Use message effects with iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Use message effects with iMessage

You can make your iMessages more expensive with iOS 10. Add effects to send animations, message bubbles that take over the entire screen. Add a personal touch with a handwritten note, and more.

To send message effects you need iMessage. If you aren’t sure whether you’re using SMS/MMS texts or iMessage, learn the difference. Messaging rates might apply when you send SMS/MMS depending on your carrier. If you use iMessage and Wi-Fi is unavailable then cellular data rates might apply.

Send a message with effects

To change the way your message bubbles look, you can use bubble effects with message effects. While sending a message if you need to animate the screen, you can also use full-screen effects.

Add a bubble effect

You can animate your message bubbles using bubble effects with different expressions. Follow these steps to send a message with a bubble effect:

1. Open Messages
2. Go to an existing conversation or Click and enter a contact
3. Insert an image or type some text, then touch and hold 
4. Tap  to preview bubble effects
5. Click  to send

Tap  under the message to replay a message effect. Check your Reduce Motion settings, if you can’t receive bubble effects. To turn on Reduce Motion, go to Settings, next to General, then Accessibility and tap the slider for Reduce Motion.

Add a full-screen effect

You can animate your screen with confetti, balloons, and more with full-screen effects. Follow these steps to send a full-screen effect.

1. Open Messages
2. Go to an existing conversation or Click and enter a contact
3. Type your message
4. Touch and hold , then click on the screen
5. To see full-screen effects, like confetti, fireworks, and balloons, swipe to the left.
6. Click  to send

Tap  under the message to replay a message effect. Check your Reduce Motion settings, if you can’t receive full-screen effects. To turn on Reduce Motion, go to Settings, next to General, then Accessibility and tap the slider for Reduce Motion.

Respond to a message with expressions

You can quickly reply to messages like a thumbs up, heart, or with expressions with Tapback. Follow these steps to reply to a message with a Tapback:

1. Open a conversation in Messages.
2. Double-click the photo or the message that you want to respond to.
3. Select the Tapback that you want to send.

In group messages, you can also use Tapback. Click on Tapback, to see who replied with it. To send and receive Tapback messages, you need iOS 10.

 Send a handwritten message

By adding a note in your own handwriting, you can personalize your messages. Your family and friends will see the message animate, as if it were being written in front of them. Follow these steps to send a handwritten note:

1. Open Messages.
2. Go to an existing conversation or Click and enter a contact
3. If you have an iPad, tap  on keyboard. If you have an iPhone, turn it sideways.
4. Select one of the options or write your message at the bottom of the screen.
5. Click Undo if you need to start over. Or else, Click Done. Then click  to send.

To send or receive an animated handwritten message, you need iOS 10. You will receive a still image if you have iOS 9 or earlier.

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