As you schedule emails and social media posts, scheduling a text message for free using an app like Shortcut on your iPhone can be an effective time management technique.
If your job or business relies heavily on texts, scheduling them can be a lifesaver! And if you use an Android device, it probably has text scheduling apps built-in.
But if it’s an iPhone, you cannot schedule a text message directly from iMessage. Therefore, you’ll require a third-party app! Hence, Apple’s free Shortcut app is a great alternative to help you schedule a text message on your iPhone.
Here, you’ll learn how to schedule a free text message on your iPhone using Apple’s Shortcut app.
Table of Contents
Can You Schedule an iMessage?
No, you can’t schedule a text message using iMessage. However, there are other ways to work around it, thanks to the Shortcuts app and other third-party apps for scheduling texts.
Using Reminders to Schedule Texts
Even though you cannot use reminders to send text messages, it can be helpful if you use them to write one beforehand. Then it will remind you to send the text at the appropriate time.
How to use Reminders:
- Go to Reminders and click on the + icon at the upper right side of your screen. If you’re in any subsections, you will see the + icon from the main screen at the bottom of the list.
- Choose Reminder from the option box that you see. It will take you to the page where you can write your message.
- In the blank field at the top, write, “Text [Karen]” (use the name of the person you wish to write to).
- Then, toggle on the Remind me on a day option.
- Next, choose Alarm and set the time and date you want to send the message.
- After that, scroll to the Notes section at the bottom and long-press it until you can type in a text.
- Enter the text you wish to send. Tap Done when you finish.
- When the reminder on your screen alerts you to text the person in question, open it by double-tapping it.
- Tap it again to reveal the information icon—a circle with an ‘i’ in it. Now, tap the information icon and scroll down to the Notes section.
- Here, long-press the message until you see the context menu. Pick Select All and Copy.
- Now, the next thing you can do is to open the Messages app and begin a new text. Then choose your recipient, and long-press the message field until you see the context menu.
- Paste your text message, and tap the Send icon—the green circle with a white icon. Then your text message will be sent at the time you initially intended.
Using Reminders doesn’t do the entire work for you. However, it helps you not to forget to text your recipient.
How to Schedule a Free Text Message On an iPhone
Since the iMessage on your iPhone cannot schedule a text message, there are other workarounds to help you achieve this. The Shortcuts app, alongside other third-party apps, is a good alternative for text schedule.
Schedule a Text Message on Your iPhone With Shortcut App
You can use the Shortcut app to schedule a text message on your iPhone for a later date. However, it’s a bit complex and might not exactly be what you want. But if you still want to use it, here’s how to do so:
- Start the Shortcuts app.
Note: The Shortcuts app is already built-in if you’re using an iPhone running iOS 13 or later. But if you’re using an earlier iOS version, you’ll have to install the app from the App Store.
- Pick the Automation tab at the bottom of the page.
- If you haven’t created automation, choose Create Personal Automation.
Therefore, if you have initially created automation, you will not see the Create Personal Automations option. So, click the + in the top right side and click Create Personal Automation.
- Pick the Time of Day option.
- Set the time you would like to send the message.
- Now, pick Month and scroll down to set the date you want the text to be sent. After that, click Next.
Note: When you schedule a message in iMessage, it will automatically set up a recurring message to be sent out on the same date and time every month. But if you want this to be a one-time thing, remove the automation or turn it off immediately after your scheduled message has been sent.
- Next, pick Add Action.
- In the Actions menu, choose a contact from the Send Message section and click Next.
- On the Message field, enter the text message you wish to send, then click Next.
- Review the New Automation to ensure it has the correct details. Another critical thing to note is the option to Ask Before Running. It is often enabled by default. Tap the toggle beside it to turn it off if you want the automation to run without any input from you automatically.
- Afterward, click Done. Voila! Your automation will now run based on the settings you chose.
How to Send a Delayed Text on iPhone?
While the Shortcuts app is famous for sending recurring messages, third-party apps can schedule one-time messages and recurring ones.
So if you’d prefer to schedule one-time text messages, third-party apps might be your desired pick!
Some of the best third-party apps in the App Store include:
You can download these apps for free. But they have in-app purchases, meaning they are not entirely free. Although they work differently, their common goal is to help you create and schedule messages to send at a later time.
How to Schedule a Text Message on Your iPhone Using a Third-party App
In this case, we’ll be looking at the Scheduled app. If you don’t have it on your iPhone, head to the App Store and download it.
- After installing the Scheduled app, follow the setup process.
- During your setup, go for the free version if you want to get a reminder when it’s time to deliver your scheduled message. But if you wish your scheduled messages to be delivered automatically, pick the Premium plan.
- From the Scheduled home screen, click the + (plus) icon at the bottom of the screen to begin a new scheduled text.
- At the top of the screen, determine the messaging platform you want to use. Then type in the recipient contact(s)—you can create a group for continuous messaging using the To field.
Note: You will need to permit the app to access your contacts list (if you didn’t do it during the setup process).
- Type in your text and include a picture if you wish. Then click on Schedule date and choose the date you want the message sent.
- If you want the message sent periodically, pick Don’t repeat. But if you want it to recur, pick Repeat (daily, weekly, monthly, and so on, depending on the one you wish).
- Click the Reminder box if you’re using the free version of the Scheduled app or if you don’t want it to auto-send and want to have an opportunity to send it yourself at the set time. But if you’re using a Premium plan and want the app to help you send the message, click Send automatically.
- Afterwards, click Schedule Message at the bottom of the screen. And boom! You’re good to go!
Summary
Although you cannot schedule a text message on an iPhone, there are different apps you can use to do that for free, including the Shortcut app from Apple. Besides this, we mentioned other apps that can perform the same function.
In addition, you can use reminders to alert you of your set date and time to send a message.
FAQs on How to Schedule a Text Message on an iPhone
You will see a scheduled message in your conversation thread, but it will have a clock beside it and a note that states Scheduled message below it. If you want to hide the message, click on the Scheduled message.
Immediately after the message is sent, it will have a clock icon beside it. You can use it to edit the scheduled message.
To block messages from a particular contact or phone number, tap the name or number. Then click on the More Info button.
Select Info and scroll down, then choose Block This Caller. In addition, you can block messages from unknown senders automatically. To do this, go to Settings → Messages → Filter Unknown Senders, then turn on the option.
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