How to use the new text effects in iMessage on iPhone with iOS 18

With the iOS 18 update, Apple has brought a slew of new features, including fresh text effects in the Messages app. These effects let you animate words and make your conversations more vivid, whether it’s exploding words to grab attention or shaking text to convey emotion.

Animated text effects can be used to animate words and make conversations more vivid.

What text effects are available in iOS 18?

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There are a total of eight new text effects introduced in iOS 18, available to all users with this update. However, to see these animations, the recipient must also be using iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS 15 Sequoia. It’s important to note that the effects only work in messages sent via iMessage, and are not supported in SMS or RCS.

The effects will only work in messages sent via iMessage and are not supported in SMS or RCS.

How to add text effects in Messages

Add effects to text in iMessage is very easy, and you can do it either while typing a message or after you’ve written it. Here are step-by-step instructions:

1. Write a message.
2. Tap twice on the word or words you want to add an effect to.
3. Click the icon «A» to the right of the suggestion bar above the keyboard.
4. Select the animation you want to apply to the highlighted text.

You can also find the «Text Effects» function in the menu that appears if you select words. In this menu, among other things, you can find «Copy» commands, and you may need to click on the arrow on the right to find text effects.

With this menu, you can also find «Text Effects» commands.

What to do if you don’t want to apply an effect

If you change your mind, you can easily go back to normal typing. Just click on the words in the post and continue typing as normal. If you’ve selected an effect, you’ll see a preview of the animation before you send the message to make sure everything looks as intended.

New iOS 18 features

The iOS 18 update, released in September 2024, also brought improved homescreen settings, a completely redesigned Control Center, and a new version of the «Photos» app. It also prepped the platform for iOS 18.1, which will add Apple Intelligence features to iPhones.

And it’s a new version of the iOS 18.1 platform that will add Apple Intelligence features to iPhones.