Tech

iOS 14: How to send decorated and animated messages in Messages (iPhone, iPad)

On iOS 14, and since iOS 10, you can modulate your messages to send them with live wallpapers. A feature that can quickly become annoying, but as we are Machiavellian, here is a small guide to use it.

The MSN generation remembers the wizz. This horrible feature born in Microsoft’s less savvy R&D labs made the person’s screen vibrate wizzed to call his attention. Hard to find a more intrusive interaction in instant messaging, but it was so too much that the wizz has become, for many, a second degree valve.

Apple has taken over, since iOS 10, this kind of visual concept in its Messages application. The text edits are quite nice and interesting in terms of communication in the digital age (you can modulate your text just like you would mod your voice), screens animated are rather kitsch and oblige the other person to see them in full.

That said, as all tastes are in nature and the functionality is rather hidden (no one in the editorial staff noticed the change in the icon that allows you to access it), here is a little guide to enable these options on your messages.

Personalize an iMessage in Messages

  • Enter any message in the text field.
  • Instead of briefly pressing the up arrow, long press.

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  • You will then end up with the text modulations menu : you can make it conspicuous, discreet or write it in an “ink” that will have to be scratched to reveal the message below. Tremble, CIA agents.
  • You can touch the “Screen” option to access the famous wizz. You will have the choice, among others, between balloons, confetti, lasers, fireworks or a shooting star.

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  • Press the arrow to validate, and let’s go!

Note that your correspondent must have an iOS product to receive them and that on certain occasions, the Message application will be able to add an animation on its own (when you wish the happy new year, for example).

Between these options and the stickers, emojis, likes and other drawings, heartbeats or flames, we tell ourselves that Messages may become a very colorful messaging application. Apple seems to trust its users so that the application is not too cluttered …

Article originally published on September 20, 2016 and updated on August 21, 2021

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