How to Schedule a Text on iPhone
Schedule an iMessage on iPhone up to 14 days ahead with Send Later, edit, reschedule, or cancel it before it goes out, and use Shortcuts for SMS or repeating texts.
You will end up with a text that sends itself at the time you choose, up to 14 days ahead, and you will know how to edit, reschedule, or cancel it before it goes out. Apple added this in iOS 18 with a feature called Send Later. You pick the date and time, and Apple delivers the message then, even if your iPhone is off.
There is one catch. Send Later only works in iMessage conversations (blue bubbles). For someone on Android, or for a message that repeats, step 6 sets up a Shortcuts automation instead. We checked these steps against Apple's iPhone User Guide for iOS 27 in September 2026.
An iPhone running iOS 18 or later An iMessage conversation (blue bubbles)
Open the conversation in Messages
Open the Messages app and tap the conversation where you want to send a scheduled text. You can also start a new conversation by tapping the compose button in the top right corner and choosing a contact. The person you are messaging must be using iMessage (blue bubbles). Send Later does not work with SMS or RCS conversations (green bubbles). If you are not sure, look at the text field. If it says "iMessage" you are good. If it says "Text Message" the option will not appear.
Tap the + button and select Send Later
Tap the + button to the left of the text field. A menu of options appears. Look for Send Later and tap it. If you do not see Send Later right away, tap More at the bottom of the menu. Once you tap Send Later, the border of the text field turns into a dashed line and a send time appears at the top. You set your actual time in the next step.
Good to know: If Send Later is missing even under More, check your iOS version in Settings, then General, then About. Send Later needs iOS 18 or later.
Pick the date and time
Tap the time at the top of the text field to open the scheduler. A date and time picker opens where you can scroll through dates, hours, and minutes. Choose the exact date and time you want the message to arrive. You can schedule up to 14 days ahead, but no further. Once you have the right time set, tap anywhere outside the picker to confirm it. The time at the top of the text field updates to show your chosen date and time.
Type your message and send
Type your message in the text field like you normally would. When you are happy with it, tap the Send button (the blue arrow). The message does not go out right away. Instead, it appears in the conversation with a dashed outline around the bubble. That dashed line means it is scheduled and waiting. Only you can see it in this state. The recipient will not see anything until the scheduled time arrives. Your message will be delivered at the exact time you picked, even if your iPhone is offline or turned off at that moment. That works because Apple holds the message encrypted on its own servers until the send time, then deletes it from there. On your end you can see the handover happen. The dashed line disappears and the bubble turns solid the moment it actually goes out.
Edit or reschedule a message before it sends
Changed your mind about the time or the wording? You can fix both. A scheduled message does not always sit where you left it. Apple notes that scheduled messages may appear below your already-sent ones, so scroll right to the end of the conversation and look for the dashed outline. Tap the Edit button that appears just above the message, beside the date. You get two options: Edit Time lets you pick a new date and time. Tap it, adjust the picker, and tap outside the schedule to commit it. Send Message sends the text immediately instead of waiting for the scheduled time. Changing the words, or canceling altogether, works differently. Neither one lives in that Edit menu. Long-press the message bubble itself and a second menu appears with both options on it. Tap Edit there to rewrite the message, then tap the checkmark to save. You can do that as many times as you like before it sends, and the recipient never sees the edit history. Tap Delete instead and the message is canceled and never delivered.
Heads up: You need an internet connection to edit, reschedule, or delete a scheduled message. If you are offline when you try, the changes will not go through.
Set up Shortcuts for SMS or recurring messages
Send Later only works with iMessage. If you need to schedule a text to an Android user (green bubble) or want recurring scheduled messages, the Shortcuts app is your backup option. On iOS 27, open Shortcuts and tap + to create a new shortcut. Tap Add Action, search for Send Message, type your message text, and choose the recipient. Then tap Edit, tap Automation, and choose Time of Day. Set the time you want the message to go out and choose whether it repeats daily, weekly, or monthly. To stop your phone asking for confirmation each time, tap Edit, tap the Info button, tap Privacy, and turn on Allow Running When Locked. On iOS 26, start from the Automation tab instead, tap +, choose Time of Day, add the Send Message action, and select Run Immediately. The catch is that a time-of-day automation repeats. For a one-off, set it up exactly the same way and delete the shortcut once the message has gone out. Third-party scheduling apps do not get around this either, because iOS only lets them prepare a message and hand it to you for approval. You still have to tap Send yourself when the moment comes.
If Send Later is missing from the + menu, the conversation is running on SMS or RCS instead of iMessage (step 1), so use the Shortcuts method in step 6 for that person. For more ways to get the most out of your iPhone, see our Apple Device Tips series, and Apple's own guide on scheduling messages shows the current screens.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Not with the built-in Send Later feature. Apple says you must be using iMessage, so the conversation has to be an iMessage conversation. If the conversation shows green bubbles instead of blue, Send Later will not appear in the menu. Your best alternative is a Shortcuts automation that sends the SMS at a set time of day. It repeats by design, so for a one-off message delete the automation after it has run.
Yes. Once you schedule a message, Apple handles the delivery on their servers. Your message will be sent at the scheduled time even if your iPhone is powered off, in airplane mode, or has no internet connection at that moment.
No. The recipient receives the message like any other normal iMessage. There is no label, timestamp note, or any indication that it was scheduled. The dashed outline you see on your end disappears once the message actually sends.
Apple limits scheduling to 14 days and does not say why. If you need to send something further out, set a reminder on your phone for that date and schedule the message when you are within the 14-day window.
Yes, as long as every person in the group chat is using iMessage. If even one participant is on Android or using SMS, the conversation falls back to MMS or RCS and Send Later will not be available for that group.
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