[Jason Byers1]

Im having trouble customizing the display settings of the text message app. (I'd rather not install a 3rd party app.) But I'd like to change the background, or font color, or text-bubble color.

Is this possible?
Thanks!

[idiotekniques]

Nope.

[anon(10092459)]

You can change the text bubble color, everything else is standard

[cgonzalez82]

If you want all that just get textra, and disable the sick message app there's no harm in doing that on these phones where as some android devices with skins can cause issues, but I wouldn't worry about using a third party messages app personally

[hybrisate]

Im having trouble customizing the display settings of the text message app. (I'd rather not install a 3rd party app.) But I'd like to change the background, or font color, or text-bubble color.

Is this possible?
Thanks!

Sorry for going this route, since you didn't want a 3rd party app, but I highly recommend Textra. It's been one of the top, if not the number one, 3rd party SMS app on Android for a long time and for good reason.

It can do all that your looking for, has quite a few other features, and is very clean. Once you enable it, Android automatically sets it as your default SMS app at the system level. Always one of my first installs on a new phone. One of my favorite features is the "Send Delay." I use a 2 second delay that allows me to catch typos (or bad-decision texts, haha.)

Sorry to waste your time if you can't go 3rd party or already knew about Textra. Sounds like your customization is limited for the stock app.

[dsignori]

Sorry for going this route, since you didn't want a 3rd party app, but I highly recommend Textra. It's been one of the top, if not the number one, 3rd party SMS app on Android for a long time and for good reason.

It can do all that your looking for, has quite a few other features, and is very clean. Once you enable it, Android automatically sets it as your default SMS app at the system level. Always one of my first installs on a new phone. One of my favorite features is the "Send Delay." I use a 2 second delay that allows me to catch typos (or bad-decision texts, haha.)

Sorry to waste your time if you can't go 3rd party or already knew about Textra. Sounds like your customization is limited for the stock app.

Yup. This. Textra is the way to go IMO.

[cbreze]

I used textra and also currently using Message +. I find I like both and can't quite decide which one to settle down with. Both are customizable well beyond the stock sms app. Anyone have an opinion about Message+?

[IanThomas]

Textra + 1

[stang6790]

I used textra and also currently using Message +. I find I like both and can't quite decide which one to settle down with. Both are customizable well beyond the stock sms app. Anyone have an opinion about Message+?

I really like Message+ and have used it on the last few phones I've had but I am still currently using the stock app right now on my Pixel 2.

[PowrDroid]

I used textra and also currently using Message +. I find I like both and can't quite decide which one to settle down with. Both are customizable well beyond the stock sms app. Anyone have an opinion about Message+?

I love Message+. About 18 months ago I tried all the popular texting apps. There was something about Textra that didn't meet me wants and needs, something it couldn't do, and I ended up trying Verizon's Message+.

I know, I know, deliberately installing a Verizon app. How gauche. But it did everything I wanted. It was ridiculously customizable. I could receive/send texts on my tablet and on my computer. I could even make phone calls from my tablet. So it's been Message+ for me.

[idiotekniques]

Another vote for Textra, or Pulse. Both are very customizable, perhaps Textra a little bit more so and its interface is more refined, Pulse being new and all. However Pulse incorporates texting from a browser. Before I used to use Textra + Mighty Text.

Mighty Text is more feature-rich than Pulse's online texting but that could be a good or bad thing. If you just want text messaging from a computer, Pulse is to the point.

Anyway for customization Textra and Pulse are really good, Textra being more polished, but Pulse just gives you the bonus of web based texting as well in one package.

No idea what the OP's aversion is to third party apps, especially well-established ones with a great reputation, they can make or break a platform actually.

[Almeuit]

Another vote for Textra from me. The stock just won't do all that.. Textra will.

[GSDer]

The thing I like most about Verizon Message+ is that it integrates Glympse within it - I use that often enough that having a separate application is a hassle.

Unfortunately it doesn't allow you to customize the sound of incoming texts. You can do it on a per-user basis; I just want a different tone from Gmail, WhatsApp, etc.

[PowrDroid]

The thing I like most about Verizon Message+ is that it integrates Glympse within it - I use that often enough that having a separate application is a hassle.

Unfortunately it doesn't allow you to customize the sound of incoming texts. You can do it on a per-user basis; I just want a different tone from Gmail, WhatsApp, etc.

What? You can have a default tone for Message+.

[muzzy996]

Another vote for Textra, or Pulse. Both are very customizable, perhaps Textra a little bit more so and its interface is more refined, Pulse being new and all. However Pulse incorporates texting from a browser. Before I used to use Textra + Mighty Text.

Mighty Text is more feature-rich than Pulse's online texting but that could be a good or bad thing. If you just want text messaging from a computer, Pulse is to the point.

Anyway for customization Textra and Pulse are really good, Textra being more polished, but Pulse just gives you the bonus of web based texting as well in one package.

No idea what the OP's aversion is to third party apps, especially well-established ones with a great reputation, they can make or break a platform actually.

Yeah I was a Textra + Mightytext user as well. Textra is hard to beat for customization but I wanted multi-device send/receive capability and Mightytext just didn't cut it in terms of responsiveness, stability and reliability. Tried Yappy for a bit and that wasn't any better. Currently on Pulse and it is very stable and reliable.

[idiotekniques]

Yeah I was a Textra + Mightytext user as well. Textra is hard to beat for customization but I wanted multi-device send/receive capability and Mightytext just didn't cut it in terms of responsiveness, stability and reliability. Tried Yappy for a bit and that wasn't any better. Currently on Pulse and it is very stable and reliable.

Agreed. I've been using Pulse since I got a Pixel 2 XL on December 8th last year and have been happier with a one stop solution vs Textra+Mighty Text by enough that it's the future for me as well.

[CVisk]

Another vote for Message+ here. I've tried a few others in the past, and always coming back to Message+.

[pseudoware]

The stock app is easy on the battery and ad-free. How do the suggested apps in this thread fare in those areas?

[GSDer]

What? You can have a default tone for Message+.

Feel free to document the path where this can be set. I've looked through the Settings options and don't see anything that allows you to pick a specific ring tone as the default for the application.

[dc52ltr]

I use Chomp for my sms, no problems, very easy to customise.

[PowrDroid]

Feel free to document the path where this can be set. I've looked through the Settings options and don't see anything that allows you to pick a specific ring tone as the default for the application.

When in Messages tab, and showing Conversations (list of conversations, not a single conversation), tap the three dot menu in upper right corner.

Tap Customize
Tap Tones
Select desired tone
Tap Save (upper right corner)
Tap back arrow to return to Conversation list.

[GSDer]

Feel free to document the path where this can be set. I've looked through the Settings options and don't see anything that allows you to pick a specific ring tone as the default for the application.

Nevermind - it's not in the Settings sub-menu; it's in Customize -> Tones

Edit: sorry, I didn't see the previous post. Sometimes Tapatalk doesn't show the latest posts unless I force it to refresh.

[hybrisate]

The stock app is easy on the battery and ad-free. How do the suggested apps in this thread fare in those areas?

I've never seen Textra high on my list when reviewing battery stats, so I don't think it is any better or worse than stock. No numbers to back that up, just going off of what I've noticed over the years.

As for ads - I believe the free version has some ads in the settings, but don't recall how obtrusive they are. I paid the $1 (Google Rewards credits) for the pro version. I probably did it to remove ads, but did not mind supporting the developer since it is one of my favorite apps.

[Almeuit]

The stock app is easy on the battery and ad-free. How do the suggested apps in this thread fare in those areas?

I don't think Textra has ever used a ton of battery on my phone. I did pay for the lifetime of no ads. I think it is worth supporting the dev.

[Vicki Wyant]

How did that affect data usage? Mine went sky high.