Send and receive messages

Messages conversation. At the top is the title bar with the name of the person you’re texting, along with the Messages button and Contact button. Below the title bar are the text messages sent and received during a conversation, and a photo included in the conversation. At the bottom of the screen are the attach media button, text entry field, and Send button.

  • Start a text conversation. Tap the compose button, then enter a phone number or email address, or tap the add button and choose a contact.

    An alert badge appears if a message can’t be sent. Tap the alert in a conversation to try sending the message again. Double-tap to send the message as an SMS text message.

  • Resume a conversation. Tap the conversation in the Messages list.

  • Use picture characters. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard, then tap Emoji to make that keyboard available. When you type a message, tap the switch keyboard button to change to the Emoji keyboard. See Special input methods.

  • See what time a message was sent or received. Drag any bubble to the left.

  • Make a voice call or FaceTime call to the person you’re texting. Tap Contact at the top of the screen, then tap the call button or the facetime button.

  • See a person’s contact info. Tap Contact at the top of the screen, then tap the info button. Tap info items to perform actions, such as making a FaceTime call.

  • See earlier messages in the conversation. Tap the status bar to scroll to the top. Tap Load Earlier Messages, if necessary.

  • Send messages to a group (iMessage and MMS). Tap the compose message button, then enter multiple recipients. With MMS, group messaging must also be turned on in Settings > Messages, and replies are sent only to you—they aren’t copied to the other people in the group.

  • Block unwanted messages. On a contact card, tap Block this Caller. You can see someone’s contact card while viewing a message by tapping Contact, then tap the info button. You can also block callers in Settings > Phone > Blocked. You will not receive voice calls, FaceTime calls, or text messages from blocked callers. For more information about blocking calls, see support.apple.com/kb/HT5845.