How to Schedule Texts on iPhone on iOS 18 and Earlier Updates

How to schedule texts on iPhone

Are you finding a way to schedule text messages to be sent later? If yes, then you are at the right place as here we have shared a step-by-step guide on how to schedule texts on iPhone directly from iMessage and with the help of shortcuts apps on the earlier iOS version.

How to Schedule Texts on iPhone

The scheduled text messages are those that you can set up in advance to automatically send at your desired time. This is the best option for those who forget birthdays or want to send a text message at a specific date and time. You can schedule texts on iPhone directly from iMessage with the latest iOS 18 update. However, there is no feature to schedule a message on iPhone directly from iMessage on the earlier iOS updates but you can do so within the shortcuts app and other third-party applications.

How to Schedule Texts on iPhone Directly  From iMessage

The newly launched iOS 18 has introduced a lot of new features including the ability to schedule text messages. Follow the below steps to schedule texts on iPhone from iMessage.

  • Open the chat of the person to whom you want to send a scheduled text.
  • Here, type your text and select the + icon on the left side of the text box.
  • Scroll down to the list and tap on Send later.
tap on Send later
  • Select the desired date and time at which you want to send your text message.
  • When you have selected the desired date and time, tap on the send button.
  • Now, the message will show in a blue bubble with its scheduled date and time.
select the date and time on iMessage
  • Moreover, if you want to edit your text message then press and hold the scheduled message.
  • A popup will show to select whether you want to delete or edit the message.
  • Select delete if you want to delete the text or choose edit to make changes.

How to Schedule Texts on iPhone by Using Shortcuts App

The shortcuts app allows you to send scheduled text messages and to create different useful automation. This app is free and comes preinstalled on iPhones running iOS 13 or later. However, if your iPhone is running on an earlier version of iOS then you have to download the Shortcuts App from Apple Store. Follow the below steps to schedule a message on the earlier iOS updates.

  • Open the Shortcuts app on your phone.
  • Tap on the automation tab.
Open Shortcuts App
  • Select new automation.
  • Here, tap on the time of the day option to schedule a text message.
Add automation
  • Choose the time for whenever you want to send your scheduled text.
  • Select whether you want to send this message daily, weekly, or monthly, and tap on the Send Message tab.
Tap on time of  day
  • Write down your text message,and choose the recipientto whom you want to send the scheduled text message.
Select the recipent
  • Once your scheduled message is confirmed, tap on the send automation button.
  • Now, you will have the Ask before running option that is enabled by default and allows you to ensure everything is correct including message, date, time, and recipient. However, you can also toggle it off if you want to run the automation directly without confirmation.
  • Lastly, tap done to finalize the automation.

How to Delete Schedule Texts on iPhone by Using Shortcuts App

One of the main issues while scheduling text messages by using the shortcuts app is that the text message will recur regularly whether that’s daily, weekly, or monthly. However, if you want to send a scheduled message just for once then you have to manually delete or turn off the automation once your text message is sent. Follow the below steps to delete the scheduled message animation.

  • Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
  • Here the list of your animation will appear.
  • Scroll down to your scheduled text message, swipe left to the animation, and hit the delete option.
  • Now, the scheduled text message will be removed from automation and it will not recur any more.

How to Schedule Texts on iPhone by Using a Third-Party App

The Apple store has a lot of other third-party apps that you can use to schedule a text message. However, some applications are free to use and others require a fee to offer advanced features. Third-party apps are the best option for people who want to send delayed but non-recurring messages on the earlier iOS updates.

FAQs

Q: Can I directly schedule texts on iMessage?
A: Yes, you can directly schedule a text message on iMessage but for this, your iPhone must be running on the latest iOS 18 version.

Q: Will the recipient know if a Text Was Scheduled?
A: No, the recipient will not know if the message is scheduled, it will appear as a regular message to them.

Q: Do Scheduled Messages send if the iPhone is off?
A: Unfortunately, the scheduled messages will not be sent if your iPhone is off at the scheduled date and time.

Q: Can I unsend schedule texts on iPhone?
A: SMS cannot be unsent once it’s sent and appears to the recipient on the shortcuts app. However, if you have scheduled text messages directly on the iMessage then, you can edit and delete the text.

Wrap Up

In this article, we have shared a step-by-step guide on how to schedule texts on iPhone. With the help of this feature, you can easily schedule your important messages to send at an exact time whether you are eating, sleeping, or working!