Read, send, manage text messages

When you receive a text message notification with the Messages app, you'll see in the status bar.

TipTo protect your privacy, you can hide sensitive content for lock screen notifications.

All options or references were filtered out.

Read and reply to a message

  1. Swipe the status bar down and touch .

  2. Do any of the following:

    • To respond to the message, enter your response in the text box and touch .
    • If the message is from an unassigned number, create a contact to associate a name with that number.
    • To open an attached photo, slideshow, or any type of attachment, touch it.
    • To save an attachment, touch & hold it, then touch .
    • To find a message, touch at the top of your message list and enter search terms.
    • To learn about something mentioned in the message, touch & hold . Google Assistant shows details, apps, and actions related to the message's contents.
TipIf you do not want multi-recipient SMS messages converted to MMS and want replies sent in separate conversations (threads) to you only, you can turn off group messaging.

Send new message

  1. Touch > Messages.
  2. Touch .
  3. Enter recipients, then touch .

  4. Optionally:

  5. Touch .

Tips for sending messages:

  • To text your best friend with one touch from your home screen, add a Direct message widget.
  • To change the text message reply to incoming calls, open the Phone app and touch > Settings > Quick responses.

Request delivery reports

See whether recipients receive your messages by requesting delivery reports.

  1. Touch > Messages.
  2. Touch > Settings.
  3. Turn on Get SMS delivery reports.

Manage drafts

When you begin composing a text message reply or a new message with recipients, it is saved in your message list as a draft until you send or delete it.

  1. Open the message list and touch the conversation marked Draft.

  2. Do one:

    • Finish composing the message and touch .
    • Delete the characters in the text field to delete the draft.

Forward a message

  1. Touch > Messages.
  2. Open the conversation.
  3. Touch & hold the message.
  4. Touch .

Copy text from a message

  1. Touch > Messages.
  2. Open the conversation.
  3. Touch & hold the message.
  4. Touch .

You can now paste it elsewhere, like in an email you're composing.

Delete or archive messages

When you delete a message, you also delete any attached photos or videos. If you want the attachments, be sure to save them before deleting the message.

  • To delete a single message, open the conversation (thread) and touch & hold the message, then touch .
  • To delete or archive all messages in a conversation, touch & hold the conversation, then touch to delete or to archive.
  • To delete or archive multiple conversations, touch & hold each conversation, then touch or .
  • To see archived messages, touch > Archived.

Fix a problem

If you’re having problems, try these troubleshooting steps.