Exciting New iOS 18.2 Features to Enhance Your iPhone Messaging Experience

In today’s fast-paced world, the way we communicate is constantly evolving, and sometimes the static, plain text simply doesn’t cut it when you need to make a point. You’d want something akin to waving your hands or showing facial expressions, but such gestures aren’t possible in text messages. However, with the Messages app in iOS 18.2, Apple has taken a step forward by incorporating a myriad of texting features that will add flair and emphasis to your conversations. These features range from text formatting like bold and italic to animated effects that can make your words explode on screen. They’re designed to not only enhance your chatting experience but also ensure better communication with friends who use Android phones, thanks to new RCS support. Additionally, you can now schedule messages for a more reasonable hour, and the latest features even let you send messages via satellite and create personalized emojis with Genmoji.

1. Enable RCS Messaging

Thanks to Apple’s addition of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol to the Messages app, the barriers you face when texting Android users can be significantly reduced. RCS enables functionalities such as read receipts, high-quality image transfers, and end-to-end encryption while keeping Android message bubbles green. This new feature ensures a more seamless and secure messaging experience between iOS and Android users. If your carrier supports RCS, the good news is you might not have to do anything extra to use it. However, to ensure that RCS Messaging is turned on, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Settings on your iPhone.
2. Select Apps.
3. Choose Messages from the list.
4. Tap on RCS Messaging.
5. Make sure RCS Messaging is toggled on.

With RCS Messaging enabled by default, your iPhone will be set to deliver an enriched messaging experience. The inclusion of RCS on the iOS platform helps bridge the gap between the iOS and Android ecosystems, making interactions smoother and more intuitive. This update underscores Apple’s commitment to improving user experience through enhanced compatibility and new, forward-thinking features that pave the way for better cross-platform communication.

2. Send Texts via Satellite

The ability to send text messages via satellite is a groundbreaking feature that can literally be a lifesaver when you’re in a remote area devoid of cellular signals. Initially introduced as an emergency feature with the iPhone 14, this capability is now expanded to include non-emergency texts as well. Imagine being on a hiking expedition or in a rural area where cellular reception is nonexistent. With an iPhone 14 or later model, you can still stay connected with friends and family by leveraging this satellite messaging feature. Here’s how to send texts via satellite:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps.
3. Select Messages.
4. Tap on Messages via Satellite.
5. Choose Satellite Connection Demo to try it out or experience it yourself by going to a remote location.

While connected to a satellite, the Dynamic Island interface on your iPhone will guide you to stay pointed at the overhead satellites. This ensures that your text messages are sent successfully, complete with features like emoji and Tapbacks still functioning. This feature not only expands the functionality of your iPhone but also adds a layer of security and connectivity, especially useful during adventures into the great outdoors or in critical situations where every second and message counts.

3. Format Text in Messages

For those who value typography and the power of well-formatted text, the new text formatting options in iOS 18.2 are a welcome addition. Gone are the days when the only way to emphasize a message was to use all caps, which often felt like shouting. With these new features, you can now add more nuance to your texts with bold, italic, underlined, and strikethrough styles. This adds another dimension to your digital communications, ensuring your messages are clear, professional, and impactful. To format text in Messages, follow these steps:

1. Type your message.
2. To format the entire message, tap the Formatting button in the suggestion bar.
3. To format specific words, double-tap the word and press the Formatting button.
4. Select one of the options at the top of the formatting panel: bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough.

This new capability makes your texts more expressive, leveraging centuries of typographic development to enrich your digital conversation. However, if you send a formatted message to someone using an older system, they might only see plain text. This could be slightly confusing if you use strikethrough to indicate removed words, but overall, the enhancement to your messaging capabilities is a significant upgrade and highly beneficial for clear and effective communication.

4. Animate Text Messages

Sometimes, words alone aren’t enough to convey the full extent of your emotions. With new animation options in iOS 18.2, you can add another layer of expression to your texts. Whether you’re announcing big news or just want to inject some fun into your conversation, these animations add a dynamic quality that plain text formatting can’t achieve. These animated effects include styles like Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter. Here’s how to animate text messages:

1. Type your message.
2. Tap the Formatting button in the suggestion bar to select the entire text.
3. To animate specific words, double-tap the words and press the Formatting button.
4. Choose one of the animation styles: Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, or Jitter.

Adding animations to your messages is as easy as formatting text, and you can even mix animations within a single message. For instance, you can make some words jitter while others explode, providing a playful and engaging way to communicate. However, you can’t apply more than one animation to a single selection, meaning a word can’t both shake and explode at the same time. As with text formatting, animated messages will appear as plain text for anyone not running iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia. This fun new feature makes your messages more lively and engaging, but users should be aware of the limitations when messaging those with older devices.

5. Turn Off Auto-Playing Animations

While animations add fun and engagement to your texts, there are scenarios where you might prefer a more subdued messaging experience. For instance, if a friend is testing out all the animation effects in a series of messages, your screen might get cluttered with pulsating, resizing, and jittering texts. This can be overwhelming and potentially trigger migraines for sensitive users. Fortunately, iOS 18.2 provides an option to turn off auto-playing animations, ensuring a calmer display that focuses on the text’s content rather than its motion. To turn off auto-playing animations, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Accessibility.
3. Select Motion.
4. Turn off Auto-Play Message Effects.

By disabling auto-play, animations will still play once when the message is received but won’t loop repeatedly, providing a balance between dynamic effects and visual comfort. This feature is an excellent option for those who enjoy the new animations but prefer them in moderation. It can also be a thoughtful way to accommodate friends and family who may have sensitivity to motion, ensuring your conversations remain inclusive and considerate of everyone’s preferences and needs.

6. Add Emoji or Sticker as a Tapback

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to reply to a message is through Tapbacks, which allow you to express love, agreement, disagreement, laughter, alarm, or curiosity with just a tap. Previously, Tapbacks were limited to six monochrome icons, restricting the range of immediate non-verbal responses. With iOS 18.2, you now have the freedom to use any emoji or sticker as a Tapback, adding color and variety to your quick replies. To add an emoji or sticker as a Tapback, here are the steps:

1. Touch and hold a message until the Tapback bubble appears.
2. Tap the emoji button just below the other icons.
3. Choose an emoji or sticker from the picker.

This update not only makes the Tapback feature more versatile but also more expressive. You can now select from hundreds of emojis or stickers, allowing you to convey exactly how you feel with much more precision and visual flair. Adding these options enriches the quality of your conversation, enabling swift and meaningful interactions without having to type a single word. Whether it’s a heart, a thumbs up, or a laughing face, the enhanced Tapback options offer a quick and delightful way to respond.

7. Create Custom Emoji with Genmoji

In terms of personalization, the Genmoji feature in iOS 18.2 is a game-changer. This feature leverages Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and select iPad models to let you create bespoke emojis tailored to your preferences. Imagine being able to describe an emoji you want and seeing it generated right before your eyes. From a blue bird to a crying emoji surfing, your creativity is the limit. Here’s how you can create your own Genmoji:

1. In a conversation, tap the emoji button to view emoji options.
2. Tap the Genmoji button to the right of the Describe an Emoji field.
3. Type or use dictation to speak a description of what the Genmoji should look like.
4. Browse through the generated icons until you find one you like.
5. Tap Add.

This new emoji appears inline in your text and is also added to your recent collection of emojis. It functions as a sticker that you can use, making your conversations not just unique but also reflective of your personal style. To get started, you’ll need to sign up for the waitlist in the Image Playground app. Once accepted, you can start creating Genmoji and add a new level of expression to your messages.

8. Schedule Text Messages

Another practical feature that iOS 18.2 introduces is the ability to schedule text messages. This can be incredibly useful when you have friends or family members in different time zones or if you simply want to avoid disturbing someone during late or early hours. Scheduled messages ensure that your communication is timely and considerate. To schedule a text message using the Send Later feature, follow these steps:

1. Type your message.
2. Tap the More (+) button.
3. Select Send Later; you may need to swipe up to find it in the list of apps and features.
4. Set the desired day and time using the time picker that appears.
5. Tap the Send Message button to schedule it.

Scheduled messages will appear with a faint dashed border. If you need to adjust the timing later, you can tap Edit above the message and choose Edit Time from the menu. For frequent users, it might be helpful to move the Send Later option higher in the More list for easier access. This feature not only makes your messaging more efficient but also helps you manage your communication better, ensuring your messages are sent at the most appropriate times.

With all these enhancements, iOS 18.2 brings a new level of customization, efficiency, and creativity to the Messages app. From better cross-platform communication and text formatting to innovative features like satellite messaging and Genmoji creation, these updates make your iPhone an even more powerful tool for staying connected with the people who matter most.