Android users people often envy the laconic and beautiful design of the messenger in the Apple ecosystem. The standard green robot interface seems to many to be overloaded or simply less aesthetically pleasing compared to the minimalism of iOS. However, thanks to the openness of the platform, you can freely and legally recreate an exact copy of the appearance iPhone on your smartphone.
You do not have to reflash the device or get root access. All the necessary tools are located in the application itself or are available as ready-made configuration files. We will look at the detailed transformation process, which will affect not only the color scheme, but also the arrangement of elements, fonts and animations.
The result will be so close to the original that your friends may not notice the substitution. This is a great way to personalize your device without losing functionality. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to achieve this effect using only built-in tools and proven resources.
Preparing the official client and basic settings
The first step is to install the current version of the application. For all visual tricks to work correctly, you will need an official client Telegram iz Google Play or AppGallery. Third-party builds may conflict with themes, so it is better to use a clean version.
After installation, go to the settings menu. The path usually looks like this: Settings → Appearance. The main appearance control levers are hidden here. By default, the “Night Theme” or the standard light theme is active, but we need to clear the canvas before applying a new style.
Be sure to disable all active themes if they were installed previously. Select Classic or reset color settings to default. This will ensure that old styles will not conflict with the new design iOS.
⚠️ Attention: Do not download modified versions of the messenger (like Plus Messenger or Graph Messenger) for the sake of appearance. They may contain security vulnerabilities. Use only the official client with custom themes.
Make sure that you have the theme download function enabled. In the Design section, find a link to a channel with topics or a button to create a new one. The basic preparation is complete, now we will move on to installing the visual style.
Before installing a new theme, take a screenshot of your current chat settings. If you don’t like the new style, you can manually return everything as it was, checking the image.
Installing an iOS style theme through channels
The easiest way to change the interface is to use ready-made theme files (.attheme). A community of enthusiasts has created many replicas of Apple's design. You need to find a reliable source of such files inside the messenger itself.
Use the keyword search: iOS theme, iPhone style or Apple design. There are many public channels dedicated to customization. One of the popular methods is to follow a direct link to the theme file distributed by the developers.
- 🍏 Find a channel called “Telegram Themes” or similar, where there is an “iOS” section.
- 📂 Download a file with the extension
.attheme, which has the name “iOS 17” or “iPhone.” - 🎨 Click on the file and select “Apply Theme” from the menu that appears.
- ✅ Confirm the action and the interface will instantly change.
After applying the theme, check the main screens. The chat list, dialogue window and settings menu should acquire characteristic Apple round shapes and specific shades of gray and white. If the colors seem too bright, you can edit them manually.
Manually adjusting the color palette and fonts
Ready themes are not always ideal. Sometimes you need to tweak individual elements to achieve complete similarity. Go to the section Settings → Appearance → Create your theme. Here you will have access to the color editor.
Pay special attention to the background of the chats and the color of the message bubbles. On iOS, messages from your friend usually have a light gray background, while yours have a blue or green background (depending on your region and settings). For maximum authenticity, use a palette with color codes close to the system ones.
Fonts play a critical role. In Android, the default is Roboto, while in iPhone it is San Francisco. Although it is difficult to change the system font without superuser rights, in the theme settings you can try to select the most similar option from the available ones, for example, “Sans-Serif” with increased letter spacing.
Chat background color: #E5E5EA (Light gray iOS)Inbox bubble color: #E9E9EB
Outgoing bubble color: #007AFF (Blue iOS)
Don't forget to adjust the accent color in the menu. Buttons and switches in iOS are a specific shade of green or blue. In the theme editor, find the parameters ActionBar and SwitchTrackto bring them into line with the standard.
Where can I find the exact color codes?
The exact HEX codes for iOS interface colors can be found on sites for designers such as iOS Human Interface Guidelines, or simply copy with an eyedropper from an iPhone screenshot in any graphic editor.
Customizing icons and the main screen
The internal interface is only half the battle. To trick the eye, you need to change the application icon on your desktop. The standard paper airplane icon immediately displays the Android version.
Use the built-in icon changing function. In some launchers (Android shells) this is done by long tapping on the icon. In Telegram itself, go to Settings → Appearance → Application Icon. Select the option that is most similar to the logo in App Store.
| Element | Android Standard | iOS Style | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application icon | Blue circle with an airplane | White airplane on a blue background | Select in theme settings |
| Chat background | Pattern or photo | Solid light gray | Install in editor |
| Avatars | Square with rounded | Perfect circle | Depends on the OS version |
| Settings menu | Delimited list | Grouped blocks | Requires a theme |
If the built-in options do not suit you are satisfied, you can install a third-party launcher, for example Nova Launcher. It allows you to replace the icon of any application with a picture from the gallery. Download a PNG image of the Telegram icon for iOS and apply it through the shortcut settings.
Also pay attention to widgets. Telegram widgets on Android are different from iOS widgets. Remove old widgets and add new ones, choosing a style that visually resembles the blocks on your iPhone's lock screen. This will create a holistic picture.
⚠️ Attention: Third-party launchers may consume more RAM. If you have a budget smartphone with 2-3 GB of RAM, it is better to limit yourself to changing the icon within the application itself, so as not to slow down the system.
Animations and interface behavior
The difference between systems often lies in the details of movement. iOS is famous for its smooth animations of swipes and transitions. In Telegram for Android, these parameters can also be partially customized.
In the section Settings → Chats and calls find the “Interface Animation” item. Make sure it's turned on. Although you won't be able to completely copy the physics of iOS movements, enabling all available animations will make transitions less abrupt.
Pay special attention to gestures. In iOS, swiping left to reply or delete is widely used. Gesture settings may vary on Android. Go to Settings → Chats and calls → Gestures and configure the actions for swipes so that they correspond to your usual logic of using iPhone.
The smoothness of animations depends not only on the application settings, but also on the refresh rate of your smartphone screen. On 60 Hz displays, it is physically impossible to achieve complete identity with ProMotion (120 Hz) on the iPhone.
Some advanced themes include XML animation configuration files. If you download the “iOS Style” complex pack, check if the archive contains instructions for replacing animation files. This requires access to the file system, but gives the best results.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to install themes from unknown authors?
Theme files .attheme are text configurations and do not contain executable code. They cannot steal your data or infect you with a virus. However, download them only from trusted channels with a large number of subscribers to avoid phishing links in the description.
Is it possible to make an exact copy of iOS on an old Android?
Visually - yes, the colors and icons will change. But functionally older devices may not support some smooth animations due to a weak processor. The interface will look like iOS, but may work with slight delays.
Will the theme be reset after updating the application?
Usually the theme settings are saved. However, if Telegram developers radically change the interface structure in a major update, some colors may be lost. In this case, you will have to reapply the theme or update the configuration file.
Do you need to pay for iPhone-style themes?
No, all themes for Telegram are absolutely free. If someone asks for money for a file .attheme, this is a scam. Thousands of free options are available in the official topic channels.
How can I return everything back if I don’t like it?
It’s very simple. Go to Settings → Design and select any other theme from the list, for example, “Classic” or “Night”. The system will instantly roll back all changes to colors and icons to the factory settings.