TL;DR
Send messages at exactly the right moment – automatically, without having to remember. Perfect for birthdays, time zones, or late-night quiet.
Checked 1 source Season: All year
Checked  ## How to do it 1. **Open an iMessage chat** (only works with blue bubbles, not SMS) 2. **Tap the plus button (+)** → select **"Send Later"** 3. **Choose date and time** (up to 2 weeks in advance) 4. **Write your message** (text, photos, or videos work too) 5. **Tap Send** → message appears with a dotted border at the bottom of the chat ## Edit or delete a scheduled message 1. Scheduled message sits **at the very bottom** of the chat (dotted border) 2. Tap **"Edit"** 3. Choose: **Send now**, **Change time**, or **Delete** **Tip:** Long-press the message → **"Edit"** → adjust the text (possible up to 15 min after sending) ## Why this helps - 🎂 **Birthdays:** Think of it now, congratulate automatically tomorrow - 🌍 **Time zones:** Time messages perfectly for friends abroad - 😴 **Night quiet:** Prepare a message but send it in the morning - 🍀 **Good luck:** Automatically encourage someone before an important event ## Good to know - ⚠️ **iMessage only** (blue bubbles) – not SMS or WhatsApp - ⚠️ iPhone must be **online** when the message is scheduled to send - ✅ Also works on **iPad** (iPadOS 18+) and **Mac** (macOS Sequoia+) - ✅ Recipient **won't see** that the message was scheduled
Sources
Selected references used to verify or support this tip.
- Apple Support: Schedule a text message on iPhone to send later Apple Support · official_docs