iOS 10: 13 Cool New Things iMessage Can Do

Reactions have been mixed on iOS 10 (as they are whenever the new version of anything comes out). Things changed! Oh no! But most of iOS 10’s changes come in iMessage — it’s taken a cue from apps like WhatsApp and added a bunch of features to take texting up a notch. Here are 13 cool things iMessage can do in iOS 10 that you might not have noticed yet!

1) Invisible ink

Before you send your next message, press and hold the up arrow. That will take you to a new menu where you can choose different effects, including sending your message with invisible ink. The recipient will have to touch it your message in order to read it. The rest of the time, it’ll look like a bunch of grey specks.

2) Send with different bubble effects

Using the same menu as the invisible ink, you can make your message come in louder, gently, or with a slam!

3) Send with effects on the screen

Decorate the entire screen and send a message with balloons, confetti, lasers, fireworks, or a shooting star (the last three also have sound effects to go along with it).

4) React to a text

Hold your finger down on a text and reaction options pop up. This will be great for group chats where it gets too confusing to send a “lol” about someone’s joke that’s now ten texts ago.

5) The notification that the other person is typing changes based on which type of message

There’s one kind of response lipses for for handwritten messages and one for digital touch messages. It’s just cute!

6) Turn on read receipts for individual people

Instead of deciding whether you want to be brutally honest with everyone, you can now choose individually who you want to know if you’re ignoring them or not.

7) Name group convos

You can now name group conversations, which, you know, Facebook messenger rolled out a couple years ago.

8) Digital touch messages

These are simultaneously really neat and pretty much useless. Touch the heart with two fingers icon and you get a new menu allowing you to send cool-looking fireballs, kisses, heartbeats, and your own amazing drawings.

9) Handwritten messages

Now you can turn your phone into landscape mode for a larger writing surface as well as some pre-written messages.

10) Native .GIFs

You don’t need a .GIF keyboard anymore, just click the A for App icon in iMessage and it takes you right to one.

11) Take or send a photo right in the app

No more switching between apps to send photos — they’re integrated right there at the bottom when you click the camera icon.

12) Share music

Press the A for App icon and send music you’re listening to… assuming you’re one of those people still using iTunes. #SpotifyForever

13) Watch a video right in iMessage

Now when you send a link to a video, the video itself pops up and lets you watch it right there without switching to — god forbid — the YouTube app. Brilliant.

If any of these things were possible in the last update and I just didn’t notice, forgive me. Or don’t. These are just my observations. Are you into these changes? Did I miss any? Send me a cool screenshot on Twitter @erikaheidewald!