Send & Receive Messages

Create and respond to text (SMS), picture (MMS), or iMessages, add, save, and view received attachments and more.

INSTRUCTIONS & INFO

To send a Message, from the home screen select the Messages app.
Select the Compose icon.
Enter a phone number or email address, or select the Add icon to choose a contact.

Note: To send messages to a group, enter multiple recipients. Learn more from Apple support article: Send a group message with your iPhone.
Type in your message, or select the Camera icon to attach a photo or video, or select the Microphone icon to send an audio message.
Select the App store icon, then select the Digital Touch icon to draw messages or pictures.
Select the App store icon, then select the Share Music icon to share songs. Select the Search icon to share GIFs or other recently used images.
Select the Send icon when finished.
SMS/MMS lets you send text messages and photos to other cell phones or devices. iMessage lets you send text messages, photos, and videos to other iOS devices or Macs over Wi-Fi.

Note: You can tell which type of message you're sending by the color of the Send button and text bubble. SMS/MMS: Send button and text bubbles are green. iMessage: Send button and text bubbles are blue.
A red exclamation mark appears if your message failed to send. Select the exclamation mark, then select Try Again to resend the message.
To react to a specific message, select and hold the desired message then select the desired reaction.
To save an attachment, select and hold the desired attachment then select Save.

Note: Attachments are saved according to their file type. To view saved photos and videos, from the home screen select the Photos app.
To forward a message, select and hold the desired message then select More....
Select the desired message(s) to forward, then select the Forward icon. Enter the desired contact or phone number, then select the Send icon.
To delete a message, select and hold the desired message then select More....
Select the desired message(s) to delete, then select the Delete icon. To delete all messages, select Delete All.

Note: After you delete a message, you can recover it only by restoring from a backup.
Select Delete Message.
To delete an entire conversation, from the Messages screen select and drag the desired message thread to the left.

Note: After you delete a conversation, you can recover it only by restoring from a backup. Learn more from Apple support article: Send messages with your Phone. If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone, get help.
Select Delete.