How to Schedule a Text Message on iPhone or Android

Have you ever remembered someone’s birthday late at night but did not want to wake them? Or thought of an important reminder several days before it needed to arrive?

You can write the message while it is on your mind and schedule your phone to send it later. It is also a considerate way to follow the quiet-hours advice in our premium guide, Texting Without the Guesswork: Simple Manners for Modern Messages.

The steps are different on iPhone and Android. Follow the section for your phone.

Before you begin

Check the date, time, recipient, and wording carefully. A scheduled message feels finished, which makes it easy to forget. Also remember that your recipient may live in another time zone.

On an iPhone

Apple’s Send Later feature works with iMessage and lets you schedule a message up to 14 days ahead.

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Open the conversation with the person you want to contact, or start a new conversation.
3. Tap the plus sign (+) beside the message box.
4. Tap Send Later. If you do not see it immediately, tap More.
5. Tap the suggested date and time above the message box.
6. Choose the date and time when you want the message sent.
7. Type your message.
8. Tap the Send arrow.

The scheduled message appears in the conversation with a dashed outline. The recipient is not told that you scheduled it.

To change, send, or cancel it

Open the conversation and scroll to the scheduled message near the bottom.

• To change the delivery time, tap Edit beside the scheduled date and choose Edit Time.
• To send it now, tap Edit, then Send Message.
• To change the words, touch and hold the message bubble, then tap Edit.
• To cancel it, touch and hold the message, then tap Delete.

Apple says your iPhone does not need to be online at the delivery time. The message is stored securely on Apple’s servers until it is sent. You do need an internet connection if you want to edit, reschedule, or delete it.

On an Android phone using Google Messages

Google Messages supports scheduled sending on phones running Android 7.0 or later.

1. Open the Google Messages app.
2. Open the conversation with the person you want to contact.
3. Type your message.
4. Touch and hold the Send arrow instead of tapping it quickly.
5. Choose one of the suggested times, or select your own date and time.
6. If you choose a custom time, select the date, tap Next, select the time, and confirm it.
7. Tap the Send arrow.

A small clock appears beside the message to show that it is scheduled.

To change, send, or cancel it

Open the conversation and tap the clock or Schedule symbol beside the scheduled message. You can then update the message, change its time, send it immediately, or delete it.

Unlike Apple’s system, Google says the phone needs Wi-Fi or mobile-data service when the scheduled time arrives. If it is offline, the message will be sent when the phone reconnects.

If these choices do not appear

First, update your phone and messaging app. On an iPhone, Send Later requires a recent version of iOS and an iMessage conversation. On Android, these instructions apply to the Google Messages app; a phone maker or wireless carrier may provide a different messaging app with different controls.

If you are unsure which Android app you use, look for the blue Google Messages speech-bubble icon or search your phone’s apps for “Messages.”

Good uses for scheduled messages

• Birthday and anniversary greetings
• Medication or appointment reminders requested by a family member
• A note that should arrive after someone’s meeting or quiet hours
• Travel-day check-ins
• A reminder to bring an item or complete a task

Avoid scheduling urgent or emergency information. Plans can change, phones can lose service, and the recipient may not see the message immediately. Call when the timing truly matters.

The Savvy takeaway

Scheduling lets you act while you remember without demanding someone else’s attention at an inconvenient time. Before setting it, check the recipient, time zone, wording, and delivery time. Then let your phone remember the rest.

For more advice about timing, tone, privacy, and group conversations, read The Savvy Guide to Texting Without the Guesswork.

Sources: Apple Support and Google Messages Help.