In iPadOS 26 and iOS 26 you can pin conversations to the top of your messages list in Apple’s Messages app, keep up with lively group threads through mentions and inline replies, and further customize conversations by setting a group photo using an image or emoji. Let’s look at how to do this.
Pinning Group Messages
Pinning a group message keeps it locked to the top of your Messages app so you never have to scroll to find it.
- Open the Messages app.
- Press and hold down on the group message you want to pin.
- Select Pin from the pop-up menu.
- Your pinned groups will appear as icons at the very top of your chat list.
(To unpin, press and hold the pin and select Unpin. You can also long-press and drag pinned chats to rearrange them).
Customizing Group Messages
You can make a group chat visually distinct by giving it a name, photo, or background. Everyone in the group who uses iMessage will see these changes.
- Open the group conversation.
- Tap the group icon or the members’ names at the top of the thread.
- Tap Edit in the top right corner.
- To change the visual identity of the chat, tap Edit Name & Photo. Here, you can type a group name and choose an emoji, Memoji, or photo for the icon.
- To change the chat’s look, tap Backgrounds. Choose from the available options (such as colors or gradients) and tap Done.
