Android users have long had the facility to schedule text messages on their handsets, but Apple gave no such facility to the iPhone users. Therefore, iPhone users had to rely on third party services to schedule text messages. However, users now can download the Shortcuts app to easily schedule text messages on their iPhone.
All you need to do to schedule text messages on iPhones is the free Shortcuts app. If you don’t yet have this app, you can download it from this link. After you install it, you need to ensure that the app is running in the background, because if you close it, your text won’t be sent.
Now, open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, and head to the Shortcuts Gallery. In the gallery look for the Delayed Time iMessage shortcut, and click “Get Shortcut” to download and install.
Once the shortcut is installed, open the Delayed Time Message shortcut, and select the contact to whom you want to schedule the text message. Now, compose the message and select the time when you wish to send the message. Click confirm, and that’s it!
Though scheduling text messages on iPhones is not native to the iOS, using Shortcuts is a more streamlined solution than any other third-party app. Also, for best results, try not to schedule a message too far into the future. Since the feature requires the Shortcuts app to be running in the background, there are chances that you may forget to keep it running.
Another trick that can somewhat help you with scheduling messages is to use the Reminders app. You can set a reminder to remind you to send a particular message at a specific time. One can also use Siri to remind them of the message that they want to send.
If you are not comfortable with the above methods, you can go for a third-party app as well. One such app is the Scheduled App. You will have to buy a paid version of the app to get the scheduling feature. This app supports many messaging apps, such as Whatsapp, Telegram, Twitter, iMessage/SMS, Slack, WeChat, Facebook Messenger and LinkedIn.
The app supports all iOS devices on iOS 10.3 or later, and the languages it supports are Finnish, French, German, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Arabic, Dutch and more.
To use the app, first you will have to download it. Once downloaded, launch the app and allow it to send you notifications and access your contacts. You will also have to agree to the terms and conditions and verify your phone number.
Now, compose the message and click on the recipient field to choose the contact to whom you wish to send the message. Next, click the Schedule Date button and choose the date and time. Now, click on the Schedule Message button.
You will then have to select the preferred medium, such as iMessage/SMS, Email and more. The app also gives you the option to repeat the message by selecting how frequently you want to send the message.
Scheduling text messages can prove to be a very important feature. It could help you to save time as you will likely compose and schedule a message when you are free. Moreover, it would relieve you of the feeling that you are forgetting something.
For instance, suppose you want to be among the first to send best wishes to your friend on his or her birthday. You can easily schedule a birthday message without compromising your sleep and work. For marketing professionals also, this scheduling shortcut could prove very useful.
Hopefully, Apple will add native functionality to schedule text messages in the iOS 13, which is expected to come out in September of this year. There is, however, no information, for now, of any such feature coming even though users have long been demanding it.
Apple, on the other hand, is bringing several new automated features with the iOS 13 that may make it easier to schedule text messages on iPhones. The Shortcuts app will be built into iOS 13, making it easier for the users to access it. Apple’s new Shortcuts app will also offer suggestions to the user on how to set up new automation and will be more conversational.
