How to change iMessage to text message on iPhone
You can send one message as a green text, let your iPhone fall back to text automatically, or stop using iMessage entirely.
Photo by Mariia Berezovsky on Unsplash
iMessage, RCS and SMS in one minute
- iMessage (blue): sent over Wi-Fi or data to other Apple devices, and encrypted.
- RCS (green): modern texting with Android phones, with typing indicators and full quality photos.
- SMS and MMS (green): basic texts over the cell network. They work with any phone and need no data.
Your iPhone always tries iMessage first when the other person uses an Apple device. People usually want a text instead when the other person has no data, is abroad, or their iMessages keep failing.
The fix
Send one message as a text
- 1
Type your message and tap Send.
- 2
While it still says Sending, touch and hold the blue bubble.
- 3
Tap Send as Text Message.
The bubble turns green and goes out through your carrier.
The fix
Fall back to text automatically
- 1
Open Settings › Apps › Messages.
- 2
Turn on Send as Text Message.
If an iMessage cannot be delivered, your iPhone resends it as a text.
- 3
Turn on MMS Messaging too, so photos can be sent as texts.
The fix
Stop using iMessage completely
- 1
Open Settings › Apps › Messages.
- 2
Turn off iMessage.
Every message now goes as a green text, including to other iPhones.
- 3
Turn off FaceTime too if you are leaving iPhone for good.
How to change a text message to iMessage
Want the opposite? If your messages to another iPhone are going green and you want blue iMessages, there is no button that converts a message after it is sent. iMessage works on both phones. It must be turned on for you and for the person you are texting, and both of you need an internet connection. Here is how to fix your side:
- 1
Turn on iMessage.
Open Settings › Apps › Messages and switch iMessage on. Wait for it to finish activating.
- 2
Check your connection.
Connect to Wi-Fi or turn on cellular data. iMessage cannot send without an internet connection.
- 3
Restart iMessage if it is already on.
Close the Messages app, turn iMessage off, wait a few seconds and turn it back on.
- 4
Start a new message.
Tap the compose button instead of replying in the old chat. The text box shows iMessage when the message will go blue and Text Message when it will go green.
Messages to Android phones always go as SMS or RCS, never iMessage. If iMessage will not turn on, see iMessage waiting for activation, or fixing iMessage when it stops working.
Why some messages go as iMessage and others as text
You do not normally choose. Your iPhone decides each time, based on what both phones can do at that moment:
- The other person is not reachable on iMessage. Their iPhone may be off, out of data, or they have turned iMessage off. With Send as Text Message on, your iPhone waits a while and then resends as a text.
- You have no data. Without Wi-Fi or cellular data, iMessage cannot go out, so a green text is the only option.
- They switched to Android. If they did not turn off iMessage before leaving, your iPhone may keep trying iMessage and fail. Sending as text works around it until they deregister.
- It is a group chat. A group only stays blue if everyone uses iMessage. One Android phone, or one iPhone with iMessage off, turns the whole group green.
Our guide to blue and green message bubbles explains the colors in more detail.
How to tell which kind of message you are sending
Look at the empty text box at the bottom of the chat before you type. It shows iMessage when the message will go blue, and Text Message (often with SMS or RCS after it) when it will go green. After sending, blue bubbles are iMessage and green bubbles are texts. A red exclamation mark with Not Delivered means it failed, and that is when Send as Text Message is most useful.
Choose SMS or RCS for Android contacts
Since iOS 18, messages with Android phones go as RCS when your carrier supports it. RCS is still green, but adds typing dots, read receipts and better photo quality. If RCS messages are failing with one Android contact, you can switch back to plain SMS:
- 1
Open Settings › Apps › Messages.
- 2
Tap RCS Messaging and turn it off.
Messages to Android phones now go as SMS and MMS. Turn it back on later once the problem clears. Read more about how RCS messaging works.
What you give up when a message goes as text
Switching to a text is the right call when iMessage fails, but it is worth knowing what changes. SMS is the oldest and simplest kind of message:
- SMS is not end-to-end encrypted. Your carrier can see the content. Keep sensitive details for iMessage or a secure app.
- You cannot edit or unsend a text. Those features only work with iMessage.
- Photos and videos sent by MMS are compressed and can look blurry.
- Message effects, stickers and Tapback reactions show as plain text or not at all on the other phone.
- On some prepaid and international plans, texts count against your allowance, while iMessage over Wi-Fi is free.
Send texts without a signal using Wi-Fi Calling
SMS normally needs cell signal. With Wi-Fi Calling turned on, major US carriers can also send and receive texts over Wi-Fi, which helps in basements and buildings with poor reception. Turn it on in Settings › Apps › Phone › Wi-Fi Calling. Not every carrier or plan supports texting over Wi-Fi. See what Wi-Fi Calling is for details.
Make sure iMessage uses your phone number
Some people want a text because the other person sees their messages coming from an email address instead of their number. That is an iMessage setting, not a reason to switch it off. Go to Settings › Apps › Messages › Send & Receive and under Start New Conversations From, choose your phone number. New chats then show your number, and replies reach you on every device.
Get your texts on iPad and Mac too
Green texts normally only arrive on your iPhone. To see them on your iPad or Mac as well, turn on Settings › Apps › Messages › Text Message Forwarding and switch on each device you want. Your iPhone must stay on and connected for forwarding to work.
When a text will not send either
If you switch a message to text and it still fails, the problem is usually your cell connection rather than iMessage. Texts need at least one bar of signal, and picture messages also need mobile data.
- Check the signal bars and toggle Airplane Mode on and off.
- Turn on MMS Messaging in Settings › Apps › Messages for photos and group texts.
- Install any carrier settings update in Settings › General › About.
- Make sure the number is not blocked in Settings › Apps › Phone › Blocked Contacts.
Leaving iPhone? Switch to texts for good
If you are moving to an Android phone, turning iMessage off is not optional. If you skip it, iPhone users who text you may keep sending blue iMessages to an account you no longer use, and you will never see them.
- 1
Turn off iMessage and FaceTime while you still have the iPhone.
Do it in Settings › Apps › Messages and Settings › Apps › FaceTime, with your SIM still in the iPhone.
- 2
No longer have the iPhone? Deregister online.
Apple has a Deregister iMessage page. Enter your phone number, type the code Apple texts to you, and your number is removed from iMessage.
- 3
Ask a friend with an iPhone to test.
Their message to you should now show a green bubble on their side. If it is still blue, give it a few hours and ask them to delete and restart the chat.
Our full guide to switching from iPhone to Android covers moving your contacts, photos and chats as well.
Should you turn iMessage off?
For most people, no. iMessage is free over Wi-Fi, encrypted, and sends full quality photos and videos. Keep it on and use Send as Text Message as the backup. Turning iMessage off makes sense if you are leaving iPhone, if you travel without data, or if a family member on a basic plan keeps missing your messages.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change a text message to an iMessage?
You cannot convert a green message that already went out. Make sure iMessage is on in Settings › Apps › Messages, then send a new message. It goes blue if the other person also uses iMessage.
Why do my messages to an iPhone user keep going green?
Usually iMessage is off on your iPhone or theirs, one of you has no internet connection, or the contact is not on iMessage at all. Turn iMessage off and on again and start a new message.
Can I turn off iMessage for just one contact?
No, iOS has no per-contact switch. You can send a single message as text, or remove their email from their contact card so your iPhone uses only the phone number.
Why is Send as Text Message missing when I press and hold?
It only appears while an iMessage is still waiting to be delivered, or after it fails. Once an iMessage shows Delivered, there is nothing to resend.
Do text messages cost money?
On most US plans, texts are unlimited. On prepaid or international plans, SMS and MMS may use your allowance.
What is the difference between iMessage, RCS and SMS?
iMessage (blue) goes over the internet between Apple devices. RCS and SMS (green) go through your carrier. RCS adds typing dots and full quality photos with Android phones.
I am switching to Android. What should I do?
Turn off iMessage and FaceTime before you move your SIM, or use Apple’s Deregister iMessage page, so texts from iPhone users reach your new phone.
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