Apple Messages / iMessage, 8 things you don’t know!

With each new version of iOS, macOS, or iPadOS, the messaging and messaging app on iPhone/iPad gets improvements and new features. With this update frequency, it’s not hard to miss some of these new features.

So, here are a few features of Apple Messages that you may not know about!

Note: All of these features are available when you message Apple users with iMessage. Some are compatible with other device types, such as Android phones, but may look or function slightly differently.

Edit recently sent messages

New from iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, you can edit a text message up to 15 minutes after sending it.

Touch and hold a sent message bubble on iPhone and iPad, or right-click on a Mac. Select “Edit”, make your changes in the text message field that appears, then check the box to save the change.

Be careful though, your recipient may see an “Edited” indicator below the message and select it to view the original message!

Restore your last iMessage with Apple Messages

In addition to the above editing function, Apple introduced the ability to send a text message. This feature is similar to recalling an email in Gmail or Outlook. You can cancel a message up to two minutes after sending it.

Touch and hold a sent message bubble on iPhone and iPad, or right-click on a Mac. Select “Cancel Send”. You will then see the message disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Note that your recipient can see the message from the time they receive it until you cancel it. After that, he walks away from the conversation. If the recipient has an older version of iMessage, this feature will not work.

Replace words with emoji

You may have noticed that when you type certain words into the message field on your iPhone or iPad, you have the option to add emoji. But you can do this after you’ve finished typing the entire message for all the words where the emoji is present.

Type your message in the text field on your iPhone or iPad, but don’t send it yet. Instead, open the Emoji Keyboard using the icon at the bottom left.

You’ll notice that any words in your message that have a matching emoji will be highlighted in orange. Tap the highlighted word to replace it with an emoji. For some words, you may see different options to choose from directly above the word.

Use “internal answers” to organize answers

The “online answers” system is a feature that can help you organize your answers. They clarify which message you are replying to. This is really useful when you’re messaging quickly and want to clearly show which message you’re replying to in the chat.

Tap and hold the sent message bubble on iPhone and iPad, or right-click on Mac. Select “Reply”. You’ll see the specific message you want to reply to front and center, with the rest dimmed. Enter your reply in the message field and send as usual.

You and your recipient will then see a line connecting the reply to the message in the main conversation. To see this entire “side chat”, select the “Reply or Replies” x replies” link below the message, the rest is dimmed.

Use a note to draw attention

While this technique works in one-on-one conversations, especially useful in group messages. You can tag someone in a message, which will bold their name and send them a notification.

On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, start typing a contact’s name, then select it from the options that appear. You can also write the name after the @ symbol.

Your buyer sees your name in bold and bold letters to grab their attention.

Note: You can control the notifications listed in Messages. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Messages and scroll down to Notifications. Enable “Notify me”. On your Mac, go to Messages > Settings > General and check the box next to “Notify me when my name is deleted.”

Write by hand or send a drawing

If you want to try something a little different with your next post, why not handwrite or draw it? You can do it on your iPhone and iPad, and it only takes a few minutes to make your post original.

Turn your device sideways for landscape view on your iPhone. On iPad, you can use both views. Select the thumbnail icon at the bottom right of the keyboard.

You’ll see a white canvas where you can write or draw with your finger (or Apple Pencil on iPad). You can also see recent drawings and suggestions to choose from at the bottom of the screen. Add your message and click “Ok”.

You will then see your handwriting or sketch in the text message field. Just send it like any other message.

Use “Reactions” to respond quickly

One of the fastest ways to receive text in messages is to use “Reactions”. You can respond with a heart, thumbs up, down, smiley, exclamation mark or question mark.

Tap and hold a message on iPhone and iPad. On a Mac, right-click. Select the reaction you want to send and that’s it. Your recipient will see a reaction icon in the corner of the message bubble.

Note: For older versions of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, the recipient sees a text label instead of an icon.

Send bubble or screen effects

Another fun feature is message effects. You can share your message with a bubble effect like “light” or “invisible ink” or a screen effect like laser or fireworks.

On iPhone and iPad, type your message, then tap and hold the Send button (blue arrow). You’ll see a screen with icons at the top for available bubbles and screen effects. Select one to view and simply click the blue arrow to select it and send the message.

On your Mac, type your message, select the capital A symbol to the left of the message field, then select “Message Effects.” You will see all Bubble and Screen effects together on one screen. Select one to preview it and click submit to use it.

Your recipient will see your item when they first view the message. He can also press the Replay”Revoir” button above the message bubble to enjoy it again.

In recent years, Apple Messages has really gained attention with new features such as the ability to edit recently sent messages up to 15 minutes after sending, undo messages up to two minutes after sending, and replace words with emojis. It’s important to note that some of these features are only available when messaging with Apple users with iMessage and may be different on other devices such as Android phones.