changed from that chat's menu. Item names differ a little between app versions.
How to turn on dark mode on Telegram
Telegram's dark theme is called night mode: the app has a day and a night version of its look. You can switch to the night version by hand in the appearance settings, or leave the switching to automation:
- Android. There is an Auto-Night Mode: the app switches to the dark look after nightfall or in low light. That is how Telegram's blog describes it.
- Desktop. In Telegram Desktop, Auto-Night Mode can follow the dark mode setting of the system itself, as stated in the changelog for version 4.7.
- iPhone. The Appearance section also has an automatic switch to a night theme (the app calls it Auto-Night Theme).
How to change chat wallpapers
A wallpaper is the background behind messages. According to Telegram's developer documentation, a background can be a picture, a plain colour or gradient, or a pattern, and apps can add blur and a motion effect when you tilt the phone. Wallpapers for all chats are chosen in the same Settings section as the theme.
You can also set a wallpaper for one private chat. Telegram describes it like this: on Android open the chat menu (⋮) and pick "Set Wallpaper", on iPhone open the person's profile, tap ⋯ and pick "Change Wallpaper". A special message then appears in the chat, and the other person can apply the same wallpaper on their side or choose their own.
With Telegram Premium you can set a wallpaper for both sides: a Premium subscriber changes it for the other person too, without their confirmation. What else the subscription gives is in what Telegram Premium gives you.
Chat themes: a look for one chat
A chat theme is more than a wallpaper. In 2021 Telegram added themes for individual private chats: colourful message bubbles with gradients, animated backgrounds and patterns. Every theme has a day and a night version, and they adjust to the app's night mode on their own.
According to Telegram, on Android you pick a theme from the chat menu (⋮) → "Change Colors", on iPhone from the chat header → ⋯ → "Change Colors". Your chat partner sees the theme if they use a current version of Telegram. It helps, for example, to tell a chat with colleagues from a chat with family.
Chat themes from gifts
Since late summer 2025 a theme for a private chat can be built from a collectible gift. Telegram's announcement said such wallpapers use the gift's model and backdrop, and only the owner of the gift can unlock the theme. According to the developer documentation, a gift theme works in one chat at a time: if you set it in another chat, it disappears from the previous one. What a gift's model and backdrop are is in NFT gift attributes on Telegram.
How to create your own theme and share it
Telegram lets you make your own themes and pass them on:
- Android and desktop. The apps have a built-in theme editor.
- iPhone and Mac. You pick an accent colour on the colour wheel and a background, then save the result as your own theme.
- Wallpaper in a theme. A theme can include a custom background.
- A shareable link. Every theme has a link like t.me/addtheme/…, which switches another person to it.
Install only themes sent by people you know, and never give anyone your login code. Technical details are in Telegram's description of cloud themes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on dark mode on Telegram?
Open Settings → Appearance (iPhone) or Chat Settings (Android, desktop) and pick a night theme. The same place has automatic switching.
How do I change the wallpaper on Telegram?
Choose a wallpaper for all chats in the appearance settings. For one private chat, open the chat menu (Android) or the person's profile (iPhone) and pick the wallpaper item.
Can I set different themes for different chats?
Yes: since 2021 Telegram lets you pick a theme for an individual private chat. The other person sees it if they use a current version of the app.
How do I create my own theme on Telegram?
The Android and Telegram Desktop apps have a built-in theme editor. On iPhone and Mac you pick an accent colour and a background and save them as your own theme. You can share it with a t.me/addtheme/… link.
What is a gift chat theme?
It is a look for a private chat built from the model and backdrop of a collectible gift. Only the owner of the gift can use such a theme.
