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How to schedule text messages on iPhone

We can schedule text messages and more on iPhone. I did on iOS 16.4.1


Please follow the following steps


  1. Go to shortcuts app
  2. Select Automation window
  3. Create personal automation
  4. Time of the day
  5. Choose the event type(daily, weekly, monthly)
  6. Click next
  7. Select action send message (do check out their various convenient actions by clicking “+” and section “all actions”)
  8. Click on “message” to input message
  9. Click on “recipients” to select receiver of the message
  10. Click next and disable “Ask before sending
  11. Click done.
  12. This automation will have to be manually deleted in order to end its occurrences.


Hope y’all find it helpful! ✌🏽


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on May 13, 2023 12:48 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 24, 2023 9:55 AM

This is insanely complicated compared to android. I just switched and I like iPhone but I don’t understand what Apple is thinking here. Anyone know if this feature is in the pipeline? I used to schedule texts on android but this shortcut seems circa 1990.

114 replies

Dec 19, 2023 5:16 PM in response to Muhurt

Created a username for comments just for this thread because it made me incredibly angry lol. The fact that android users have been able to do this for YEARS and we don't have it is incomprehensible. Have been wanting a delayed text feature for YEARS. Has so many applicable use cases.


Sitting in your bed late at night and want to text your barber about making an appointment but don't want to be rude? Set a delayed text for the next day so you don't forget.


Struggle with remembering birthdays like me? Send delayed happy birthday texts to all of your friends into perpetuity so you don't need to worry about it.


This is such a simple feature that has so much applicability to every day life that it's a serious shame they haven't figured this out.


Get it together, Apple!


Jan 8, 2024 8:17 AM in response to Muhurt

I finally made the transition to iPhone and finding some major shortcomings just like this. It’s comical to have people be so into Apple iOS iPhone etc. and it’s only because they truly don’t know what the other side looks like our offers. As much as I appreciate being able to add flying balloons to my text messages, I find scheduling them to be far more important. How can Apple be so far behind on this? And your suggesting a 10 point automations step for each message that I need to schedule? Comical.

Dec 20, 2023 6:14 AM in response to Muhurt

This is one of the biggest reasons I would never go back to iphone. I found this thread because I was trying to find a way to keep my mom from texting me at 6:00 a.m. I live in a different time zone than many of my friends and family, and I'm always wanting to text them during hours of the day when they're probably sleeping. The ability to quickly send a text at a later time is so convenient and essential. I can't believe Apple hasn't implemented something so simple.

Jan 8, 2024 9:09 AM in response to alangeer

alangeer wrote:

I finally made the transition to iPhone and finding some major shortcomings just like this. It’s comical to have people be so into Apple iOS iPhone etc. and it’s only because they truly don’t know what the other side looks like our offers. As much as I appreciate being able to add flying balloons to my text messages, I find scheduling them to be far more important. How can Apple be so far behind on this? And your suggesting a 10 point automations step for each message that I need to schedule? Comical.

Your fellow users can't change how Messages works. Some of them have taken the time to post workarounds they've developed. I think it's great that they've posted them here. If they don't work for you, just ignore them.


Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestion. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:


Product Feedback - Apple


Feb 22, 2024 11:10 PM in response to Muhurt

This process is overly complex, time consuming and honestly inconvenient. I’ve only ever had Apple products and I love iMessage but this should be a feature embedded right in the iMessage app. You mean to tell me I can send messages with features like fireworks and invisible ink but I can’t press and hold to schedule a text message? Big fail.

Jan 24, 2024 6:49 AM in response to Muhurt

Hello Muhurt!

User tips can only be given by people at higher levels. I, as you can see, am also at a low level. There have been times where I felt like giving people tips but couldn't. Instead, you should simply suggest it to someone at a higher level. Thank you!


To everyone else:

Please calm down. The Apple Support Community is not a place to give ideas. We are technically forbidden from doing this. Nobody on these forums actually works for Apple. I too have actually thought of this for a while. I had no idea that Android has already had this for a long time. I understand where you are coming from. Instead of complaining, though, simply suggest this to Apple. Please, don't be angry at Apple. I'm sure Apple welcomes any feedback given by users.

Also, please don't vote up replies simply because the person who wrote them is right. Voting up replies is intended for keeping the replies (like IrisSeabright's) that give the most help.

Thank you all for understanding!

How to schedule text messages on iPhone

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