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URL: https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/about-imessage-ipadf1f9a6f5/ipados

⇱ About iMessage on iPad - Apple Support

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Table of Contents

Welcome
- Setup basics
- Make your iPad your own
- Streamline your workflow on iPad
- Do more with Apple Pencil
- Customize iPad for your child
What’s new in iPadOS 26
- Turn on and set up iPad
- Wake, unlock, and lock
- Set up cellular service
- Connect to the internet
- View or change cellular data settings
- Find settings
- Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
- Learn the meaning of the status icons
- - Learn basic gestures
  - Learn advanced gestures
- Adjust the volume
- Turn the iPad flashlight on or off
- Drag and drop
- Access features from the Lock Screen
- Perform quick actions
- Search with Spotlight
- Get information about your iPad
- Manage storage on iPad
- Travel with iPad
- Change or turn off sounds
- Create a custom Lock Screen
- Change the wallpaper
- Use and customize Control Center
- Record audio and video
- Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
- Keep the iPad display on longer
- Adjust iPad display and text settings
- Change the name of your iPad
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Change the default apps
- Change your default search engine on iPad
- Rotate your iPad screen
- Customize sharing options
- Add or change keyboards
- Add emoji, Memoji, and stickers
- - Write and draw in documents
  - Add text, shapes, stickers, and more
- Fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures
- Interact with content in a photo or video
- Identify objects in your photos and videos
- Lift a subject from the photo background
- Take photos
- Take Live Photos
- Take a selfie
- Take a Portrait mode selfie
- Record a video
- Change advanced camera settings
- Adjust HDR camera settings
- View, share, and print photos
- Use Live Text
- Scan a QR code
- Scan documents
- - Get apps
  - Use App Clips
  - Update apps
  - Install and manage fonts
  - Share and send apps
  - See your purchases and subscriptions
  - Change settings and restrictions
- - Buy books and audiobooks
  - Read books
  - Annotate books
  - Access books on other Apple devices
  - Listen to audiobooks
  - Set reading goals
  - Organize books
  - Read PDFs
- - Get started with Calendar
  - Create and edit events in Calendar
  - Send invitations
  - Reply to invitations
  - Change how you view events
  - Search for events
  - Change Calendar settings
  - Schedule or display events in a different time zone
  - Keep track of events
  - Use multiple calendars
  - Use reminders in Calendar
  - Use the Holidays calendar
  - Share iCloud calendars
- - Get started with Calculator
  - Use the basic calculator
  - Use the scientific calculator
  - Solve math with Math Notes
  - Work with graphs in Math Notes
  - Convert units or currency
  - See previous calculations
- - See the world clock
  - Set an alarm
  - Use the stopwatch
  - Set timers
- - Get started with Contacts
  - Add and use contact information
  - Edit contacts
  - Add your contact info
  - Share contacts on iPad
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Hide duplicate contacts
  - Sync contacts across devices
  - Import contacts
  - Export contacts
- - Get started with FaceTime
  - - Set up FaceTime
    - Make FaceTime calls
    - Receive FaceTime calls
  - Create a FaceTime link
  - Take a Live Photo
  - Use FaceTime audio call tools
  - Use Live Captions and Live Translation
  - Use other apps during a call
  - Make a Group FaceTime call
  - Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
  - Share your screen in a FaceTime call
  - Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call
  - Collaborate on a document in a FaceTime call
  - Use video conferencing features
  - Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
  - Change the FaceTime video settings
  - Change the FaceTime audio settings
  - Change your appearance
  - Leave a call or switch to Messages
  - Screen and filter calls
  - Block a FaceTime call and report it as spam
- - Files basics
  - Modify files and folders
  - Find and view files and folders
  - Find your downloaded files on iPad
  - Organize files and folders
  - Send files from the Files app
  - Set up iCloud Drive
  - Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
  - Transfer files from iPad to a storage device, a server, or the cloud
- - Get started with Find My
  - Adjust map settings
  - Turn off Find My
- - Get started with Freeform
  - Create a Freeform board
  - Search Freeform boards
  - Delete and recover boards
  - Subscribe to Apple Creator Studio
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
  - Change Freeform settings
- - Get started with the Apple Games app
  - Set up your Game Center profile
  - Find and download games
  - Subscribe to Apple Arcade
  - Connect with friends in the Apple Games app
  - Play with friends in the Apple Games app
  - Manage your game library
  - Connect a game controller
  - Change game-related settings
  - Report a problem with a game
- - Get started with Health
  - Fill out your Health Details
  - View health records
  - - Track your medications
    - Learn more about your medications
  - - Log your state of mind
    - Take a mental health assessment
  - - Use a Sleep Focus
    - View your sleep history
  - - Check your headphone audio levels
    - Use hearing health features
  - Back up your Health data
- - Get started with Home
  - Intro to Home
  - Upgrade to the new version of Apple Home
  - Set up accessories
  - Control accessories
  - Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
  - View electricity usage and rates
  - Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance
  - Set up HomePod
  - Control your home remotely
  - Create and use scenes
  - Use automations
  - Set up security cameras
  - Use Face Recognition
  - Configure a router
  - Invite others to control accessories
  - Add more homes
- - Get music
  - Get ringtones
  - Manage purchases and settings
- - Get started with Journal
  - Write in your journal
  - Edit or delete an entry
  - Add formatting, photos, and more
  - Journal for your wellbeing
  - Build a journaling habit
  - View and search journal entries
  - Print and export entries
  - Protect your journal entries
  - Change Journal settings
- - Magnify or describe things around you
  - Customize controls
- - Get started with Mail
  - - Add and remove email accounts
    - Set up a custom email domain
  - Check your email
  - Use categories
  - Automatically clean up iCloud Mail
  - Set email notifications
  - Search for email
  - Organize your email in mailboxes
  - Use iCloud Mail rules to automatically apply actions to emails
  - - Flag or block emails
    - Filter emails
  - - Use Hide My Email
    - Use Mail Privacy Protection
  - Change Mail settings
  - Delete and recover emails
  - Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
  - Print emails
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - Get started with Maps
  - Set your location and map view
  - - Explore 3D maps
    - Look around places
  - Clear location history
  - Delete recent directions
  - Report an issue with Maps
- - Measure dimensions
  - View and save measurements
  - Measure a person’s height
- - Get started with Messages
  - Set up Messages
  - About iMessage
  - Send and reply to messages
  - Schedule a text message to send later
  - Unsend and edit messages
  - Keep track of messages
  - Search
  - Forward and share messages
  - Group conversations
  - Share screens
  - Collaborate on projects
  - Add backgrounds
  - Use iMessage apps
  - Poll people in a conversation
  - Take and edit photos or videos
  - Share photos, links, and more
  - Send stickers
  - Create and send Memoji
  - React with Tapbacks
  - Format text and animate messages
  - Draw and handwrite messages
  - Send and save GIFs
  - Send and receive audio messages
  - Share your location
  - Turn read receipts on or off
  - Stop, mute, and change notifications
  - Screen and filter texts
  - Report spam and block senders
  - Delete messages and attachments
  - Recover deleted messages
- - Get started with Music
  - Get music
  - Customize Music
- - Get started with News
  - Get News notifications and newsletters
  - Use News widgets
  - See news stories chosen just for you
  - Read and share stories
  - Read local news
  - Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
  - Search for channels, topics, stories, or recipes
  - Save stories
  - Clear your reading history
  - Customize the tab bar
  - Subscribe to individual news channels
- - Get started with Notes
  - Create and format notes
  - Use Quick Notes
  - Add drawings and handwriting
  - Enter formulas and equations
  - Add photos, video, and more
  - Record and transcribe audio
  - Scan text and documents
  - Work with PDFs
  - Add links
  - Search notes
  - Organize in folders
  - Organize with tags
  - Use Smart Folders
  - Share and collaborate
  - Export or print notes
  - Lock notes
  - Delete and recover notes
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Change the Notes view
  - Change Notes settings
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - Use passwords on iPad
  - Find your password for a website or app
  - Change the password for a website or app
  - Remove a password
  - Recover a deleted password
  - Create a password for a website or app
  - Show passwords in large text
  - Use passkeys to sign in to websites and apps
  - Sign in with Apple
  - Share passwords
  - Automatically fill in strong passwords
  - See websites excluded from AutoFill
  - Change weak or compromised passwords
  - View your passwords and related information
  - View password history
  - Find your Wi-Fi password
  - Share passwords securely with AirDrop
  - Make your passwords available on all your devices
  - Automatically fill in verification codes
  - Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
  - Use two-factor authentication
  - Use security keys
  - See your Mac FileVault recovery key
  - - Import passwords
    - Export passwords
- - Make a call
  - Record and transcribe a call
  - Change your Phone settings
  - View and delete the call history
  - Answer or decline incoming calls
  - While on a call
  - Have a conference or three-way call
  - Set up Voicemail
  - Check voicemail
  - Change voicemail greeting and settings
  - Select ringtones
  - Make calls using Wi-Fi
  - Set up call forwarding
  - Set up call waiting
  - Screen and block calls
- - Take photos
  - Delete, share, or copy a photo
  - View and edit Photo Booth photos in the Photos app
- - Get started with Photos
  - Browse your photo library
  - Browse your photo collections
  - View photos and videos
  - See photo and video information
  - - Find photos and videos by date
    - Find and name people and pets
    - Find group photos and videos
    - Browse photos and videos by location
    - Find recently saved photos and videos
    - Find your travel photos and videos
    - Find receipts, QR codes, recently edited photos, and more
    - Locate photos and videos by media type
  - Sort and filter the photo library
  - Back up and sync your photos and videos with iCloud
  - Delete or hide photos and videos
  - Search for photos and videos
  - Get wallpaper suggestions
  - - View your memories
    - Play memory movies
    - Share or delete memories
    - Personalize your memory movies
    - Make slideshows
  - - Create and work with photo albums
    - Add, delete, and find photos and video in albums
    - Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
  - - Share photos and videos
    - Share long videos
    - Create shared albums
    - Add and remove people in a shared album
    - Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
    - Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
  - - Edit photos and videos
    - Crop, rotate, flip, or straighten photos and videos
    - Undo and revert photo edits
    - Trim video length, adjust speed, and edit audio
    - Edit Cinematic videos
    - Edit Live Photos
    - Edit Portrait mode photos
  - Make stickers from your photos
  - Hide people, memories, or holidays
  - Duplicate and copy photos and videos
  - Merge duplicate photos
  - Import and export photos and videos
  - Print photos
- - Get started with Podcasts
  - Find podcasts
  - Watch and listen to podcasts
  - View podcast transcripts
  - Follow your favorite podcasts
  - Rate or review podcasts
  - Use the Podcasts widget
  - Select your favorite Podcasts categories and channels
  - Organize your podcast library
  - Download, save, remove, and share podcasts
  - Subscribe to podcasts
  - Listen to subscriber-only content
  - Change download settings
- - Get started with Preview
  - - Open and view PDFs and images
    - Interact with text in an image
  - - Edit an image
    - Remove the background from an image
  - Reply to an email with a PDF attachment
  - Scan text and documents
  - Create an image
  - Share PDFs or images
  - Print PDFs or images
  - Customize the toolbar
- - Get started with Reminders
  - Create reminders
  - Make a grocery list
  - Add details
  - Complete items
  - Delete and recover reminders
  - Edit and organize a list
  - Search your lists
  - Organize multiple lists
  - Tag items
  - Use Smart Lists
  - Share and collaborate
  - Print a list
  - Work with templates
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Change Reminders settings
  - Use keyboard shortcuts
- - Get started with Safari
  - Browse the web
  - Search for websites
  - See highlights
  - Customize your Safari settings
  - Change the layout
  - Create multiple Safari profiles
  - - Open and close tabs
    - Work with multiple tabs in the sidebar
    - Organize your tabs with Tab Groups
    - View your tabs from another Apple device
    - Share Tab Groups
  - Listen to a webpage
  - Mute audio in tabs
  - Bookmark a website
  - Open as Web App
  - Bookmark a website as a favorite
  - Save pages to a Reading List
  - Find links shared with you
  - Download a PDF
  - Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
  - Fill in forms
  - Get extensions
  - - Hide distractions when browsing
    - Hide distractions when reading
    - Block pop-ups
  - Clear your cache and cookies
  - Enable cookies
  - - Browse the web privately
    - Sign in with passkeys in Safari
    - Use Hide My Email
    - Get HTTP website warnings
    - Digital certificates and encrypted websites
    - Verify website encryption
  - - Import browser data into Safari
    - Export Safari data to another browser
- Shortcuts
- - Check stocks
  - Manage multiple watchlists
  - Read business news
  - Add earnings reports to your calendar
  - Use a Stocks widget
- Tips
- - Translate text, voice, and conversations
  - Translate text in apps
  - Translate with the camera view
  - Change your Translate settings
- - Get started with the Apple TV app
  - Subscribe to Apple TV or a channel
  - Start watching and control playback
  - Find shows, movies, and more
  - Personalize the Home tab
  - Buy, rent, or pre-order items
  - Manage your library
  - Add your TV provider
  - Change the settings
- - Get started with Voice Memos
  - Make a recording
  - View a transcription
  - Play it back
  - Work with layered recordings
  - Export a recording to Files
  - Edit or delete a recording
  - Keep recordings up to date
  - Organize recordings
  - Search for or rename a recording
  - Share a recording
  - Duplicate a recording
- - Check the weather
  - Check the weather in other locations
  - View weather maps
  - Manage weather notifications
  - Use Weather widgets
  - Learn the weather icons
- How to use Siri
- Turn on and activate Siri
- Intro to Apple Intelligence
- Translate messages and calls
- Create original images with Image Playground
- Create your own emoji with Genmoji
- Use Image Wand with Apple Intelligence
- Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
- Find the right words with Writing Tools
- Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
- Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
- Apple Intelligence and privacy
- Block access to Apple Intelligence features
- Set up Family Sharing
- Add Family Sharing members
- Remove Family Sharing members
- Share subscriptions
- Share purchases
- Share locations with family and locate lost devices
- Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
- Set up parental controls
- Set up a child’s device
- Share age ranges with apps
- Get started with Screen Time
- Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
- Create, manage, and keep track of a Screen Time passcode
- Set schedules with Screen Time
- Block apps, app downloads, websites, and purchases
- Block calls and messages with Screen Time
- Check for sensitive images and videos
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Respond to a Screen Time request
- Set up Apple Pay
- Use Apple Pay in apps and on the web
- Use Apple Cash
- Use Apple Card
- Remove payment cards
- Fill in payment information
- Change Wallet & Apple Pay settings
- Power adapter and charge cable
- - Use AirPods
  - Use EarPods
- Use headphone audio-level features
- HomePod and other wireless speakers
- External storage devices
- Connect Bluetooth accessories
- Play audio from your iPad on a Bluetooth accessory from your iPad
- Apple Watch with Fitness+
- Printers
- Polishing cloth
- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPad
- Allow phone calls and text messages on your iPad
- Share your internet connection with Personal Hotspot
- Use your iPad as a webcam for Apple TV 4K
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Connect iPad and your computer with a cable
- Transfer files between devices
- Get started with accessibility features
- Use accessibility features during setup
- Change Siri accessibility settings
- Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
- Share your Accessibility settings with another device
- - Overview of cognitive accessibility features
  - Lock iPad to one app
- Control what you share
- Turn on Lock Screen features
- Block contacts
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
- Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
- Use a private network address
- Use Advanced Data Protection
- Use Lockdown Mode
- Install Background Security Improvements
- Receive warnings about sensitive content
- Use Contact Key Verification
- Turn iPad on or off
- Force restart iPad
- Update iPadOS
- Back up iPad
- Reset iPad settings
- Erase iPad
- Restore all content from a backup
- Restore purchased and deleted items
- Sell, give away, or trade in your iPad
- Install or remove configuration profiles
- Important safety information
- Important handling information
- Find more resources for software and service
- FCC compliance statement
- ISED Canada compliance statement
- Apple and the environment
- Class 1 Laser information
- Disposal and recycling information
- Unauthorized modification of iPadOS
- ENERGY STAR compliance statement
Copyright and trademarks

About iMessage on iPad

iMessage is a secure messaging service that you can use to send and receive messages in the Messages app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or Apple Vision Pro.

If someone sends a message to your email address or phone number using iMessage, you receive the message on all your Apple devices that are set up to receive messages sent to that email address or phone number. When you view an iMessage conversation, you see all messages sent from any device, so you can keep in touch with others wherever you are.

You need an Apple Account to use some iMessage features. If you’ve made purchases from the iTunes Store or App Store or you’ve signed in to iCloud, you have an Apple Account.

👁 The Add menu in Messages on iPad, listing several iMessage features: scheduled send, audio messaging, the App Store, GIF images, Digital Touch, location sharing, and music.

Some things to know about communicating in iMessage:

You can send texts over Wi-Fi.
Texts you send and receive using iMessage don’t count against your SMS, MMS, or RCS allowances in your phone’s cellular messaging plan, but cellular data rates may apply.
When you communicate with others who also use iMessage on an Apple device, the texts appear in blue bubbles. (SMS, MMS, and RCS messages appear in green bubbles.)
Messages are sent with iMessage when you see a blue 👁 the Send button
send button. A green send button indicates the message is sent with SMS, MMS, or RCS.
In a conversation, you can see if someone’s writing a message. If someone has read receipts turned on, you can also see if they’ve opened your message.
You can use a wider range of apps and features, like text formatting, drawings, backgrounds, polls, Memoji, inline replies, editing, unsending, scheduling, collaboration, group conversation management, and more.
A greater range of options are available when you react with Tapbacks or send audio messages.
When you use iMessage, you can report spam messages to Apple and screen unknown senders.
For security, messages sent using iMessage are end-to-end encrypted before they’re sent, and you can also use Contact Key Verification.

See alsoTurn on iMessage Set up Messages on iPad Send and reply to messages on iPad Apple Support article: What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS?