In iOS 10 and up, Messages has all those features and then some thanks to iMessage apps. These are apps just like the ones you get from the App Store and install on your iPhone. The only difference? Now there’s a special iMessage App Store built into Messages and you install the apps right into the Messages app.
iMessage Apps Requirements
In order to use iMessage apps, you need:
An iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad running iOS 10 or higher. A phone or data plan that supports texting. An Apple ID with a valid form of payment on file.
Texts with iMessage App content in them can be sent to any device that can receive texts.
What Kinds of iMessage Apps Are Available?
The types of iMessage apps you can get are almost as varied as the options from the traditional App Store. Some common types of apps you’ll find include:
Sticker packs to add images, animations, and other visual excitement to your texts.iMessage apps connected to apps you already have installed on your phone, like OpenTable, Evernote, or ESPN. These are cool because they let you access data from those apps in Messages without open the other apps.Games.Tools for shopping, travel, and more.
There are also some iMessage apps that come pre-installed on your iPhone. These include:
Music. This app lets you send Apple Music songs to other people over iMessage. Photos. Grab photos and videos from your library for easy sharing via text with this app. Apple Pay Cash. If you’re running iOS 11 or higher, you also have a built-in iMessage app for Apple Pay Cash, a peer-to-peer payment tool that uses Apple Pay. Activity. Share animated activity awards and animations. Animoji. Models with Face ID also include the Animoji app.
How to Get iMessage Apps for iPhone
Ready to grab some iMessage apps and start using them to make your texts more fun and more useful? Just follow these steps:
How to Use iMessage Apps for iPhone
Once you’ve got some iMessage apps installed, it’s time to start using them! Here’s what you need to do:
How to Manage and Delete iMessage Apps
Installing and using iMessage Apps isn’t the only thing you need to know how to do. You also need to know how to manage and delete the apps if you no longer want them. To manage apps, follow these steps: To favorite an iMessage app
Tap the + icon next to the app you want to make a favorite.
To rearrange iMessage apps
To change the order of apps in messages, drag and drop the apps to your preferred location using the three-line icon next to each app.
To hide an iMessage app
If you want to hide the iMessage app so that it doesn’t appear in the row of apps at the bottom of iMessage, and you don’t want to delete it, move the slider next to the app to off/white. It won’t appear in Messages until you turn it back on.
To delete iMessage apps
Tap Done so that the screen is no longer in Edit mode. Swipe right to left across the app you want to delete to reveal the Delete button. Tap Delete.
