The short answer: open your phone’s messaging app, tap the button to start a new message, type a name or number, write your message, and tap Send. For a group text, add two or more people before you send. Everyone in the group sees every reply.
Send a text on an iPhone
- Open Messages and tap the compose button (a square with a pencil) at the top.
- Type a name or phone number in the To: line, or tap the add button to pick from your contacts.
- Tap the message box, type your message, and tap the send arrow (Apple).
Blue bubbles are iMessages, sent over the internet to other Apple devices. Green bubbles are regular text messages (SMS, MMS or RCS) to phones that aren’t Apple (Apple).
Send a text on an Android phone (Google Messages)
- Open Messages and tap Start chat.
- In the To: box, type a name or number, or pick a contact.
- Type your message and tap Send (Google).
Samsung phones may use Samsung Messages instead. The steps are similar: tap the compose button, choose a contact, type, and send.
Start a group text
iPhone
- In Messages, tap the compose button.
- Add each person’s name or number in the To: line.
- Type your message and send (Apple).
If anyone in the group doesn’t have an iPhone, the group is sent as a regular text, so MMS Messaging needs to be on. Check it in Settings > Apps > Messages (Apple).
To add someone later, tap the group’s icons at the top of the conversation and then tap Add. In a group with at least three other people, you can also leave the conversation (Apple).
Android (Google Messages)
- Tap Start chat, then Create group.
- Choose the people you want, then tap Next.
- Give the group a name if you like, and start typing (Google).
Group text manners that save headaches
- A reply in a group goes to everyone. To answer one person privately, start a new message to just them.
- Keep groups to people who know each other. Everyone in the group can see who else is in it.
Texts from strangers
Texting is now the most common way scammers first reach people (FTC, 2026). Don’t tap links in texts you weren’t expecting. Forward spam texts to 7726 (SPAM), use your messaging app’s “report junk” option, and then delete the message (FTC). More in Never Click Links in Text Messages.
