How to Schedule an iMessage on iPhone Using Send Later (iOS 18)

Here's how to schedule an iMessage: open Messages, tap the "+" icon, select "Send Later," pick a date and time, then type your message and send. It goes out automatically, even if your phone is offline at that moment.

Quick Answer: How to Schedule an iMessage

What You Need Before You Start

Two things have to be true. First, you need iOS 18 or later — Apple built native message scheduling directly into the Messages app as part of that update, as reported by TechCrunch, so this feature simply doesn't exist on older versions, no matter how you dig through settings.

Second, the conversation has to be an iMessage thread, not a green-bubble SMS one. If you're texting someone who isn't on iMessage, this option won't show up at all. In practice, this trips up more people than the steps themselves — the feature is easy once you're in the right conversation type.

How to Schedule an iMessage in 4 Steps

1. Open a conversation in Messages (or start a new one).
2. Tap the "+" icon, then choose "Send Later."
3. Tap the time field and set your date and time — you can go up to 14 days out.
4. Type your message and hit send.

That's genuinely it. No confirmation screens, no extra menus.

Step-by-Step: Scheduling a Message in iMessage

Walking through it a bit slower, in case something doesn't look the way you expect it to:

Step 1 – Open the Messages App and Select a Conversation

Pick an existing thread or start a new one. Doesn't matter which — the option works the same either way.

Step 2 – Tap the "+" Icon and Choose "Send Later"

This sits in the same menu where you'd normally attach a photo or use an app. It's easy to miss the first time, mostly because people don't expect scheduling to live there.

Step 3 – Set the Date and Time

Tap the time field to open the scheduler. Once you pick a time, the text field's border switches to a dashed outline — that's your visual cue that the message is now in "scheduled" mode rather than ready to send immediately.

Step 4 – Type Your Message and Send

Write what you want to say, then tap the send arrow like normal. The message doesn't leave right away. It sits in the conversation with that same dashed border until the scheduled time arrives. In practice, most people only need this basic flow — the rest of what follows covers edge cases.

What Happens After You Schedule a Message

This is where a few details matter more than they seem to at first glance.

Delivery Works Even If Your Device Is Offline

The message will still go out at the scheduled time even if your phone is powered off or has no signal at that exact moment, as long as it reconnects afterward. This is one of the more useful parts of the feature — you're not tethered to keeping your phone on and connected.

Scheduled Messages Are Encrypted and Stored on Apple's Servers

Until it's sent, the message sits encrypted on Apple's servers — a method broadly described as end-to-end encryption, according to Wikipedia, where only the sender and intended recipient can read the message contents. Once it's delivered, it's removed from those servers entirely. This isn't something most people think about, but it's a reasonable question if you're scheduling anything sensitive.

The Recipient Won't Know It Was Scheduled

There's no label, no "scheduled" tag, nothing. When it arrives, it just looks like a normal text.

Managing a Scheduled Message Requires an Internet Connection

Here's the part that trips people up: while the original send can work offline, editing, rescheduling, or deleting a message you've already scheduled requires you to be online. If you're trying to cancel something and can't get a connection, it may go out before you're able to stop it.

How to Reschedule a Scheduled iMessage

Open the conversation, tap "Edit" beside the scheduled date above your message, then tap "Edit Time" and choose a new one. This only changes when it sends — not what it says. That distinction matters, because editing the message content is a separate action entirely, covered next.

How to Edit a Scheduled iMessage

Touch and hold the scheduled message bubble, tap "Edit," make your changes, then confirm. If your message is sitting further down in the thread than expected, scroll — scheduled messages sometimes appear below ones you've already sent, which throws people off the first time it happens.

How to Delete or Cancel a Scheduled iMessage

Touch and hold the message, then tap "Delete." That's the whole process. Once deleted, it's canceled — the recipient never sees it, and there's no draft left behind. Anyone managing recurring reminders this way tends to build a habit of checking scheduled messages before major calendar changes, since a canceled event doesn't automatically cancel a related text.

Where to Find a Scheduled Message in Your Conversation

If you send a scheduled message and then send a regular one afterward, don't be surprised if the scheduled one shows up below the newer message rather than in strict chronological order. It's a small quirk, but worth knowing before you assume something didn't go through.

Requirements and Limitations

If You're on an Older iOS Version (iOS 13–17)

Native scheduling isn't available before iOS 18 — full stop. The workaround is the Shortcuts app, which can trigger a message send at a set time using a personal automation. It's worth knowing the difference, though: Shortcuts builds a recurring automation by default, not a one-time send. If you only need the message sent once, you'll need to go back in and delete the automation afterward, or it'll try to send again on the next cycle. People who rely on this workaround regularly tend to set a calendar reminder just to go delete the automation — it's the step most commonly forgotten.

Conclusion

Scheduling an iMessage takes four steps and requires iOS 18 or later on an iMessage thread. You can reschedule, edit, or delete a scheduled message anytime before it sends, as long as you're online to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the recipient know a message was scheduled?

No. Scheduled messages arrive looking exactly like any other text, with no label or indicator showing when they were originally written.

Can I schedule an iMessage without Wi-Fi or cellular data?

The message can still send while your device is briefly offline, but managing (editing, rescheduling, deleting) a scheduled message requires a connection.

Can I schedule a message for more than 14 days in the future?

Not with the native feature. For longer delays, the Shortcuts app is the available workaround on iOS.

What iOS version do I need to schedule an iMessage?

iOS 18 or later. The feature isn't available on earlier versions.

What happens if I delete a scheduled message?

It's canceled immediately and never reaches the recipient — there's no partial send or leftover draft.