Send a message
- Open Messages.
- Tap to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation.
- Tap the text field, then type your message.
- Tap to send.
Reply to a message from the Lock screen
- From the Lock screen, firmly press the notification that you want to reply to.
- Type your message.
- Tap to send.
If you have an iPhone X or later, or an iPad Pro 11-inch or iPad Pro 12.9-inch, and can't reply to a message from the Lock screen, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, and turn on Reply With Message. If you have an iPhone 8 or earlier, or iPad, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode > Allow Access When Locked, and turn on Reply with Message.
How to set up Messages on the Mac. Launch Messages from your desktop, dock, or Applications folder. Select the phone number and email addresses at which you would like to be reached. Choose which phone number or email address people will see when you start a new conversation. Go to Settings → Phone and make sure “My Number” reflects your new number. If not, edit this. Also, make sure the time & date settings in your iPhone are set to automatic. (they can be found in Settings → General → Date & Time). Turn On iMessage again: Now, just head over to the Messages settings and turn on iMessage. This should usually send an SMS to Apple’s servers. How to set up Messages on the Mac. Launch Messages from your desktop, dock, or Applications folder. Enter your Apple ID email address and password. Click on Messages in the Menu bar and select Preferences. Select the Accounts tab. Select the phone number and email addresses at which you would like to be reached.
An incoming message is first directed to you OSX, assuming you are logged into iMessages, if you are not, the second route the message will take is to your Apple watch, unless your phone is unlocked – in which case the message will be delivered to the latter. IMessage is a free feature that routes text messages through Apple's servers and does away with the 144 character limit of SMS messages.And a nice feature of iMessage is that it can be configured to use your email address, your phone number or both. Use Messages on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Send a message. Open Messages. Tap and enter a contact or go to an existing conversation. Tap the text field, then type your message. When you're ready, tap to send. SMS forwarding will still work between the Mac and an iOS device even if both are using different Wi-Fi networks. On your Mac, open the Messages app and navigate to Menu Bar -> Messages -> Preferences -> Accounts -> Click on iMessage account -> Check the boxes next to your phone number and email.
Learn how to manage Messages notifications from the Lock screen.
Forward a message
Open a message conversation and follow these steps:
Touch and hold the message bubble that you want to forward, then tap More.
Delete a message or conversation
When you delete a message or conversation, you can't get it back. So make sure that you save important information from your messages.
To delete a message:
- In a message conversation, touch and hold the message bubble that you want to delete, then tap More.
- Tap , then tap Delete Message. If you want to delete all messages in the thread, tap Delete All in the upper-left corner. Then tap Delete Conversation.
To delete a single conversation, swipe left over the conversation that you want to delete, tap Delete, then tap Delete again to confirm. To delete more than one conversation, open Messages and tap Edit in the upper-left corner. Then tap the circle next to the conversations and tap Delete in the bottom-right corner.
To keep your messages for a certain amount of time, go to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages. Then select how long you want to keep your messages.
Keep your messages in iCloud
iCloud now keeps your entire message history updated and available on all your devices — even when you set up a brand-new device.
Messages in iCloud are updated automatically, so you have the same messages everywhere you use iMessage. When you delete a message, photo, or conversation on one device, it’s removed from all of your devices. And since all of your attachments are stored in iCloud, you can save space on your device.
You can use Messages in iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Use Predictive text
With Predictive text, you can write and complete entire sentences with just a few taps. As you type, you'll see choices for words and phrases you'd probably type next, based on your past conversations and writing style. You can also adjust additional keyboard settings.
What Keys Mac For Text Designs
To turn off Predictive Text, touch and hold or , tap Keyboard Settings, then turn off Predictive.
Turn on Hide alerts
To stop receiving message notifications:
- Open Messages.
- Swipe left over the conversation that you want to mute.
- Tap Hide Alerts.
When Hide Alerts is on, will appear next to the conversation. This stops notifications only for that conversation, not your device. You’ll still receive all other messages and see notifications for them on your Lock screen.
Learn how to manage Messages notifications from the Lock screen.
Find attachments from a conversation
- Open the message.
- Tap the name of the contact at the top of the message, then tap .
- You'll see Images and Attachments. Touch and hold an image or attachment to show options like Copy, Delete, and More.
To save an image or attachment outside of Messages, tap an image or attachment, tap , then select an option like Save Image or Save to Files. When you tap Save Image, it saves it to your Photos app.
Send and share your location
To send or share your location in a message:
- Tap the name of the contact at the top of the conversation.
- Tap .
- Tap Send My Current Location. Your recipient will see your location on the map. Or tap Share My Location. Then choose the length of time that you want to share your location for.
Do more with messages
- Learn the difference between iMessage and SMS/MMS.
- Personalize your messages with Digital Touch, iMessage apps, and message effects.
- Send photos, videos, or audio messages and group messages.
- Use Messages with your Mac.
- Learn what to do if you can't send or receive messages.
I am need ing to know how I can use my cell phone number to send and recieve messages instead of my email address.
When I go to my settings to change it my number is in grey and my email address is in black and I am needing to know how I can fix that?
bmike♦closed as unclear what you're asking by bmike♦Nov 4 '14 at 15:12
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
3 Answers
Even though the line is greyed out, the checkbox next to your phone number in Settings > Messages indicates it is being used for sending and receiving messages. The email address(es) listed indicate that iMessage also looks for iMessages sent to those address(es), and will deliver them as if they were sent to your phone number (so long as each one has a checkmark next to it as well).
tubedoggtubedoggSet Up Messages On Mac For Text Message Phone Number
Your iPhone uses the Messages app to send messages to other devices. However, it works a bit differently depending on what device the person you are messaging is using.
When you send a Message, the iPhone looks on Apple servers to see if the recipient owns an Apple Device. Remember when you had to register your device with an Apple ID? This was putting your 'email' in the Apple server. It also put your telephone number in the Apple server.
If the server finds your recipient in the Apple servers, it automatcially sends a message via the Apple network, therefore not using the SMS network, which might incur charges (depending on your SMS or text message limits).
If the Apple server does not find your recipient, then it sends the message via SMS or text messaging, over the carriers system. So, if you send a message to a friend who has an Android phone, the Apple server won't find that device in its database, and will then send the message via regular text messaging service, so the Android phone can receive it.
This systems allows you to message anyone, and Apple simply figures out the best way to send the message, whether its via Apple's system, which does not incur SMS fees, or via the carrier's system, which might incur fees. (most users in the USA have unlimited text messaging plans these days, so this is less than a concern. If you have a limit of 100 messages, you can appreciate how this is a good thing.)
OK, now to your question: your email: Messages is NOT sending a message via email. It is simply using the email (which is likely your Apple ID), as an identifier of your device. This lets other Apple users send you a message to either your phone number or email address. This is useful on iPads, iPod Touch, and Macs, who can not send to phone numbers, because they do not have phone service. So, with Messages on your iPhone, someone on their Mac can send you a message, and you can message back!
Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Select the info icon by your email and choose Remove This Email. Then turn on sms, turn off iMessage and after a minute turn imessage on again and the email should be gone.