Here’s how to easily schedule Text Messages on Your iPhone

Final 12 months, Apple unveiled its new iOS 16 working system for iPhone that introduced the power to schedule emails straight within the Mail app, which is beneficial for moments whenever you’re performed writing an e-mail however wish to ship it out at a particular time. Equally, customers have been requesting the ability to schedule texts on iMessage, however Apple hasn’t added the characteristic — not less than not but.

Nonetheless, there’s a workaround, and you’ll schedule texts natively from an iPhone with out having to obtain any third-party software. Nonetheless, it does have its limitations. The workaround requires Shortcuts, which was launched back in iOS 12 and comes pre-installed in all iPhones now.

With the Shortcuts app, iPhone customers are in a position to… effectively, set shortcuts, document voice memos, Shazam songs, handle good residence units and extra, with out having to go to their devoted apps. Equally, you possibly can set “Automations” from the Shortcuts app, which may run actions based mostly on occasions, corresponding to time of day, arrival at a location, or the opening of a particular app. An ordinary shortcut can solely be executed from the Shortcuts app or the Shortcuts widget. Automations, however, are triggered by occasions, areas, communications, or settings.

Right here’s how one can arrange an Automation to schedule texts on iMessage:

• Open the Shortcuts app and faucet on ‘Automation’ within the bottom-aligned tab.
• Faucet on ‘Create Private Automation’ and faucet on the primary choice that reads “Time of Day.”
• Choose the time you wish to schedule the textual content from the slider, and faucet on both Day by day, Weekly or Month-to-month.

As soon as the timing and frequency are set, you’ll outline the automation motion that the iPhone has to take. It’s best to see a display screen that appears like the primary screenshot (excessive left) under.

• Faucet on “Ship Message” underneath ‘Subsequent Motion Options.” If you happen to don’t see the suggestion, faucet on ‘Add Motion’ and sort in “Message.”
• Choose the content material of your message inside the first set of citation marks, adopted by who you wish to ship it to in ‘Recipients,’ and faucet on Subsequent.
• Try to be on a display screen that appears just like the third screenshot under. Allow the toggle to ‘Ask Earlier than Operating’ for those who’d like your iPhone to ask your permission earlier than sending out the message on the specified time. I’ve this toggled off, contemplating I don’t wish to obtain an additional immediate.
• You possibly can allow ‘Notify When Run.’ This may push a notification to you as soon as the message is distributed.

Now, your scheduled message is prepared, and it’ll exit on the specified time. It’s value noting that the identical message will exit to the identical particular person on the similar time, relying on the frequency you chose. In case your intention was simply to schedule a one-off message, then you possibly can delete the automation so it doesn’t ship the identical message to the recipient each day/weekly/month-to-month.

To delete an automation, head to ‘Shortcuts’ and faucet on ‘Automation’ within the backside aligned tab. Swipe left on the Message automation and faucet ‘Delete.’