Apple Messages app for iPhone has got several much-awaited enhancements in iOS 14. While some new features have fixed age-old shortcomings, others have focused on improving the overall messaging experience. Whether you are gearing up to try out all those goodies or curious about how they work on iPhone, let me show you how you can use new iMessage features in iOS 14.
Features like pinning messages, inline reply, and smart categorization of messages may have existed for long, but they weren’t available for iMessage. Thankfully Apple has released all these features and more with iMessage enhancements in iOS 14.
How to Pin Conversations in Messages App on iPhone
Pinning is the best way to quickly access the conversations that matter most to you. Instead of scrambling to find a specific chat, you can pin a message to keep it right on top of the chat threads.
- Swipe left from right on the conversation which you want to pin.
How to Unpin Conversations in the iPhone Messages App
If you no longer want to keep a conversation pinned, you can unpin it with ease.
How to Edit Multiple Pins at Once in Messages in iOS 14
There is a handy way to edit multiple pins at one go. Save it for the times where you want to unpin several pinned messages faster.
- All the pinned messages will now start wiggling. Tap on the “-“ to the left of the conversation thread which you want to unpin. After that, tap on Done at the upper left corner of the screen.
If you love to emojify your messages, this nifty little feature can easily win you over. What makes it so useful is the ability to quickly find out specific emojis. It could be a time-saver especially when you are in the midst of fast-paced messaging.
- Now, type the name of the emoji you are looking for in the search bar. It will automatically show up the relevant emoji.
Unlike before, you can set a custom image for a group chat. It’s a great way to add some nice personalization to a group conversation.
How to Reply to a Specific Message in a Group Chat
Thanks to a handy feature called an “Inline Replies, you can reply directly to a specific message in a group chat.
If you want to view a particular message thread, simply tap on it to expand.
Tagging aka Mentions come into play when you want to direct a message to someone. If anyone mentions you, your name is highlighted.
Make the Most of Smart Filters to Keep All the Messages Organized
Another feature worth taking note of is the automatic categorization of messages which consists of multiple filters like known senders, unknown senders, transactions, and promotions. Thus, it becomes much easier to access specific types of messages like transactions and unknown senders.
- All Messages: It consists of all of your messages.
- Known Senders: It comprises messages from known senders.
- Unknown Senders: It consists of messages from unknown senders.
- Transactions: It keeps all of your bank transactions.
- Promotions: It houses all the promotional messages.
- Junk: It comprises junk messages.
Tips to Use iMessage Features in iOS 14 Like a Pro
Indeed, iOS 14 has vastly improved the Messages app for iPhone. Features like the inline reply and mentions have made group conversations very user-friendly. Not to mention, the automatic categorization of messages that play a key role in offering a simplified user experience. Aside from giving a revamp to the stock messages app, Apple has also introduced cool Home screen widgets and the App Library.
