topic Re: Re: Themes in Galaxy S26

Themes

Hess305 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:18:53 GMT

Came from the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Have downloaded a theme. The entire theme has applied EXCEPT for the chat/message bubbles. I am not one to let tech-y stuff go without trying to fix whatever is messed up and not working right lol. It has been said maybe it's for Samsung messages, but all I have are Google messages and #messages. I mean, yes I paid for a theme but what the heck? If it doesn't exist then the theme shouldn't be able to be sold the way it is so is there a way to get the theme fully applied? Am I missing something? Keyboard, icons, control center, wallpaper, lock screen, all of that works it is the background of the message which is whatever but then the message bubbles. There's gotta be a way dang it can anyone shed some light?

Re: Themes

Robin621k — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:34:18 GMT

Yes, you are missing something. No where when you purchased your theme did it show in any of the screenshot of what it would like like all over your phone, Google Messages. It is a Samsung Theme Store, it only themes Samsung Messages! It clearly shows exactly where themes will be applied.

Re: Re: Themes

Hess305 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:16:44 GMT

It actually doesn't clearly show nor state that it would apply to only samsung messages, which per these community topics is clearly going away to Google messages. Also coming from iPhone since the iPhone 4 release, you shouldn't assume an avid Apple user would know all or most things about any android phone. Doing pretty well for myself, considering. However as I stated, it doesn't CLEARLY show or state Samsung only messaging. As far as I know, I have a Samsung so I get access to the theme, but not just on certain things. It's also applied to the keyboard on Google messages just as the pictures show from the themes app, therefore causing further confusion as to why it would even do that if it only applies themes to Samsung. 😏 😉

Re: Re: Re: Themes

AAbbott — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:51:43 GMT

It applies to the KEYBOARD on Google messages because you are obviously using the Samsung Keyboard. The illustrations in the theme store clearly show an image of Samsung messages, not Google Messages. It should be obvious, though, that SAMSUNG themes wold only apply to Samsung apps. They are not called Android themes, they are called Galaxy themes. The same way icon packs only apply to icons for Samsung apps, because Samsung gave the designers permission to alter them.

Re: Themes

Dan2023 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:30:56 GMT

So, you've actually have arrived at a time when Samsung is moving away from their messaging app to Google Messages. Back in 2022 they began making their default messaging app Google Messages (GM), then in 2024, they announced that GM was the default messaging app for Samsung phones going forward. Then, just days ago, they an ounce that their messaging app, Samsung Messages (SM), would be discontinued in July 2026 for phones operating Android 12 or greater.

The theme pact that you bought still works with Samsung's One UI, but you'll only see it in SM as GM is not Samsung's One UI coding.

Re: Themes

Pianodude58 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:25:03 GMT

The keyboard that's used in Google Messages is the same default Samsung Keyboard you use on your entire phone, therefore it will be themed as all of your Samsung (not Google) Apps are.

Re: Re: Themes

Tom6068 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:40:22 GMT

That was a gracious reply tbh. And that is correct when considering how a person came from a completely different smartphone ecosystem from well over a decade of using it, to an Android OS with Samsung's own UI applied to it. That would be a serious learning curve. Samsung made the move to Google Messages, not the other way. Having done so over the past few years to a final determination recently to end Samsung Messages, they made Google Messages the default app, while allowing an array of customization that applies to their ecosystem of apps, themes etc, that cannot be applied to the default they made. It makes for a broken experience and I get the criticism regarding that.

In the meantime, hopefully Google will make some good change to allowing customization to the Messages app. IIRC, some nice changes are supposed to be coming, though I really have not read into them.