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Set up Messages on iPhone

You can send text messages several different ways in the Messages app :

  • Over Wi-Fi or cellular service, using iMessage with others who also use iMessage. Your iMessage texts appear in blue bubbles.

  • Over cellular service with SMS, MMS, or RCS messages, which appear in green bubbles. See Set up cellular service. (RCS messages aren’t supported by all carriers or in all countries or regions.)

  • Over satellite when you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, using iMessage or SMS on supported iPhone models and certain carriers (U.S., Canada, and Mexico only). See Send a text message via satellite.

For more information, see the Apple Support article What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS?, the Wireless carrier support and features for iPhone in the United States and Canada website, and the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability website.

Turn on iMessage

  1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Apps, then tap Messages.

  3. Turn on iMessage.

  4. To select which of your phone numbers and email addresses you want to use with iMessage, tap Send & Receive, then choose from the available options below “You can receive iMessages to and reply from.”

    The Messages settings pane with iMessage turned on.

Learn more about iMessage.

If you’re having problems, see the Apple Support article If you can’t turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime on your iPhone.

Sync messages on all your Apple devices

When you turn on Messages in iCloud, messages you send and receive on your iPhone are saved in iCloud. When you sign in to the same Apple Account and turn on Messages in iCloud on another device, your conversations show up and sync there too. Your entire messages history is kept up to date across those devices, even when you set up a new device. This includes messages sent or received with SMS, MMS, RCS, or iMessage.

  1. Make sure that your iPhone is turned on and connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network, and that you sign in to the same Apple Account on each device.

  2. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.

  3. Tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Messages.

    If Messages doesn’t appear, tap See All in the Saved to iCloud section.

  4. Turn on “Use on this iPhone” (if it’s not already turned on).

  5. To confirm which devices receive any SMS, MMS, or RCS text messages you get on your iPhone, go to Settings, tap Apps, then tap Messages. Tap Text Message Forwarding, then turn on your other devices.

After you turn on Messages in iCloud, any messages or attachments you delete from iPhone are also deleted from your other Apple devices (iOS 11.4, iPadOS 13, macOS 10.13.5, watchOS 1, visionOS 1, or later) where Messages in iCloud is turned on. See Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices in the iCloud User Guide.

Note: Messages in iCloud uses iCloud storage. See Use iCloud.

Choose other devices for SMS, MMS, or RCS messaging

Text message forwarding is built into Messages in iCloud. If you don’t want to use Messages in iCloud to save iCloud storage space or to keep messages on only some of your devices, you can still share SMS, MMS, and RCS messages between your Apple devices by using text message forwarding.

When you set up text message forwarding on your iPhone, messages you send or receive appear on your other Apple devices without requiring Messages in iCloud.

Note: Availability varies by region and carrier.

  1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Apps, then tap Messages.

  3. Tap Text Message Forwarding, then turn on any devices you want to include.

    If your iPhone is set up with Dual SIM, turn on each line. If any devices aren’t appearing in the list, see the Apple Support article Forward text messages from your iPhone to other devices.

Note: If you’re not using two-factor authentication, you need to enter a six-digit activation code that appears on the other device.

Share your name and photo

In Messages, you can share your name and photo* with others. You decide whether to share it whenever you send or receive a message from someone new.

A conversation in Messages. A notification appears at the top asking whether the user’s name and photo should be shared with the other person in the conversation.

  1. Go to the Messages app on your iPhone.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • At the top of the conversation list, tap Edit, then tap Set Up Name & Photo.

    • Swipe up to the top of the conversation list, then tap Share Your Name & Photo.

  3. Choose how you want to be represented, scroll down, then turn on Name and Photo Sharing.

  4. Tap Share Automatically, then choose one of the following:

    • Contacts Only: Anyone who is a saved contact receives the option of using the name and image you chose when they communicate with you.

    • Always Ask: You decide to share your name and photo as you communicate with each contact.

  5. Tap the Done button to save your changes.

To change these settings after you set them up, tap Edit, then tap Name & Photo.

Note: Your name and photo may not appear as expected when you send messages to recipients who are using non-Apple devices.

*Availability varies by region.
See alsoApple Support article: Add or remove your phone number in Messages or FaceTimeStop, mute, and change message notifications on iPhoneManage information sharing with Safety Check on iPhoneSet up cellular service on iPhone
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