Send animated effects in Messages on iPhone

In the Messages app , you can animate a single message with a bubble effect or fill the entire message screen with a full-screen effect (for example, balloons or confetti). You can even send a personal message with invisible ink that remains blurred until the recipient swipes to reveal it.

Send a handwritten message

Use your finger to write a message. The recipient sees the message animate, just as ink flows on paper.

In a conversation, rotate iPhone to landscape orientation.
Tap on the keyboard.
Write a message with your finger or choose a saved message at the bottom, then tap Done.
Tap to send your message or to cancel.

After you create and send a handwritten message, the message is saved at the bottom of the handwriting screen. To use the saved messages again, tap it. To delete the saved message, touch and hold it until the messages jiggle, then tap .

Use a bubble effect

After you type a message, press (touch and hold on models without 3D Touch).
Tap the choices to preview different bubble effects.
Tip: Want to send a personal message? When you use invisible ink, the message remains blurred until the recipient swipes to reveal it.
Choose the effect you want, then tap to send your message.

Use a full-screen effect

After you type a message, press (touch and hold on models without 3D Touch).
Tap Screen, then swipe left or right to preview different screen effects.
Choose the effect you want, then tap to send the message or to cancel.

iMessage automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:

Balloons for “Happy birthday”
Confetti for “Congratulations”
Fireworks for “Happy New Year”

Helpful?

iPhone User Guide

Send animated effects in Messages on iPhone

Send a handwritten message

Use a bubble effect

Use a full-screen effect