Known on WhatsApp as the ‘wallpaper’, changing the background in individual chats, or across the whole platform, is a great means of personalizing your conversations in WhatsApp, and can bring a whole new level of decoration to the app.
To learn how to change your WhatsApp background in either individual chats, or across multiple, just follow our easy step-by-step guides below.
For all additional information, see our FAQs at the bottom of this article.
Table of Contents
How to change your WhatsApp background in an individual chat
- Open up the WhatsApp application on your device, and sign-in if prompted
- Locate the chat you wish to customise either in the frequently contacted or most recently contacted lists, or by searching for it via the magnifying glass search icon in the top-right
- Enter the chat by tapping on it, then tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right
- Next, tap ‘Wallpaper’
- You’ll be presented with a few options – some stock pictures courtesy of WhatsApp (Bright, Dark, Solid colours, Default Wallpaper), and ‘My Photos’. If you want to set the wallpaper as one of your photos, tap here and navigate to your chosen image, otherwise have a look through what WhatsApp has to offer.
- Once you’ve found the image you want to use, tap on it
- Next, it’s time to adjust it and crop it to fit the chat window, do so by dragging and pinching to zoom until you’ve lined up the image as desired
- Finally, tap ‘Set Wallpaper’
- You’ll now be asked whether you want to set the new wallpaper “For this chat [CHAT NAME]” or “For all chats…”, choose “For this chat [CHAT NAME]”
- Repeat as necessary for each individual chat, using different pictures for each
How to change your WhatsApp background across all chats
- Open up the WhatsApp application on your device, and sign-in if prompted
- Locate the chat you wish to customise either in the frequently contacted or most recently contacted lists, or by searching for it via the magnifying glass search icon in the top-right
- Enter the chat by tapping on it, then tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right
- Next, tap ‘Wallpaper’
- You’ll be presented with a few options – some stock pictures courtesy of WhatsApp (Bright, Dark, Solid colours, Default Wallpaper), and ‘My Photos’. If you want to set the wallpaper as one of your photos, tap here and navigate to your chosen image, otherwise have a look through what WhatsApp has to offer.
- Once you’ve found the image you want to use, tap on it
- Next, it’s time to adjust it and crop it to fit the chat window, do so by dragging and pinching to zoom until you’ve lined up the image as desired
- Finally, tap ‘Set Wallpaper’
- You’ll now be asked whether you want to set the new wallpaper “For this chat [CHAT NAME]” or “For all chats…”, choose “For all chats…”
And there you have it! As easy as 10 simple steps, you can learn how to customize your WhatsApp by adjusting the background (or ‘wallpaper’) of chats to your heart’s content!
For any additional information or further queries, please see our FAQs below.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WhatsApp Background?
Put simply, a WhatsApp background is the image behind the text in any given chat room/conversation on the app, whether between individuals or members of a group. As standard, the background – known on WhatsApp as a “wallpaper” – is a default, fairly plain beige-patterned image, against which text is easy to ready.
Why would I want to change my WhatsApp background?
You might want to change your WhatsApp background for any number of reasons – the most popular of which, though, is just for the sake of personalization! Since you can change your WhatsApp background for individual groups or chats, or for all chats at once, you have amazing powers of personalization at your fingertips!
You could set your book club group chat’s background to the cover of that week’s book, for example, or set your work’s WhatsApp group background to the work colors or emblem. Alternatively, you can bring some nostalgia to your chat with an old friend by setting the background to an old picture of you or set a family group chat to a family picture.
Whatever you choose to do, it’s inarguably a great way of personalizing not only the emotional connection to each chat but also the degree to which the text becomes readable, according to your own eyesight and preferences.
How often can I change my WhatsApp background?
As often as you like! There is no limit, since it affects only you.
Can I change my WhatsApp background to anything?
As far as we know, you can set your WhatsApp background to anything – so long as either you choose it from WhatsApp’s default gallery, or from your own gallery. You can’t pick a picture off of the internet through the background changing settings on WhatsApp. You’ll have to already have your desired image downloaded onto your phone before you start trying to change your background.
Who can see my WhatsApp background?
Only you! It’s not the case that when you change your WhatsApp background, all members of that chat room also suddenly have their backgrounds changed, too. It only actually affects you.
