iOS 18 is bringing main adjustments to the Messages app, with Apple including Tapback response adjustments new formatting, up to date results, satellite tv for pc assist, higher texting with inexperienced bubble individuals, and finally, a number of enjoyable Apple Intelligence options.
This information highlights every little thing that is new within the ‌iOS 18‌ Messages app, and what’s coming later.
Ship Later
‌iOS 18‌ provides the choice to schedule an iMessage to be despatched to somebody at a later time or date. If you already know somebody’s birthday is arising, for instance, you possibly can schedule a cheerful birthday textual content to them forward of the date so it is able to go.
Scheduling a message could be solely be achieved in conversations with different iMessage customers, and it isn’t an possibility when texting with an Android person. It really works in each particular person and group chats, so long as all members have an Apple system and entry to iMessage.
To schedule a message, observe these steps:
- Open up a dialog within the Messages app.
- Faucet on the “+” button on the left aspect of the textual content field.
- Faucet on Extra.
- Select Ship Later.
- Sort in your Message.
- To alter the ship time, faucet on the blue bubble that defaults to Tomorrow 9:00 am. From there, you should have a slider that permits you to enter a date and a time.
- Together with your time chosen and your message typed in, faucet on the blue arrow to schedule it.
Messages could be scheduled as much as 14 days prematurely, so if it is August 1, for instance, you possibly can schedule as much as August 15. Messages are despatched even when your iPhone is offline with no Wi-Fi or mobile connection.
Scheduled messages are displayed on the backside of a dialog. If you wish to change the time of a message or cancel it, faucet on the “Edit” button. You’ll have choices to edit the time, delete the message, or ship it instantly.
Tapback Reactions
Tapbacks are these little characters you should use to reply to a message by lengthy urgent on it, so that you need not sort out an entire response to one thing that may be answered with a thumbs up or a coronary heart. ‌iOS 18‌ has two key updates for Tapbacks.
Up to date Design
The six normal Tapback icons now characteristic colour and extra element. You’ll be able to see the brand new look when lengthy urgent on a textual content to reply, and within the Tapbacks that you just obtain.
Whenever you faucet on a Tapback you have obtained on a message, now you can see who despatched what, which is helpful if you’re in a bunch chat and get a number of Tapback responses.
Emoji Assist
Together with the six traditional Tapback responses, now you can select any emoji character when utilizing Tapback. After lengthy urgent to reply to a message, swipe to the left to see widespread emoji responses or faucet on the generic emoji icon thought bubble to deliver up the emoji picker.
You’ll be able to select any emoji, however you may also choose out of your stickers or your Memoji. Faucet on the Memoji icon on the backside left to get to Memoji, or the sticker icon to see your sticker choices. So as to add one as a Tapback, simply faucet in your choice.
Stickers could be arduous to see on the small dimension of a Tapback, however most emoji characters and Memoji work effectively.
RCS
RCS, or Wealthy Communication Companies, is a brand new textual content message protocol changing SMS and MMS. You will see it when texting individuals who do not have iMessage, reminiscent of Android customers. ‌RCS‌ has nothing to do with iMessage conversations, aka the conversations you’ve got with different Apple system house owners (blue bubbles), nevertheless it does enhance texts with inexperienced bubble Android customers.
‌RCS‌ is a extra fashionable expertise than SMS, and it permits for extra characteristic parity in ‌iPhone‌ to Android textual content message conversations. Most of the frustrations you may need encountered when texting somebody with an Android system are resolved with ‌RCS‌, reminiscent of errors sending photographs and movies.
Here is what you will get with ‌RCS‌:
- Assist for larger decision photographs and movies.
- Assist for bigger file sizes and file sharing.
- Audio messages.
- Actual-time typing indicators.
- Learn receipts.
- Capacity to ship messages over mobile or Wi-Fi (SMS is mobile solely). There isn’t any value to ship an ‌RCS‌ message over Wi-Fi.
- Improved group chats.
Once more, ‌RCS‌ solely comes into play while you’re texting somebody who has an Android system. iMessage remains to be the default for conversations between Apple system house owners, and blue bubbles and inexperienced bubbles will not be altering.
We have a full information on RCS if you wish to know extra about what to anticipate.
Messages through Satellite tv for pc
Messages through satellite tv for pc is a brand new characteristic that permits you to ship texts even when you do not have a Wi-Fi or mobile connection, leveraging the satellites that Apple makes use of for the Emergency SOS through satellite tv for pc characteristic.
Messages through satellite tv for pc is offered on the iPhone 14 or later, and you may ship and obtain each iMessage and SMS messages, so you are not restricted to texting with simply ‌iPhone‌ customers.
Proper now, Messages through satellite tv for pc is free, identical to Emergency SOS through satellite tv for pc. Apple affords two free years of satellite tv for pc entry with an ‌iPhone 14‌ or later, however the firm has expanded free entry for the ‌iPhone 14‌ till November 2025. Apple has not supplied any perception into how a lot it’ll finally cost for satellite tv for pc entry.
Sensible Replies (Apple Intelligence – iOS 18.1)
Utilizing Apple Intelligence, your ‌iPhone‌ can analyze the content material in a message that you’ve got obtained, suggesting Sensible Reply choices that you could faucet for a fast response.
If somebody asks a query like “Do you need to go to the flicks?” Messages suggests responses like “Positive!” or “Sorry, busy tomorrow.” Sensible Replies aren’t an possibility for each message that you just obtain, however Apple typically has a suggestion.
Sensible Replies present up on the high of the keyboard, the place options have been in prior variations of iOS. Sensible Replies are just like options, however are extra clever and are sometimes full phrases and responses fairly than phrase options that pop up as you sort.
To make use of a Sensible Reply, simply faucet it and it will populate the textual content field so you possibly can ship it. For those who do not take care of the suggestion, simply ignore it, and kind in your individual response. You will nonetheless see options when you disregard a Sensible Reply.
Sensible Replies are an Apple Intelligence Messages characteristic in iOS 18.1, which Apple is presently beta testing.
Writing Instruments aren’t particular to the Messages app, however are a systemwide possibility wherever you possibly can enter textual content. In Messages, you possibly can write out a textual content after which choose it with a faucet and drag gesture to deliver up the Writing Instruments interface.
Here is what Writing Instruments can do for a textual content message:
- Proofread what you have written for spelling and grammar errors, together with phrase alternative and sentence construction.
- Rewrite with a unique tone, with choices that embrace Pleasant, Skilled, and Concise.
- Summarize what you have written. You will get a fast abstract, pull out key factors, create an inventory of subjects, or make a desk.
You’ll be able to faucet on the varied choices to make use of the Writing Instruments, and you may preview adjustments and resolve to not use them or swap them in for what you have written.
The Writing Instruments characteristic is about to be obtainable in iOS 18.1.
Notification Summaries (Apple Intelligence – iOS 18.1)
If in case you have a number of notifications from the Messages app, Apple Intelligence will summarize them for you so you possibly can catch up at a look and see what’s most essential with out having to learn by every little thing.
This works for each particular person conversations and group conversations, and you may see the summaries on the Lock Display. You will get notification summaries in iOS 18.1.
Emoji Design Updates
Whenever you ship a single emoji to somebody in ‌iOS 18‌, the emoji now seems a lot bigger than earlier than so the element is simpler to see. Emojis in different portions are nonetheless displayed on the similar dimension.
Apple has additionally up to date the emoji picker. Emoji are displayed bigger and with more room between them, plus the Sticker and Memoji interfaces have been built-in into the emoji window.
Tapping on the 2 icons on the underside left of the emoji picker will take you to Memoji and Stickers, respectively. You’ll be able to create Memoji and make new stickers straight from the 2 sections which can be within the emoji picker. For stickers, choose the sticker part and faucet on the clean sticker icon. For Memoji, faucet into the Memoji part, faucet the three dots, after which select New, Edit, or Duplicate.
Stickers and Memoji as Emoji
Stickers and Memoji have new devoted sections within the emoji picker as a result of now you can use a sticker or a Memoji identical to an emoji. For those who add a sticker when typing a textual content, for instance, it’s added to the tip of your textual content fairly than despatched as a separate picture.
You’ll be able to nonetheless ship a full-size sticker so long as you ship it separate from textual content.
Stickers and Memoji despatched as emoji solely show as emoji on units working ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, visionOS 2, and watchOS 11. On earlier variations of iOS, stickers are despatched as separate photographs as earlier than.
Textual content Formatting
You’ll be able to improve your textual content messages with new formatting choices. After typing one thing, faucet on the “A” icon above the keyboard. What you have typed is chosen, and you may add daring, italic, underline, or strikethrough formatting.
So as to add formatting to only one phrase, double faucet on the phrase to pick out it after which faucet on the “A” icon. You may also use the Textual content Results possibility from the popup menu. Formatting can be utilized with emoji, however the daring and italic choices do not do something.
Textual content Results
Together with the daring, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting, there are new animated textual content results that may be utilized to your complete message, a single phrase, a phrase, and even an emoji or sticker.
Simply choose the textual content that you just need to add an impact to with a double faucet after which faucet on the “A” icon to get to the textual content results interface.
Choices embrace Massive, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter.
In a dialog with somebody working ‌iOS 18‌ or one in every of its sister updates, the textual content or emoji that has an impact utilized to it’ll frequently animate when seen. These results don’t work on earlier variations of Apple’s working programs and easily do not present up.
Math Notes
The systemwide Math Notes characteristic that lets your ‌iPhone‌ clear up equations for you works in Messages. To see it in motion, sort in an equation and you will get a direct reply while you add in an equals signal.
Math Notes additionally works for conversions within the Messages app, together with foreign money conversions, temperature conversions, measurement conversions, and extra. You need to use it by typing in your conversion, reminiscent of “20 euros to {dollars}” after which including in an equals signal to get the end result.
Hyperlink Card Replace
Apple tweaked the design of hyperlink playing cards within the Messages app, and the playing cards now have colourful backgrounds that match the colour of the primary picture within the hyperlink, if obtainable.
You’ll be able to see hyperlink card previews earlier than a hyperlink is shipped, and in the event you lengthy press, you will get customization choices. Hyperlink playing cards could be transformed to a less complicated card fashion or remodeled right into a textual content hyperlink that solely exhibits the hyperlink with no preview in any respect.
Picture Playground (Apple Intelligence – Coming Later This 12 months)
Picture Playground is an upcoming Apple Intelligence characteristic that’s designed to allow you to create photographs utilizing text-based prompts, very similar to you are able to do with different AI picture technology platforms.
Apple is integrating Picture Playground into the Messages app, so you possibly can create and ship photographs with out having to swap over to a different app. Apple Intelligence can glean the gist of your dialog from the Messages app and give you options for photographs that you just would possibly need to ship.
Picture Playground may even incorporate photographs of your family and friends, so in the event you’re chatting with a pal, you possibly can create a foolish picture that makes use of the pal’s contact picture. Apple provides a method to every picture, so there isn’t a choice to generate one thing that may very well be mistaken for an actual picture.
You’ll be able to select from Animation, Illustration, and Sketch kinds, and all picture technology is finished on-device.
Genmoji (Apple Intelligence – Coming Later This 12 months)
Based mostly on Picture Playground, Genmoji permits you to create customized emoji with a textual content immediate. Have you ever at all times wished an emoji of a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone? It may be made with Genmoji.
Want a cat made out of pizza, or a flower that is not a rose or a sunflower? Genmoji will make it doable. With the Genmoji interface, you possibly can describe a Genmoji and Apple Intelligence will generate a number of choices so that you can select from.
You’ll be able to even create an emoji primarily based on the contact picture of a pal or member of the family, just like Picture Playground.
Genmoji behave identical to emoji and can be utilized rather than emoji.
Apple Intelligence Notes
To make use of the upcoming Apple Intelligence options Apple will add to ‌iOS 18‌ in iOS 18.1 and past, you want an iPhone 15 Professional, ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional Max, or any iPhone 16 mannequin. M-series iPads and Macs additionally assist Apple Intelligence.
Learn Extra
Extra info on new options that Apple has added in ‌iOS 18‌ could be present in our iOS 18 roundup.
