With iOS 18, you can set a message to be send at a later time. To do this you must be using iMessage with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, or later.
Your recipient can use any device, and they won’t know that the message was scheduled. You need to be online to reschedule, edit, or delete a scheduled message. You can schedule a message up to 14 days into the future. Here’s how:
° Launch the Messages app.
° Tap “+” and Send Later.
° Tap the time to open the scheduler, then choose when you want to send your message. The border of the text field turns into a dashed line, and the time your message will be sent appears above the message.
° Enter a message, then tap the upward pointing arrow.
The message appears with a dashed line until it’s time to send it, and it’s delivered even if all your devices are offline.
Note that scheduled messages are encrypted and stored on Apple servers only until they’re sent. When a message is sent, it’s removed from Apple servers, the balloon becomes a solid color, and its dashed line disappears.
How to reschedule a message until its delivery time:
° Launch the Message app.
° Go to the conversation with the message you want to reschedule.
° Scroll to the bottom of the conversation if you don’t see your message (scheduled messages may appear below other sent messages).
° Tap Edit beside the date (above your scheduled message), then do any of the following:
° Reschedule it: Tap Edit Time, choose a new time, then tap away from the schedule to commit the new time.
° Send it immediately: Tap Send Message.
How to edit a scheduled message until its delivery time:
° Launch the Messages app.
° Go to the conversation with the scheduled message you want to edit.
° Scroll to the bottom of the conversation if you don’t see your message (scheduled messages may appear below other sent messages.)
° Touch and hold the message bubble, then tap Edit.
° Make any changes, then tap the checkmark icon to resend with edits or “x” to revert.
How to delete a scheduled message before its scheduled time:
° Launch Messages.
° Go to the conversation with the scheduled message you want to delete.
° Scroll to the bottom of the conversation if you don’t see your message (scheduled messages may appear below other sent messages).
° Touch and hold the message you want to cancel, then tap Delete.
When you delete a message before its scheduled time, it’s canceled and not delivered to the recipient.
(This how-to is based on my experiences and info on Apple’s support pages.)
