iOS 18 'Send Later': How to schedule iPhone texts so you'll never forget a birthday

Never forget Aunt Bertha's bday again.
By Kimberly Gedeon  on 
Apple demos Send Later at WWDC 2024
Here's how to use the new iOS 18 Send Later feature Credit: Apple

iOS 18's new Send Later feature now lets you schedule texts. The ability to schedule texts on iPhone isn't necessarily new. For example, you can use the Shortcuts app to program the device to schedule texts. However, with the new Send Later feature, sending texts at a later date is now easier than ever.

iOS 18 isn't officially out yet, but you can test the feature via the iOS 18 developer beta version that is currently available as of this writing.

iOS 18 'Send Later': How to schedule texts on iPhone

As mentioned at the outset, you must update your iPhone to iOS 18 by installing the developer beta. Keep in mind, however, that this is an unrefined version. As such, you may experience some bugginess. If you still want to install the developer beta, make sure you use iPhone backup.

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Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here's how to schedule texts on iPhone via Send Later.

  1. Go to Messages.

  2. Choose an existing thread or compose a new message.

  3. Hit the "+" button.

  4. Hit "More."

  5. Tap on "Send Later."

  6. Tap on the blue rectangle and choose the date and time for the scheduled message.

  7. Type in your message in the "Send Later" field.

  8. Hit the blue arrow button.

Your message is now scheduled to send at your chosen designated time. You no longer have to worry about forgetting to send a birthday text to Aunt Bertha — as long as you remember to use the Send Later feature.

Topics iOS

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Kimberly Gedeon
East Coast Tech Editor

Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.


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