How to Make a KakaoTalk Theme (iPhone vs. Android Differences and Application)
July 11, 2026
Looking for ways to create a KakaoTalk theme yourself, but it seems complicated and you end up giving up? The real obstacle is usually just one thing. iPhone and Android are completely different in terms of theme file formats and application methods, and people often start without knowing this. Once you understand this difference, the rest isn’t that hard. I’ve organized in order what a theme is, why iPhone and Android are different, how to make one without coding, and what to check if it doesn’t work.
What is a KakaoTalk Theme
A theme allows you to change elements such as the background of the chat room in the default KakaoTalk interface, the color of your chat bubble and the other person’s chat bubble, text color, and bottom tab icons, as you like. You can use a theme created by someone else or create your own using your own photos or favorite colors. The reasons for creating your own are usually similar. While themes shared online can be beautiful, sometimes the text color is not ideal or the background doesn’t match your style, and you might want to add your favorite characters or family photos.
Why Are iPhone and Android Different
This is the key point. KakaoTalk themes differ completely in file format and application method depending on the operating system. This is because the two operating systems have different ways of customizing apps.
| iPhone (iOS) | Android | |
|---|---|---|
| Theme file | .ktheme | .apk (theme is in app form) |
| Nature | A bundle of theme resources read by KakaoTalk | An Android app package |
| Application method | Send the file to KakaoTalk’s My Chat and install it from there | Install the apk and then select it as a theme in KakaoTalk |
| Notes | The file must be opened by KakaoTalk to be recognized | If the package name overlaps, it will overwrite the existing theme |
On iPhone, a theme is a bundle of resources (.ktheme) that KakaoTalk loads. Therefore, you must send the file to KakaoTalk’s My Chat and open it from there. On Android, a theme is itself a small app (.apk). Therefore, it goes through an installation process, and because it’s an app, if the package name overlaps with another theme, it can cause an issue where it overwrites the existing theme.
The reason this difference is important is that a .ktheme made for an iPhone cannot be opened on Android, and vice versa. Most of the time, when you download a theme file but can’t install it, it’s because you received a format that doesn’t match your phone’s operating system. Therefore, when making a theme, you need to create it in a format that matches the device you’ll be using.
The Difficult Way of Making It Yourself
Originally, making a KakaoTalk theme by hand was close to a developer’s domain. For Android, you had to download the theme project distributed by Kakao, input color values one by one into the colors.xml file, change the package name in AndroidManifest.xml to a unique value (so that it doesn’t conflict with other themes), and then build it into an apk. For iPhones, you also had to manually adjust the configuration file.
The problem is that this process is not only cumbersome but also prone to errors. If you enter the wrong color code, you get an unexpected color. If you don’t change the package name, it will overwrite other themes. If the image specifications don’t match, the screen will break. Moreover, to check a single color, you have to build and install it every time, so you’ll end up repeating this process several times until you get the result you like. Most people who aren’t familiar with code give up here.
The Easy Way Without Code
That’s why we created tesil, which completely eliminates this process. You can simply click to choose the background, chat bubble, colors, and icons, and no code is needed at all.
The biggest difference is the real-time preview. As soon as you change a color, you can immediately see how the chat screen, bottom tab bar, and friend list screen change. There’s no trial and error where you install it and find out it’s not the color you wanted. You can specify each element separately, including your chat bubble, the other person’s chat bubble, text color, and tab icons, allowing you to create a theme that matches the tone of every corner of the screen, not just changing the background. The tool also automatically handles the format differences mentioned earlier (iPhone .ktheme and Android .apk), exporting a file that matches your device. It can be done directly in the browser without installation or signing up, and photos and settings are processed on your device and do not leave it.
How to Apply
Here’s how it works for iPhone(.ktheme). First, create a theme and download the .ktheme file. Send that file to KakaoTalk’s ‘My Chat’, then tap the file in the chat to install it. After that, select the recently installed theme in the theme menu under KakaoTalk settings, and it will be applied. A common mistake here is opening the file in another app (such as a file manager), but it must be opened within KakaoTalk to be recognized.
Here’s how it works for Android(.apk). Download and install the .apk file exported for Android. At this point, you may need to enable the option to allow installation of apps from unknown sources. Once installation is complete, select the recently installed theme in the theme menu under KakaoTalk settings.
Design Tips to Improve Completion
Don’t just change the background. Match chat bubble, text, and tab icons to the same tone for a much more complete look. For example, if you choose a dark background, use light text, and make chat bubble either slightly lighter or darker than the background to provide contrast for better readability. If the background or icon images don’t meet the specifications, they may appear blurry or cut off, so adjust the image size first if needed. If you want to use a favorite character as a highlight, make the background transparent by removing it and then place the character on top. It will look natural wherever you put it. Use fewer colors, usually two or three, for a neater look.
What to Check When It Doesn’t Work
If the theme you created or received doesn’t apply, check the following in order. First, check if the file format matches your phone’s operating system (iPhone uses .ktheme, Android uses .apk). If the format doesn’t match, installation won’t happen in the first place. For iPhone, check if you opened the file in KakaoTalk. Opening it in a file manager or other app won’t be recognized. For Android, check if you actually selected the theme in KakaoTalk’s theme settings after installation. Installation alone won’t apply the theme; you need to select it in the theme menu. If only part of the screen looks odd, it’s likely an issue with the image specifications or color contrast of that element.
Summary
The key to KakaoTalk themes is to create them in a format that matches your device’s operating system. Once you know the difference in formats (.ktheme and .apk) and how to apply them, the rest isn’t too difficult. While you can manually code them, you can assemble one without coding in a few minutes at tesil. Instead of using trending themes, having conversations with a screen that includes your photos and preferences can create a small sense of satisfaction.
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