No, you’re not losing your mind—sometimes your texts are green and you haven’t done anything to prompt this change. Here’s what’s going on.
If you own an iPhone, at some point you’ve definitely wondered, Why are my messages green? Aren’t they supposed to be blue? And then you start spiraling. Maybe your texts aren’t going through and there’s something wrong with your phone. Or worse, maybe it’s a sign that the other person blocked you. Take a deep breath—green messages happen, and there’s a very simple reason for them.
It all boils down to which type of texts your iPhone is sending. Below, we’ll break down the differences between blue and green text messages, learn which is better and share some tech tips on how to change your iPhone’s message settings so you can send the fastest, most secure texts.
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Why are my texts green?
A green text bubble means your message was sent as a standard SMS message rather than an iMessage, which will appear in a blue text bubble. SMS, which stands for short messaging service, is a traditional form of text messaging that uses a cellular signal to send and receive messages. On the other hand, iMessage is an Apple-specific messaging system that sends texts throughWi-Fior data.
As for why your texts are suddenly being sent as SMS messages instead of iMessages, here are the common culprits:
- You’re texting someone who does not have an Apple device.
- Your iPhone isn’t connected to the internet via a Wi-Fi connection or your cellular data network.
- The default iMessage setting on your iPhone is turned off.
The reason for your sudden switch, of course, will determine your next steps, which we’ll get into below.
What’s the difference between SMS and iMessage?
RD.com, via iphone (2), getty images (2)
SMS messages are compatible with Android devices, iPhones and all other types of smartphones. However, only Apple devices (iPhones, iPads and Macs) can send and receive iMessages. Your iPhone will automatically send the correct message type. That means when you’re texting another Apple user, you’ll see blue texts as your phone uses iMessage, and when you’re texting a non-Apple user, the messages will be green. That said, you can choose to use SMS if you want—more on that later.
There are also some other differences between iMessages and SMS messages:
- Unlike SMS messages, iMessages offer end-to-end encryption, making them a lot more secure than SMS messages. Without iMessage or a secure app like Signal or WhatsApp, you could be vulnerable to smishingand other texting scams.
- Because iMessage uses Wi-Fi or data to send and receive texts, these texts don’t count against a limited texting plan. However, SMS messages require a texting plan, and you may be charged if you’re not on a plan that includes unlimited texting.
- If you don’t have a texting plan (for example, when traveling in a foreign country where your regular network coverage isn’t available), you can only send SMS messages over Wi-Fi. However, you can still send and receive iMessages over cellular-data networks, even if you don’t have a texting plan.
- In the iMessage app, you’ll get a variety of additional features—such as showing three pulsing dots when someone is typing and sending “read receipts” when the recipient has seen your text. You won’t see these when sending or receiving SMS messages.
- iMessages don’t have a character limit, but each SMS message can beno longer than160 characters. If an SMS message exceeds the limit, your phone carrier will send it in multiple 160-character parts. Since SMS messages count against your texting plan, this is something to be aware of when sending texts to a non-Apple device.
- And finally, iMessages can include text, photos and video. SMS messages are limited to text and pictures.
When might you want to send an SMS message?
As you can see, it’s really preferable to use iMessage over SMS, and generally speaking, your iPhone will switch you over to SMS when necessary (and then switch you back to iMessage). That said, if you’re having trouble getting a consistent Wi-Fi connection, you might want to switch to SMS to send a quick text. Or you might want to temporarily disable iMessage so the person you’re texting can’t see when you’re typing a response. However, you should do this sparingly and also make sure to reactivate iMessage as soon as you’re done.
How to enable iMessages on your iPhone
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The iPhone’s default setting is to send iMessages to other Apple devices. But if none of your iPhone’s text messages are blue, it’s most likely a sign that this setting is turned off.
Follow these steps to enable iMessage on your iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Messages.
- Toggle the iMessage switch to the “on” position.
Yes, this iPhone tip is really that simple. Reactivating iMessage will turn your messages back to blue when sending texts to other Apple devices.
How to enable SMS-only on iPhone
If you don’t want to use iMessage, you can enable your iPhone to use only SMS for text messaging, even if the person you’re texting is using an Apple device. Here’s how to do it.
- Go to Settings > Messages.
- Toggle the iMessage switch to the “off” position.
Remember that you need a cellular connection to send SMS messages, and it counts against your texting plan. Also be aware of potential carrier charges when using SMS instead of iMessage.
The bottom line is that there’s rarely a reason to use SMS over iMessage. Butnow that you understand the ins and outs of iPhone texting, you’ll know what’s going on when your messages are green or blue.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece on why your iPhone messages are green, Brooke Nelson Alexander tapped her experience as a seasoned tech reporter, and then Burton Kelso, the owner of tech-repair company Integral and a technology expert with more than 30 years of experience,gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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