Surprising iMessage Tricks You Never Knew You Needed

iMessage is Apple's instant messaging app that allows users to send text messages, photos, videos, and more. Some hidden features, you may not know about.

Surprising iMessage Tricks You Never Knew You Needed
Surprising iMessage Tricks You Never Knew You Needed

What is iMessage?

iMessage is a messaging service developed by Apple for their iOS and MacOS operating systems. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, and other media to other Apple users over an internet connection, without incurring additional messaging fees. iMessage uses end-to-end encryption to protect users' privacy and security, meaning that messages are only accessible to the sender and recipient.

iMessage also includes several additional features, such as the ability to send group messages, read receipts to indicate when a message has been read, and the ability to send and receive animated stickers, emojis, and GIFs. Users can also customize their messages with various fonts, colors, and effects.

iMessage works over Wi-Fi and cellular data, and can be accessed from the Messages app on Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. While iMessage is not available on non-Apple devices, messages can still be sent to non-Apple users through traditional SMS or MMS messaging.

Surprising iMessage Tricks You Never Knew You Needed

  • To send an iMessage with an effect, tap and hold the send button (the upward arrow) after typing your message. You will see a menu of effects, such as balloons, confetti, or fireworks. Swipe left or right to preview the effect, and then tap the send button to send the message with the chosen effect.

  • To mention someone in a group chat, type the “@” symbol followed by the person’s name. You will see a list of people in the group chat to choose from. Tap the person you want to mention, and their name will be highlighted in the chat. This can be helpful if you want to direct a message to a specific person in a busy group chat.

  • To quickly respond to a message with a heart, thumbs up, or other emoji, double-tap on the message you want to react to. You will see a menu of reactions to choose from. Tap the reaction you want to send, and it will appear below the message you are reacting to.

  • To use Siri to dictate and send messages hands-free, activate Siri by pressing and holding the Home button or saying “Hey Siri.” Then say “Send a message to [contact name]” and dictate your message. Siri will confirm the message and ask if you want to send it.

  • To react to a message with a heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, “ha ha,” or “!!” bubble, tap and hold on the message you want to react to. You will see a menu of reactions to choose from. Tap the reaction you want to send, and it will appear below the message you are reacting to.

  • To search for images and GIFs to send, tap on the App Store icon (the “A” symbol) in the iMessage text box. Then search for “Images” or “GIFs” in the search bar. You will see a selection of images and GIFs that you can send to your contacts.

  • To send a message with invisible ink, type your message and then tap and hold on the send button (the upward arrow). Select the “Invisible Ink” option, and your message will be hidden until the recipient swipes over it.

  • To customize your iMessage profile picture and display name, go to Settings > Messages > Share Name and Photo. Here you can choose a profile picture, select whether to use your first and last name or just your first name, and edit your display name.

  • To quickly access apps and services, such as sharing your current location or playing a game, type the “/” symbol followed by a keyword. For example, type “/location” to share your current location or “/game” to play a game with your contacts.

  • To send a message with a digital touch, tap the “+” symbol to the left of the text box. Then select the type of digital touch you want to send, such as a handwritten message, sketch, or heartbeat. Follow the prompts to create your message, and then tap the send button to send it.

  • To view all photos and attachments sent in a conversation, tap on the “i” icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. Here you can see a list of all photos and attachments sent in the conversation.

  • To use the “Message” app on your Apple Watch, open the app from your watch face. Here you can view your recent conversations, send new messages, and dictate messages using Siri.