Don’t like seeing the photo or the initials of your contacts in the Messages app on iPhone and iPad? This functionality can be toggled on or off, and we’ll show you how to do just that.
Apple’s Messages app displays contact photos for each of your conversations by default. Even if you don’t have a photo set up with some contacts, Messages will display a generic placeholder image or a gray circle with their first and last name initials, so you have something to look at.
When enabled, contact photos will show up not only at the left side of contact names while inside the message thread view, as illustrated above, but they also show up at the top of the screen whenever you’re in the conversation view.
This functionality, love it or hate it, can be toggled on or off by the user.
Hide contact photos from the iOS Messages app
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap Apps from the bottom and then select Messages.
- Turn off the switch next to Show Contact Photos.
And just like that, you’re done! Return to the Messages app, and you’ll notice that it no longer shows the profile picture on the main screen, as well as on the top of the conversations screen.
In the rare case that you can’t see these new changes, force-quit the Messages app from the App Switcher and reopen it.
Keep in mind that this setting affects all of your conversations in the Messages app, not just one, whether they’re iMessage or SMS conversations.
You can easily reverse your setting by going through the steps above again and toggling the switch back to its previous position.
Important: Contact photos will remain visible for chats you have pinned to the top of the Messages screen.
While most people I know like having little contact photo bubbles, extreme minimalists may have to disagree with me. Fortunately, that’s what settings like this one are for.
Do you prefer having the contact photos turned on or off?
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