# Telegram themes and wallpapers: dark mode, chat themes and custom themes Dark mode, chat wallpapers, a theme for one chat, gift-based themes and how to create your own theme. https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/themes Updated 2026-10-02 · 5 min read 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](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/what-is-telegram-premium). ## 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](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/nft-gift-attributes). ## 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](https://core.telegram.org/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.