Text message scheduling lets you type a message now, and have it automatically sent at the set time. Unlike email, which is effortless, message scheduling is not as straightforward. This is because there is no inbuilt support from Apple. However, a few options exist to get things done. They have their caveats and drawbacks. But let’s learn how to schedule text messages on your iPhone.
How to Schedule Text Messages on iPhone Using Scheduled App
How does this app work?
When sending a message, a blue send button in the Message app denotes the message will be sent via iMessage; a green button denotes SMS or MMS. Finally, iMessage does have a tendency to go offline. Jailbroken users have it easy with some of the tweaks available, but for those who don’t have jailbroken devices, having your iPhone automatically send a text at a specified time isn’t as easy to achieve, even with third-party apps because of restrictions in place by Apple. But there is one app that goes around Apple’s restrictions to. How to send international SMS on iPhone If you are an iPhone owner, you can send an international text message using a variety of apps. Some work more like chat services that use your data plan or Wi-Fi, while others assign a text-only phone number to every contact. The go-to app for free international texting on an iPhone is iMessage. To use SMS/MMS on an iPhone, you need a text-messaging plan. Contact your wireless carrier for more information. You can also set up your other Apple devices to send and receive messages from any Apple device. If Wi-Fi is unavailable, iMessages will be sent over cellular data. Cellular data rates might apply.
- Auto Send: You can choose a premium plan and send scheduled text messages automatically using a virtual number. The Scheduled app uses an SMS gateway for this. The receiver can reply to this virtual number, and you can read it inside the Scheduled app. The plan starts at $3.99 per month. You get credits, and using these you can send automatically scheduled text messages from your iPhone.
- Schedule Messages: iOS has restrictions. Thus this or any app can not send scheduled text messages. What this app will do, is let you type the message, add the sender, and set the reminder. When the time comes, you only have to hit send. So, yes, it is not automatic text message scheduling, but it is certainly helpful.
- Download the Scheduled app for free from the App Store. Sign Up using your phone number. Give the app access to contacts and notifications. Without these permissions, it will not be of much help.
- Tap on CREATE MESSAGE.
- Then Tap on To: and choose one or multiple contacts. Tap Done.
- Under Your message, type the desired message. Optionally, tap on the tiny square icon to select a template.
- Tap on Schedule date and set the preferred date and time. Make sure to choose AM and PM correctly. Tap anywhere else to exit this selection screen. (Send automatically tab here, requires a premium plan.)
- Tap on SCHEDULE MESSAGE.
- When the time comes, the app will send you a notification. Tap on it and then hit Send from the upper-right. The messages app screen will open. The contact number and message text will already be written. All you need to do is hit the arrow to send the message.
Using this app, you can schedule not only texts, but even calls and messages for WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Slack, and more. For this, tap on All from the top row and choose the desired service.
Sending Sms Messages From Pc
How to Schedule Text Messages With the Shortcuts App
Before You Begin:
- Make sure Allow Untrusted Shortcuts is enabled from the Settings app → Shortcuts.
- This method to schedule text messages works only if the iPhone screen is unlocked and on the Shortcuts app.
Sending Sms Text
- Download and add Send Delayed Text shortcut. For this, tap on this link. Next, tap on Add Untrusted Shortcut.
- In the Shortcuts app, tap on My Shortcuts and find this shortcut. Tap on the more.
- Scroll to the bottom, and under MESSAGES, tap on Allow Access → OK. Tap Done.
- Now, tap on the shortcut. Tap on the desired contact.
- Type the desired text message and tap OK.
- Set the preferred time and tap OK.
- Leave the Shortcuts app open and screen unlocked. The text message has been scheduled. It will be sent automatically on the set time.
In Which Situations the Above Method is Helpful?
Due to the limitation of keeping the screen unlocked and on the Shortcuts app, it hinders the iPhone usage. But suppose you have to sleep early, and you do not want to miss sending the text for the new year, birthday, or anniversary.
In such cases, open the Settings app → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never. Now, follow the above steps to schedule the text message. Finally, put your phone into the charging mode.
Another similar shortcut that you can use is Delayed Time iMessage.
In case you do not want to use this app, you can use the Reminders app on your iPhone. You may also ask Siri something like ‘Remind me to text Donald at 9:30 PM today.’
Signing off….
This is how you can schedule text messages on the iPhone. If you have just switched from Android, you might find it inconvenient as the green team already has excellent inbuilt message scheduling.
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The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
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