Exclusive: iOS 18 to Add Text Effects to iMessage

Friday May 31, 2024 9:17 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple plans to add a new text effects feature to the Messages app on iOS 18, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

General Apps Messages
While it is already possible to send iMessages with bubble effects or full-screen effects, such as invisible ink or confetti, the text effects would allow you to animate individual words within a message. With the Messages app set to gain RCS support on iOS 18, it is possible the text effects will also work with green bubbles.

Our hope is that Apple will also add bold, italics, and underline formatting options alongside the text effects, but we have not confirmed that possibility.

In addition to the text effects and RCS support, the Messages app on iOS 18 will reportedly gain an AI-powered autocompletion tool.

As a refresher, RCS support will provide an improved messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices compared to the current SMS standard. Just like iMessage, RCS features higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, the ability to send messages over a Wi-Fi network, and better functionality for group chats.

iOS 18 is set to be unveiled during the WWDC keynote on June 10, and the first beta should be made available to members of the Apple Developer Program immediately after the presentation. The first public beta of iOS 18 will likely follow in July, and the update should be widely released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September.

Tag: Messages

Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV

Thursday April 23, 2026 12:08 pm PDT by Juli Clover

There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026. The next...

• 148 comments

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Monday April 20, 2026 7:13 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...

• 48 comments

Apple to Launch 'MacBook Ultra' With These Six New Features

Friday April 24, 2026 10:32 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

While the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro were just updated with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips last month, bigger changes are reportedly around the corner. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the higher-end MacBook Pro models will be receiving a major redesign by early 2027, and he said that Apple might use "MacBook Ultra" branding for them. If so, the MacBook Ultra would likely be a...

• 100 comments

Top Rated Comments

FineWoven

25 months ago

Idc about the animations or whatever but the fact that in the year of Our Lord 2024 I still can't do basic manipulations on the text in my messages such as bold, italic, and underline when such an ability has existed throughout nearly the entire history of GUI-based computing for many decades now, is ridiculous.

Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mikelets456

25 months ago

"Apple plans to add a new text effects feature to the Messages app on iOS 18..."

And by iOS 20 it will actually work.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jonblatho

25 months ago

Idc about the animations or whatever but the fact that in the year of Our Lord 2024 I still can't do basic manipulations on the text in my messages such as bold, italic, and underline when such an ability has existed throughout nearly the entire history of GUI-based computing for many decades now, is ridiculous.

Bold and italic would be nice, but you probably won’t get underline because underlining non-links is discouraged for accessibility reasons.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Bstzbgs

25 months ago

It’s a text message not a word document.

Anyway, as usual, I still don’t care about rcs and hope these features are iMessage only.

That’s a dumb take. Those formatting options are super useful for adding emphasis, clarification, titles and attribution, and other uses. Just because you lack the imagination or understanding of language to see the usefulness of this feature that most other message apps already have, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a useful feature to lots of folks. Maybe instead, next time ask why other people might find that useful when they make a suggestion before immediately jumping in to crap on it.

[LIST=1]
* "I never said she stole my money." (Someone else said it)
* "I never said she stole my money." (Implies that she may have taken something else)
* "I never said she stole my money." (Implies that she borrowed it or received it in a different way)
* "I never said she stole my money." (Implies that someone else stole it)
* "I never said she stole my money." (Categorical denial you said that)
* "I never said she stole my money." (Implies she stole someone else’s money)
* "I never said she stole my money." (You didn’t say it, but you aren’t denying it)

It is understandable that in its infancy, messaging would be oversimplification. But its been 38 years since SMS was invented. It’s long overdue that messaging adapted to us, not us to it.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)