Animate messages on iPad
In the Messages app , you can animate a single message with a bubble effect or fill the entire message screen with a full-screen effect (for example, balloons or confetti). You can even send a personal message with invisible ink that remains blurred until the recipient swipes to reveal it.
You need iMessage to send and receive message effects.
Send a handwritten message or doodle
Use your finger to write a message or draw a doodle. Recipients see what you wrote or drew, re-created before their eyes.
In a conversation, rotate iPad to landscape orientation.
Tap
on the keyboard.
Write a message with your finger or choose a saved message at the bottom, then tap Done.
Tap
to send your message or
to cancel.
After you create and send a handwritten message, the message is saved at the bottom of the handwriting screen. To use the saved messages again, tap it. To delete the saved message, touch and hold it until the messages jiggle, then tap .
Animate the message bubble
Use effects to animate the message bubble: you can send a message with Slam or Loud so that it appears to pop out, or use Gentle so it arrives softly. You can also use Invisible Ink to hide the message before it’s read.
In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold
, then tap the gray dots to preview different bubble effects.
Tap
to send the message or
to cancel the effect and return to your message.
Animate effects over the full screen
You can send messages with full-screen effects—such as lively lasers, a moving spotlight, or echoing bubbles—that play when your recipient gets your message.
In a new or existing conversation, type a message or insert a photo or Memoji.
Touch and hold
, then tap Screen.
Swipe left to preview different screen effects.
Tap
to send the message or
to cancel the effect and return to your message.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
Balloons for “Happy birthday”
Confetti for “Congratulations”
Fireworks for “Happy New Year”