Messages

Unlimited messages with iMessage. When you sign in with your Apple ID you can exchange unlimited messages—including text, photos, Live Photos, video, and more—with anyone with a Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch. The Messages app uses iMessage to send encrypted messages to these devices that appear in blue bubbles in your conversations. For setup information, see the Apple Support article Use Messages with your Mac.

Send SMS/MMS. If you’re not using iMessage, you can send and receive SMS and MMS messages on your Mac if your iPhone (with iOS 8.1 or later) is signed in to Messages with the same Apple ID as your Mac. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages, tap Text Message Forwarding, then tap the name of your Mac to turn on Text Message Forwarding. On your Mac, you’ll see an activation code if you’re not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID. Enter the code on your iPhone, then tap Allow. SMS and MMS messages aren’t encrypted and appear in green bubbles in your conversations.

Shared with You. Content sent to you over Messages by people in your Contacts automatically appears in a new Shared with You section in the corresponding app, so you can enjoy it when it’s convenient for you. Shared with You content appears in Photos, Safari, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, and the Apple TV app. Alongside shared content in the corresponding apps, you can see who sent it, and with a click, open the associated conversation in Messages so you can continue the conversation while you’re enjoying what was shared with you.

Keep favorite conversations at the top. Pin your favorite conversations to the top of the messages list by dragging them to the top. New messages, Tapbacks, and typing indicators appear above a pinned conversation. When there are unread messages in a group conversation, the most recent participants appear around the pinned conversation.

Manage group conversations. Make it easier to identify a group by setting a photo, Memoji, or emoji as the group image and naming the conversation. In a group conversation, you can direct a message to an individual by typing the person’s name or using the @ sign, and you can respond to a question or statement earlier in the conversation by adding your comment as an inline reply. When a conversation becomes too active, you can hide alerts for the conversation. To set a group image and see options for managing a conversation, select the conversation in the list, then click the Details button in the top-right corner of the Messages window. To receive a notification when you’re mentioned, open Messages Preferences, click General, then select the “Notify me when my name is mentioned” checkbox.

Easy photo management. When someone sends you multiple photos, they appear as a collage you can view at a glance. Larger sets are gathered in a stack you can flip through. Click the stack to view the photos as a grid, where you can add a Tapback or inline reply to individual photos. To quickly save a photo to Photos, click the Save Photo button next to it. To see all the photos in a conversation, click the Details button .

Make messages fun. Liven up discussions by responding to messages with Memoji stickers, Tapbacks, trending GIFs, or special effects like fluttering confetti, balloons, and more. Messages automatically generates sticker packs based on your Memoji characters. To add a Memoji sticker to a conversation, click the Apps button , click Memoji Stickers, then click the one that best expresses your mood. To add a Tapback, click and hold a message, then choose a Tapback. To add a GIF or special effect, click the Apps button , choose #images or Message Effects, then click the one you want to use. And look out for Digital Touch, invisible ink, and handwritten messages that your friends send you from their iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.

Create your own Memoji. Design your own personalized Memoji—choose skin color and freckles, hairstyle and color, facial features, and more. To use a personalized Memoji as your Messages photo, go to Messages > Preferences. Click “Set up Name and Photo Sharing,” click Continue, then click Customize. Click the New Memoji button , then click each feature to design your look. When you finish, click Done to add the Memoji to your sticker collection. To add more Memoji to your collection, open a conversation, click the Apps button , click Memoji Stickers, click the New Memoji button , then have fun designing.

Send a file, photo, or video. Easily share files by dragging them to Messages. Or quickly find and send photos and videos from your Photos library. In a conversation, click the Apps button , click Photos, then click a photo to add it. Type a keyword—for example, a person’s name, date, or location—in the search field to help you find a specific photo.

Share your screen. You and a friend can share screens and even open folders, create documents, and copy files by dragging them to the desktop on the shared screen. Click the Details button , then click the Screen Share button .

Learn more. See the Messages User Guide.