Rumored iOS 26 AI Features: Backgrounds, Mixmoji, Shortcuts

AI-Generated Message Backgrounds in iOS 26

One of the coolest rumored iOS 26 AI features is the ability to create your own AI-generated backgrounds in the Messages app. With a tool called Image Playground, you’ll reportedly just type a prompt, and the AI will whip up a custom background in styles like Animation, Illustration, or Sketch.

Even better? These backgrounds are expected to sync across everyone in the chat. So if you drop a dreamy watercolor vibe into your group thread, all your friends see it too. It’s a fresh, creative way to personalize your conversations—and it makes good use of Apple’s growing interest in generative AI.

Mixmoji: Personalized Emoji Combinations

Love emojis? Then you’ll probably have a blast with Mixmoji. This rumored iOS 26 AI feature would let you mash up two emojis into one totally unique creation. Think unicorn + robot = robo-corn. Or pizza + ghost = haunted slice. You get the idea.

It’s not clear exactly how it’ll work yet, but Mixmoji sounds like a fun, shareable way to make your messages even more expressive. It’s playful, a little quirky, and very on-brand for iOS.

Generative Shortcuts: Simplifying Automation with AI

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to build automations in the Shortcuts app, this one’s for you. Another iOS 26 AI feature on the horizon is a reimagined Shortcuts app called Generative Shortcuts. The big change? Natural language processing.

Instead of fussing with individual actions, you might just say something like, “Send a text to my partner when I leave work and start my playlist,” and the app figures it out for you. It’s a big leap toward making automation simple and accessible—even if you’ve never used Shortcuts before.

Additional Messaging Features: Polls and Auto-Translation

Alongside the flagship iOS 26 AI features, Apple could roll out other useful messaging upgrades. A built-in polling feature might be on the way, perfect for figuring out dinner plans or voting on a weekend activity. And automatic translation could help you chat seamlessly across languages.

These extras show Apple’s looking to make Messages more versatile, while keeping everything native to iOS.

Release Timeline and WWDC 2025 Preview

Apple is expected to reveal all these iOS 26 AI features during the WWDC 2025 keynote. Once announced, iOS 26 will likely roll out in beta for developers and early adopters, with a full public release in the fall, right around the next iPhone launch.

Some features might be limited to newer iPhones or require specific hardware, so stay tuned for the fine print once Apple goes public with the details.

From creative emoji mashups to smarter, AI-powered shortcuts, the rumored iOS 26 AI features point to a future where personalization and intelligence take center stage. We’ll see what Apple confirms at WWDC, but if even half of these rumors are true, texting’s about to get a lot more interesting.

Tony Simons

Tony has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and over 14 years of writing experience between multiple publications in the tech, photography, lifestyle, and deal industries.