11 Tips and Tricks for Using iMessage Like a Pro

The estimated reading time for this post is 10 minutes

Whether you’ve been using iMessage for years or are new to Apple’s messaging service, you’ll want to check out these handy tips and tricks. Some of these have been around for a while, while others are new with iOS 14.

By checking out these tips and tricks, you’ll soon be using iMessage like a pro!

About iMessage

iMessage is Apple’s messaging service that relays messages between Apple devices. Like text messages, iMessage can send texts, links, photos, and videos. But unlike text messages, iMessage has features that can help make your life easier and more fun.

Note => Text messages are also known as SMS or MMS messages.

You’ll know whether a message is an iMessage or a text message by the color of the message. For iMessage, the message is blue. For text messages, the color is green.

Also unlike text messages, iMessage works using the Internet. So you can send an iMessage when you’re connected to the Internet using Wi-Fi or your phone’s cellular Internet connection. If you don’t have an Internet connection, your iMessage will be sent as a text message through your phone connection.

If you send an iMessage, that message should not count as a text message towards your carrier’s monthly plan.

Apple no longer uses the term “iMessage” for its messaging app. Instead, Apple now calls its messaging app “Messages” indicating that you can get both text messages and iMessage in the app.

If you have an iPhone, you may not have paid much attention to whether a message was an iMessage or a text message. But with these tips and tricks, you may soon appreciate the differences between the two.

1. Get Messages on Your Mac Computer and iPad

You can send and receive text messages and iMessages on your Mac computer and iPad but you need to set up this capability. These messages are forwarded from your iPhone and you need to adjust your settings to have text messages forwarded to your other devices.

Sending and Receiving iMessages from Other Apple Devices

One of the big advantages of using iMessage is the ability to send and receive iMessages and text messages from other Apple devices. But you need to take a few steps to turn on this feature.

First, go to Settings on your iPhone, then tap your name at the top of the screen.  Tap iCloud, scroll down to Messages and turn it on.

Next, you need to adjust your settings on your Mac computer and/or iPad to sync your iMessages to those devices.

Mac Computers

To send and receive iMessages on your Mac computer, open the Messages app. Sign in with your Apple ID and password. In the menu at the top of the screen, click Messages => Preferences. Choose @iMessage at the top of the new window that opens.

Click Enable Messages in iCloud, then click Sync Now.

iPad

On your iPad, open Settings => Messages => Send & Receive and turn it on. Note that you must be signed in to your iPad with the same Apple ID as you use on your iPhone.

Your iMessages from your iPhone should appear in the Messages app on your iPad.

Sending and Receiving Text Messages from Other Apple Devices

You can also send and receive text messages from your Mac computer and iPad.

To enable text messages to be sent and received from your Mac computer and iPad, go to Settings on your iPhone. Then go to Messages => Text Message Forwarding. You’ll see a list of devices that are signed into your iCloud account. Turn on the devices from which you’d like to send and receive text messages.

2. Easily Search for Links and Photos in Messages

Has anyone ever sent you a message with a helpful link or fun photo? Finding that link or photo later may be a challenge if you have to scroll through dozens or even hundreds of messages.

There’s a very easy way to locate all of the links and photos sent to you in a conversation. No need to scroll through the messages to find what you’re looking for.

At the top of the conversation, tap the name of the person or group to reveal a small menu of audio, FaceTime, and info. Tap info.

On the next screen, you’ll see the most recent photos and links sent to you in that conversation. Tap See All to view all of the photos and links sent to you in that conversation.

3. Replying to Specific Messages

In a group conversation or in a conversation with someone who types quickly, you may want to reply to an individual message that isn’t the most recent message. If you simply reply without designating which message you’re replying to, well things can get confusing or even embarrassing.

The good news is that you can now reply to a specific message in a conversation. No more confusion about whom or what message you’re replying to when you send your reply.

To reply to a specific message, open a conversation then tap and hold the message you’d like to reply to. A menu window will appear.

Tap Reply in the menu to send a reply to the specific message.

Your reply will appear at the bottom of the conversation with the message you’re replying to above it.

4. Leaving a Group Conversation

Few things are more annoying than being included in a group conversation when it doesn’t relate to you. Perhaps people are planning an event you won’t be attending. Or maybe they’re discussing a topic that doesn’t interest you in the slightest.

The good news is that you can leave a group conversation, if all the participants are using iMessage.

To leave a group conversation, open the conversation, then tap the top of the screen, then tap info. Scroll down to the bottom of the list of people included in this conversation, then tap Leave this Conversation.

5. Share Your Location

You can easily share your current location with someone using the Messages app. This can be helpful when you’re trying to meet up with someone but they’re having difficulty finding you.

To share your location, tap the top of the conversation, then tap info in the menu that appears. Scroll down to Share My Location.

A map showing your current location will be sent to the person/people in that conversation.

6. Easily Starting a Group FaceTime Call

Tired of typing? Easily start a group FaceTime call from a group conversation. This shortcut can be extremely handy when you want to start a group FaceTime call without having to add your contacts individually.

To start a group FaceTime call from a group conversation, open the Messages app, then tap the top of the screen. Tap FaceTime to begin a group FaceTime video call.

Check Out => Here’s How to Make a Group FaceTime Video Call on Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac Computer

7. Respond Quickly with Tapbacks

You can now reply to messages or photos quickly and easily with a fun feature called Tapbacks. Tap on a message or photo to reveal the options: heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, HaHa, exclamation points, or question mark.

How to See Who Added a Tapback to a Message

In a group text, you may want to see who added a Tapback to a photo or message. To see how people reacted to a message or a photo with a Tapback, press and hold the message or photo that has a Tapback. At the top of the screen will be a list of participants in the conversation with the Tapback they’ve used on that message or photo.

8. Unique Text Tones

Not all text messages are created equal, some text messages are more important than others. Some might be life-changing, or otherwise of utmost importance.

You might have very important people in your life whose text messages you don’t want to miss. You may have a boss, spouse, child, suiter, or another important person whose text messages matter more than others.

The good news is that you can set a text tone to alert you to an incoming text from a specific person. The text tone can be unique to that person, and different from the ringtone for that person.

To set up a unique text tone for a person, open the Contacts app on your iPhone and find the person for whom you want to set a unique text tone.

Tap Edit. Scroll down to Text Tone and tap the arrow to the right. You can then choose the unique text tone for that person.

9. Unique Text Vibrations

If you have your ringer turned off or your iPhone silenced, you may still want to be notified of a text message from important people. You can set unique vibrations to be alerted to text messages from those important people.

To assign a unique vibration for someone, open their listing in the Contacts app on your iPhone. Tap Edit, then scroll down to Text Tone and tap the arrow on the right.

On the next screen, scroll down to Vibration and tap the arrow to the right. Select a new vibration for that contact.

You can even create a custom new vibration for someone. Scroll down to Custom => Create New Vibration. Tap out a vibration pattern you’d like to use for text alerts from that person.

Next, tap Play at the bottom of the screen to play back the custom vibration pattern you just created. Then tap Stop when you’re done, and tap Save.

You’ll be asked to name the new vibration. Add a title, then tap Save.

Your new custom vibration text alert will be assigned to that contact.

10. Emergency Bypass

If you turn on Do Not Disturb on your iPhone, either automatically or manually, you may miss important text messages from very important people.

Or perhaps you set your phone to silent mode frequently.

You may want alerts for text messages from these very important people even when Do Not Disturb is turned on or your ringer is silenced.

Don’t Miss => Do Not Disturb – The iPhone Feature You Should Be Using and How to Schedule “Do Not Disturb” To Turn Off When You Leave a Location

To turn on alerts for text messages from very important people even when Do Not Disturb is on and your phone is silenced, you must first turn on Emergency Bypass for them.

These Emergency Bypass contacts are different from your Favorites. After all, just because someone is listed as one of your Favorites, doesn’t mean you want to be alerted to their text messages even when Do Not Disturb is turned on and your phone is silenced.

From Apple, “Emergency Bypass allows sounds and vibrations from this person even when the ring switch is set to silent, or when Do Not Disturb is turned on.”

You can turn on Emergency Bypass for someone by opening the Contacts app on your phone and finding the person’s listing. Tap Edit, then scroll down to Text Tone and tap the arrow to the right.

On the next screen, turn Emergency Bypass => On.

11. Pin a Conversation

Beginning with iOS 14, iMessage now lets you pin a conversation to the top of your list of messages. You can keep your most important conversations handy at the top of the list to check for new messages or send a new message easily.

You can pin both group conversations and individual conversations to the top of the list.

To pin a conversation to the top of the list, open the Messages app to view the list of conversations. Swipe right on a conversation. A yellow Pin tab will appear.

Tap the Pin tab to have that conversation appear at the top of the list every time you open the Messages app.

To unpin a conversation, tap and hold the conversation. You’ll see the conversation open with a menu at the bottom. Tap Unpin to remove the conversation from the top of the Messages app.

Your Thoughts

How many of these iMessage tips and tricks were new for you? Which of these tips and tricks are most useful for you? Do you have any iMessage tips and tricks you’d like to share with Wonder of Tech readers?

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!