Use iMessage apps on your iPhone and iPad

With iMessage apps, you can send messages later, collaborate with others in a conversation, decorate messages with stickers and more – without leaving Messages.

Get started

Download the latest version of iOS or iPadOS for your iPhone or iPad.
Make sure your device is signed in to the iTunes & App Store with your Apple Account.

Find iMessage apps

Open Messages.
Tap the Compose button to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation.
Tap the Plus button to find the app that you want to use.
Swipe up to see more of your apps.

iMessage apps that are installed automatically

In iOS 18, several iMessage apps are installed by default.

Send Later: schedule a message to be sent at a later time.

Store: download iMessage apps to use with Messages.

Photos: quickly add photos to your messages directly from the app.

Music: share recently played songs from Apple Music.

Digital Touch: use Digital Touch to send sketches, taps, kisses, heartbeats and more.

#images^*: find hundreds of trending GIFs to add to your messages.

Apple Cash: send and receive money with people you know.^*

Memoji: create and share an animated Memoji that uses your voice and mirrors your facial expressions.^**

Check In: automatically notify your friend or family member when you arrive at your destination, such as your home.

Stickers: create custom Live Stickers or Memoji stickers to match your personality and mood.

Location: share your location or request a friend’s location. When someone shares a location with you, view it directly within your conversation.

Audio: record and share clips with your voice or other audio.

Tap More to access your downloaded apps.

*#images and Apple Cash aren’t available in all countries or regions. If you find an issue or have a concern with content found in #images, you can report the content or remove the #images app.

**You’ll need a compatible iPhone or iPad to use Memoji.

Download iMessage apps

You can find and download apps to use with iMessage in the App Store for iMessage. Here’s how:

Open Messages.
Start a new message or open a conversation, then tap the Plus button.
Tap the Store icon.
Tap the Get button or the price icon next to the app that you want to download, then tap Install. You may need to enter your Apple Account password to complete the purchase.
Swipe down or tap the Close button to return to your message.

Some apps let you make additional purchases within the app. If you set up Family Sharing, you can use Ask to Buy to help control app downloads and in-app purchases. Find out more about in-app purchases.

Rearrange iMessage apps

You can add apps to your Favourites so you have quick access to them in the app drawer. You can also reorder apps in the app drawer, remove the ones you don’t want, and more.

Open Messages.
Start a new message or open a conversation, then tap the Plus button.
Touch and hold any app icon in the list until it shrinks a little, then drag it to your chosen location.
To move the app icon to a different page, drag it to the top or bottom edge of the screen. You may need to wait a moment for the new page to appear.