iOS 18’s new text formatting and effects in messages

Get ready to jazz up your conversations because Apple’s latest iOS 18 update has brought some seriously cool text editing features to the Messages app. Gone are the days of plain, boring texts. It’s time to add some flair to your chats.

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New formatting and animated text effects in Message app (Apple) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What’s new in Messages?

Apple has finally given us built-in formatting options for iMessage conversations. Now, you can easily bold, italicize, underline or strike-through your text right in the app. But that’s not all. They’ve also added some fun animated text effects to really make your messages pop.

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Check your iOS version and update to iOS 18

Before diving into the new text formatting and animated effects, it’s essential to ensure your iPhone is updated to iOS 18. Here’s how to check and update your device:

Tap on the Settings app on your home screen.
Scroll down and tap on General.
Tap Software Update. Your device will check for available updates.
If iOS 18 is available, tap Download and Install. You may be prompted to enter your passcode.
Agree to the terms and wait for the update to download and install. Your iPhone will restart once the installation is complete.
Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and has sufficient battery life before starting the update process.

iOS 18's new text formatting and effects in messages

Steps to update to iOS 18 (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to enable Predictive Text

Next, ensure you’ve got Predictive Text enabled to see the Text Effects button:

Open Settings.
Scroll down and tap General.
Tap Keyboard.
Toggle on Predictive Text if it’s not already enabled.

Steps to enable Predictive Text (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to format your text messages

Here’s how to format your text in the Messages app:

Open a conversation in the Messages app.
Tap on the message bar.
You’ll see a pop-up for Text Effects. Tap it.
Choose from Bold, Italic, Underline or Strikethrough options.
Now, type your text message and apply the format you’d like to use. You can apply these before typing or to text you’ve already written.
Then hit the white up arrow in the blue circle.

Steps to format text messages (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to add animated text effects to your messages

Want to add some extra pizzazz to your text messages? Try out these animated text effects: Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom and Jitter. Here’s how to use these:

Open a conversation in the Messages app.
Tap on the message bar.
You’ll see a pop-up for Text Effects. Tap it.
Tap on the animated text effect you’d like to use.
Type your text message, like Happy Birthday.
Hit send and watch the magic happen.

Steps to add animated text effects to your messages (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to mix and match formatting and animated text effects

Here’s where it gets really fun. You can combine different formatting options and text effects in a single message. Want to bold one word, underline another and make a third one explode? Go for it. Just remember, you can’t apply both formatting and effects to the same text. It’s one or the other.

Open a conversation in the Messages app.
Tap on the message bar.
You’ll see a pop-up for Text Effects. Tap it.
Tap on the animated text effect you’d like to use.
Type your text message, like Happy Birthday.
Hit send and watch the magic happen.

Steps to mix and match formatting and animated text effects (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Note: Just keep in mind that these new features only work in iMessage conversations. They won’t show up in regular SMS or MMS texts. But for those iMessage chats, the sky’s the limit. So get creative and have fun spicing up your messages.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Apple’s iOS 18 update totally revamps your messaging game with cool text formatting options and fun animated effects. It’s super easy to spice up your chats now, adding a unique touch to every message. These features really change the way you express yourself in iMessage, letting you highlight words or just make your messages pop. The best part? They blend perfectly with the classic iMessage bubble and screen effects.

What aspect of the updated Messages app are you most eager to try out, and how do you think it will change how you communicate with friends and family? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.