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.

You need iMessage to send and receive message effects. See About iMessage and SMS/MMS.

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

Use bubble effects to animate the message bubble.

In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold , then tap the gray dots 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.
Tap to send the message or to cancel.

Use a full-screen effect

Use full-screen effects to animate the message screen.

In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold , then tap Screen.
Swipe left to preview different screen effects.
Tap to send the message or to cancel.

Messages 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