We all lead busy lives, and sometimes those text messages get pushed to the back burner. But what if you could ensure a message gets delivered at exactly the right time? This guide will show you how to schedule text messages on both iPhone and Android devices. Whether you’re a busy professional who needs to send a follow-up email after a meeting, or a thoughtful friend who wants to send a birthday wish at midnight, scheduling your texts can be a real lifesaver. Let’s see how this works.
What Does Scheduling A Message Mean?
Scheduling a message means you tell your messaging app to send a text you’ve written at a later time. This is handy because you don’t have to remember to send it yourself at that exact moment.
Apps like Samsung’s Messages and Google Messages let you do this right inside the app. You write your message and then pick when you want it to go out.
If your messaging app doesn’t let you schedule messages, you can use other apps made just for scheduling texts on that platform.
Also Check: Check Text Messages Remotely on Your Phone
How To Schedule A Text On iPhone?
Scheduling text messages directly from iMessage on your iPhone isn’t a built-in feature. However, there are alternative methods that allow you to schedule messages. Keep reading to find out how.
1. By Using Shortcuts Automation
The Shortcuts app on your iPhone offers a convenient way to automate tasks, including scheduling text messages. This feature is available for users with iOS 13 or later. If you’re on an earlier version, you can download the free Shortcuts app from the App Store to access this functionality.
To schedule a text message using Shortcuts Automation:
- Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. If you haven’t installed it yet, get it from the App Store.
- Go to the Automation tab at the bottom of the app.
- If you’re new to creating automations, tap “New Automations.” If you’ve done this before, tap the ‘+‘ in the upper right, then choose “Create Personal Automation.”
- Select “Time of Day” as the event type, and pick Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
- Tap Next at the top right.
- Tap “Add Action” and choose “Send Message” from the list.
- Type your message in the Message field.
- Tap “Recipients” to choose who will receive the message.
- Tap Done.
- Double-check the date, time, recipient, and message.
- Review the “Ask Before Running” option, turn it off if you want to run the automation without confirmation. Tap Done to finish.
Note: Using the Shortcuts app in iMessage, you can schedule messages to be sent automatically on a specific date and time, whether it’s monthly, weekly, or daily. If it’s a one-time message, you’ll have to remember to delete the automation after it’s sent or turn it off.
2. By Using The iPhone Reminders App
If you don’t want to add new apps to your iPhone, you can use the built-in Reminders app to schedule text messages. Although the Reminders app won’t send your message automatically, it lets you write your text ahead of time and reminds you to send it when you choose. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Reminders app.
- Tap “Add a list” at the bottom-right, then enter your details.
- Tap “+ New Reminder” to create a new reminder and give it a title.
- Alternatively, If you want to add the reminder to an existing list, tap “+ New Reminder” at the bottom-left after opening the app, then title the reminder.
- Type your message within the reminder as a placeholder.
- Add any extra details if needed.
- Tap the calendar icon to schedule your reminder.
- Click “Done” to finish setting up your reminder.
When the reminder notification arrives at the scheduled time:
- Open the Reminders app notification.
- Copy the reminder message.
- Paste the message into the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Tap “Send” to schedule and send your text message.
Also Check: Best Calendar Apps for Mac
3. By Using Third-Party Apps
If you prefer using third-party apps, you can explore options in the App Store like Scheduled or Text Delay for scheduling text messages. These apps offer additional features, but some may require a fee. Keep in mind that certain apps won’t send messages automatically; they’ll remind you to send them at the set time. Here are some popular third-party apps you can consider:
Scheduled: Allows you to compose and schedule messages for later. It includes features like message templates and scheduling for multiple recipients.
Text Delay: This lets you schedule text messages for a specific time, with options for recurring messages and setting reminders.
AutoSender: Allows you to schedule messages, calls, and emails to be sent automatically. It offers customization for message scheduling and supports sending messages to multiple recipients.
How To Schedule A Text On Android?
When scheduling text messages on Android, you don’t need to download extra apps. Most Android devices have built-in features for this. Samsung users can use the Samsung Messaging app, and non-Samsung users can use the Google Messages app, which is pre-installed on most Android devices. The process might vary slightly depending on your Android version, but the basic steps are the same. This section will show you how to schedule text messages on Android.
1. By Using The Google Message App
All the latest versions of Android phones come with the Google Messages app as the default messaging app. With the Google Messages app, you can easily schedule text messages to be sent at a later time. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Google Messages app on your Android phone.
- Tap “Start chat” and choose who you want to message.
- Type your message in the chat box.
- Instead of tapping the “Send” arrow immediately, long-press on it.
- A menu will appear, presenting the option “Scheduled send.” Tap on this option.
- Select one of the suggested date and time combinations provided, or opt for a custom date and time by tapping “Pick date and time.”
- After setting the desired date and time, tap “Next” and then “Save” to confirm and save your scheduled message.
- Finally, tap “Send” to schedule your message.
2. By Using The Samsung Message App
If you’re a Samsung user, the built-in Samsung Messages app provides a convenient way to schedule text messages on your Android device. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Samsung Messages app.
- Tap “Compose” in the bottom right.
- Choose who you want to message.
- Type your message.
- Tap the “+” icon on the left.
- Select “Schedule message.“
- Pick the date and time.
- Click “Done” to schedule.
3. By Using Google Calendar
Like the iPhone’s Reminders app, Google Calendar offers a way to schedule text messages on your Android device. While it won’t send messages automatically, it reminds you to send them yourself. Here’s how you can schedule a text message using Google Calendar:
- Open the Google Calendar app on your Android device.
- Tap the “+” icon and choose “Event” to make a new event.
- Give your reminder a title.
- Pick the date and time for your scheduled text message, and write your message in the event entry.
- While making the event, set an alarm or reminder.
- When it’s time, the calendar app will sound the alarm as a reminder.
- After the reminder, open the calendar entry, copy the message, and paste it into your messaging app.
- Send the message by pressing send in your messaging app.
Schedule A Text Message – FAQs
Ans: The ability to schedule messages for multiple recipients depends on the specific messaging app or method you are using. Some apps may support group text scheduling, while others may require individual scheduling.
Ans: Default messaging apps on both iPhone and Android devices often have scheduling features. However, some limitations may apply, such as the lack of advanced options or recurring scheduling. Third-party apps can provide additional features.
Ans: In most cases, scheduled messages appear in the recipient’s inbox like any other text message. There is usually no indication that the message was scheduled, contributing to a seamless and natural communication experience.
Ans: In general, if you follow the correct steps and settings, scheduled messages should be sent at the specified time. However, it’s always a good idea to double-check your settings and ensure the message is scheduled correctly.
Conclusion
Scheduling text messages is a useful feature for iPhone and Android users. It lets them send messages at the right time. You can use built-in features like Shortcuts and Google Messages, or third-party apps like Scheduled. Using these tools ensures your messages are sent at the best times, making a strong impression on recipients and helping you manage your time well.
