Help users express themselves in richer ways, create and share content, play games, make payments, and more — without ever leaving their conversations. Learn how to prepare, build, and submit apps for the App Store for iMessage. And businesses can connect with customers directly within Messages for customer support and commerce. Your iMessage apps will be available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iMessage.
- How To Use Messages App On Ipad
- How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages
- How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages Android
- How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages Iphone
How to backup messages using a Mac or PC Alternatively, you could plug your iPhone into iTunes and backup to your Mac or PC. Open iTunes and click on the iPhone icon.
Sticker Packs
Help users express themselves in richer ways by providing stickers for download on the App Store for iMessage.
Sticker Pack App
Users can tap to send stickers in a thread, adjust their size, or place them on top of bubbles, other stickers, and photos. There’s no need to write code — simply drag your images into Xcode. Sticker packs can be listed in the Stickers category and relevant Stickers subcategories on the App Store for iMessage.
Sticker Pack Extension
If you have an iOS app, you can bundle it with a sticker pack or an iMessage extension. The sticker pack is listed on the App Store for iMessage in the same category and with the same description as your iOS app on the App Store. Users who download your iOS app will automatically see the sticker pack in iMessage.
iMessage Apps
Users can share content, edit photos, play games, collaborate with friends, and more within a custom interface that you design.
Standalone iMessage App
Your app can include stickers, text, video, and audio. You can also use code to add functionality such as Apple Pay and in-app purchase. Choose to list your app in the Stickers category or another relevant category on the App Store for iMessage.
iMessage Extension
An iMessage extension can include the same features as a standalone iMessage app, and allow users to access features of your iOS app within Messages. Your iMessage app will be listed on the App Store for iMessage in the same category and with the same description as your iOS app on the App Store.
Business Chat
Customers can use Business Chat to engage with your business within Messages. Find how to get started and help customers resolve issues, schedule appointments, make purchases, or make payments with Apple Pay.
Building Apps for iMessage
Download Xcode. Get the latest version of Xcode, which includes the iOS SDK and the tools you need to build, test, and submit your app to the App Store for iMessage.
Learn about the Messages framework. Find technical details on the Messages framework, which you’ll use to create sticker packs and iMessage apps.
Check the Guidelines. Learn about considerations for extensions and stickers in the App Store Review Guidelines. All submitted apps are reviewed based on this set of technical, content, and design criteria.
Getting Ready to Submit
Once you’re ready, use App Store Connect to test your app, prepare your product page, and submit. TestFlight in App Store Connect lets you distribute beta versions of your apps for valuable feedback. You can invite up to 10,000 testers using just their email address or a public link.
App Icon. Create and upload two sizes of your icon: one for the App Store for iMessage, and one for the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Download design templates to help create your icon in the required sizes from Human Interface Guidelines: Resources.
App Name, Subtitle, and Description. You can use the terms iMessage and Stickers in your app name, subtitle, or description. If you use these terms, don’t repeat them in your keywords, and vice versa.
Keywords. Carefully choose your keywords to ensure your app is easily discoverable in App Store search. Keywords are limited to 100 characters total, with words separated by commas and no spaces.
Screenshots. Showcase the iMessage experience by uploading up to five screenshots per localization on your app’s version page in My Apps. When showing conversations in Messages, make sure the information and accounts you display are not real. Do not display phone numbers.
App Preview. Your app preview footage demonstrates the features, functionality, and UI of your app. For iOS apps with iMessage or sticker extensions, you can show both the iOS app experience and the iMessage app experience. Do not show the Home screen or the transition from the app to the extension. App previews are displayed on the App Store for iPhone and iPad and are not displayed on the App Store for iMessage.
How To Use Messages App On Ipad
Category. The App Store for iMessage shows apps browsable by primary categories. The Stickers category appears at the top of the category list and also contains subcategories. This category is only available to standalone sticker pack apps and iMessage apps. You can choose Stickers as the primary category and one Stickers subcategory.
Categories for iMessage or sticker pack extensions are taken from the corresponding iOS app and used on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iMessage. iOS apps with iMessage or sticker pack extensions can’t choose the Stickers category.
For details on product page metadata, see Making the Most of Your Product Page. For details on the submission process, see App Store Connect Help.
Linking to Your Product Page
Once your app is approved, it will be available to millions of customers worldwide. Your marketing has the biggest impact when users can instantly download your app, so link directly to your product page on the App Store for iMessage by adding ?app=messages to the end of your App Store URL. If your URL already has an App Analytics campaign link or other query parameter, add &app=messages to the end of your App Store URL.
If you don’t include this parameter in your App Store URL, or if users are on an operating system earlier than iOS 10, the link will open the product page on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and users can download your app from there.
Requirements
iMessage apps are available on devices running iOS 10 or later. However, the content that your app generates will be sent to, and can be viewed on, macOS and watchOS devices.
If you plan to make your sticker pack available for purchase, you’ll need to set up your tax and banking information in App Store Connect. To do so, sign in to App Store Connect with the Apple ID you used to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. You’ll also need to request and accept the iOS Paid Applications agreement. This is not required for free sticker packs.
For details, see App Store Connect Help.
Nothing is more irritating than swapping back and forth between your computer and phone while trying to work and text someone. It's hard to stay in a good workflow and, depending on what else you need your phone for, your battery suffers. For years, Android phone users had no choice but to use other messaging apps if they wanted to chat with friends from their desktops. But if you didn't know, you can use Android Messages on your desktop browser to type. Google calls this Messages for Web.
It's important to note that your phone has to have service and your computer needs to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. (It doesn't necessarily need to be the same network, though.) If your phone is off, your computer doesn't have Wi-Fi or you're using airplane mode, you won't be able to use Messages for Web.
Messages is the default texting app for Pixel phones, but there's also a dedicated app anyone can download from the Google Play store to use instead of the default texting app on non-Google Android phones. It's easy to use and there's no penalty from your carrier to switch apps.
As with Apple's iMessage, Messages for Web lets you carry on conversations from your computer screen. Note that you might have to re-pair your phone with your desktop from time to time.
Make sure your phone's Messages app is up to date before getting started. Let's do this!
How to set up Messages for Web on your computer
Open a new browser tab or browser window on your computer (we recommend a window) and navigate to messages.google.com/web/. A QR code will appear.
Open the Messages app on your phone.
In Messages, tap Settings (the three dots in the upper right corner).
Tap 'Messages for web.'
Hold your phone a few inches from the QR code you see on your computer screen, making sure it fills the viewfinder on your phone screen.
After you scan the QR code, your contacts will automatically populate on the screen, ready for you to start texting.
A few important tips
Note that the computer you're texting from won't save your information unless you toggle on Remember This Computer under the QR code before scanning. If you don't, you'll need to pair your devices every time. You'll only want to save your contacts if it's a personal laptop or desktop to protect your privacy.
If you do text on a public computer, make sure to sign out afterward. If you forget, you might get a notification on your phone letting you know that you're still logged in. You can also bookmark the website so it's easier to text when you need to.
More than texts
Once you have Messages for Web set up on your computer, there's a lot you can do with it. Start by typing in the name of a friend or group and begin texting. You can also add a phone number. You'll receive texts on Messages for Web just as you would on your phone, and you'll see a notification banner in the upper right of your screen (and hear a ding) when a new message comes in.
Messages for Web supports much of what you can see and do with Android Messages on your phone. You can send your friends dozens of emojis, GIFs, photos, videos and stickers. You can also enable Dark Mode.
How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages
You won't be able to share your location, send or request funds with Google Pay, use voice-to-text, share contacts or attach a file. You also won't see predictive text suggestions. However, the time you'll save typing on your desktop while you work is well worth these few omissions.
How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages Android
How To Use Messages App On Mac For Text Messages Iphone
Originally published June 18, 2018.
Update, May 1: Clarifies the need for a Wi-Fi connection.