Do you want to unlock the full potential of iMessage on your iPhone? Without further ado, look at the top tips and tricks. These will instantly elevate your texting game.
Download Messages for Safekeeping
Owing to the ease of texting instead of calling, many important conversations happen over iMessage and SMS these days. Hence, iPhone users are constantly wondering how to download messages from iPhone so they do not lose their critical conversations. One way to download messages from iPhone to computer is using the AnyTrans application. The application is designed to make moving content between your iPhone and other Apple devices as seamless and fuss-free as possible.
The other alternative is to manually download text messages from iPhone to Mac, and this can be done via AirDrop.
Turn Off Read Receipts
If you don’t want people to know you have read their message, turn off read receipts. This can be done by opening the Messages app > tapping on the message thread of the person you want to turn read receipts off for > tapping on the contact name > scrolling down, and toggling off Send Read Receipts.
Crank Up the Personality of Your iMessage
It is possible to add fun stickers and light-hearted animations to your messages. Once you are done typing the message, tap on the keyboard’s Emoji button, and your iPhone will automatically find words that you can turn into emoji.
Other fun effects to try are the screen and bubble effects for individual messages, sending Animoji and Memoji talking messages, dragging and dropping stickers from Sticker packs, using the built-in image search to send GIFs, and so on.
Personalize the App Drawer
The App Drawer makes it convenient to access your favorite games and apps. But it must be managed effectively so it doesn’t become a nuisance.
iOS allows users to personalize the iMessage App Drawer so they can remove or hide unwanted items and rearrange the way they appear.
You can do this by opening the Messages app > tapping on a conversation > swiping towards the left from right to access the More button > tapping Edit > tapping on the red button next to each item you don’t need, and then tapping Remove from Favorites.
Do you wish to add items to the iMessage App Drawer? Tap the plus button next to any game, app, or sticker.
Handwrite Messages
You can personalize your messages by sending handwritten notes. Open the Messages app > tap on the message thread of the contact you want to send a handwritten message to > turn your phone horizontally> press the squiggly line if the white space doesn’t appear automatically > begin drawing. Once you are done, send the handwritten message.
Pin important Conversations to the Top
Pinning important conversations to the top is possible if you are using iOS 14 or later. Thanks to this, you can quickly access the most essential messages without having to rummage through the message threads.
Long press on the group or conversation thread you want to pin and tap on the Pin option when the popup menu appears.
Send Low-Quality Pictures
Are you running out of mobile data? Is your iPhone’s battery dying? No matter the reason, it is possible to send low-quality pictures to your friends and family so you can save battery or mobile data.
To turn on this function, head to the Settings app > tap Messages > scroll to the bottom and toggle on Low-Quality Images.
Set Up a Memoji Profile
Besides adding fun effects to your messages and emojis, you can also create a memoji profile to add character and personality to your iMessage conversations.
Open the Messages app to edit your photo and contact name. Then, you can use a photo from your photo gallery or memoji as your profile picture. This will ensure your conversations are lively.
Backup Messages to iCloud
Previously, you learned how to download messages to your Mac. This tip deals with backing up all your chats to iCloud so that if iOS runs into issues and you have to format your phone, you will be able to retrieve your messages without a fuss.
The only drawback is iCloud offers only 5GB of free cloud storage. If you need more, you will have to pay a hefty amount.
Enable Mentions
When it comes to keeping track of conversations, things get simplified with mentions. So, ensure you enable the Notify Me feature to avoid missing essential messages. This is particularly useful in group conversations. Whenever someone mentions your name, you will be notified even if you have muted the conversation.
Summing Up
These are useful tips and tricks to remember when using iMessage on your iPhone. However, please note that these are only scratching the surface. You must keep exploring to text like a pro.
