Apple and texting formatting

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

I try to keep up, but maybe don't always mange to be current. The one thing on my wish list for texting, (I text a lot directly from my iMac as well as iPhone) would be the ability to format, at least to the point of being able to use "bold" and "italics". It would make texts easier to separate items. Any chance that anyone knows of, of that happening? Or is it already possible but something I am unaware of? As per this post, it is supposed to be available, but like the poster, it just does not show up on my iPhone. (All updates current.)
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6170258?tstart=0
Thank you.

vansmith · Oct 13, 2015

SMS doesn't have formatting options - this is a limitation of the medium, not iOS. You can only format text for mediums that allow it (basically any messaging service other than SMS).

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

vansmith said:
SMS doesn't have formatting options - this is a limitation of the medium, not iOS. You can only format text for mediums that allow it (basically any messaging service other than SMS).

Thank you. Well Apple seem to keep on raising the bar, so fingers crossed that will be something that those marvellous minds will develop in a future iteration.
Cheers! And belated Happy Thanksgiving. (Family in Oakville

chas_m · Oct 13, 2015

As stated above, you have other options if that is really important to you: iMessage supports it, for example, as does nearly all other forms of messaging. Since Apple has no control of SMS (and indeed invented iMessage specifically to get around SMS limitations), they're not going to be able to "fix it."

Do what I did: get your family and friends on iOS or Macs, then you can send iMessages with all the formatting you want.

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

You know Chas, all of the people I text, (except my traitor son who has an Android) are on iPhones. I guess the main part of the problem is I need educating on SMS vs iMessage? I open up Messages and type away. What am I doing wrong? Forgive my being an ID10T on this aspect of computerese. Is there something in settings that I should be changing? I really would love to be able to use the bold and underlining features as displayed in the link I posted before.
Cheers.

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

Just did a little Google search to try and educate myself a wee bit, and apparently I am using iMessage. Blue bubble, can see person responding etc., so again - what should I be doing instead?

chas_m · Oct 13, 2015

There's nothing you can do about your son other than disown him until he comes to his senses.

If your friends/family have added their emails/phone numbers to iMessage, you'll see a blue text bubble when you message them (assuming you've done the same, obviously). This means you're sending a message via iMessage. (edit: thought formatting didn't work in iMessage, but further testing based on reply below proved me wrong. Hurrah! Re-learn something new every day!

)

Anyway, regular SMS text messages show up in green text bubbles, so that's how you can tell the difference. The iMessages are sent through Apple's servers (encrypted and unreadable) and do not count against any texting limit you may have on your plan. While Messages (the app) can send either SMS or iMessage (and automatically detects the right format to use), iMessaging only works between Macs/iOS devices. Messages to other platforms goes as an SMS text.

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

Sorry - me again. Tried again on my iMac. Double clicked, right clicked and indeed formatting possible on the contextual menu. Now just to get the phone sorted out. I don't text from my iPad as unless I turn it landscape I can't see what I am typing, and typing landscape is a nuisance - to me anyway. $:\$

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

chas_m said:
There's nothing you can do about your son other than disown him until he comes to his senses.

If your friends/family have added their emails/phone numbers to iMessage, you'll see a blue text bubble when you message them (assuming you've done the same, obviously). This means you're sending a message via iMessage. (edit: thought formatting didn't work in iMessage, but further testing based on reply below proved me wrong. Hurrah! Re-learn something new every day! )

Anyway, regular SMS text messages show up in green text bubbles, so that's how you can tell the difference. The iMessages are sent through Apple's servers (encrypted and unreadable) and do not count against any texting limit you may have on your plan. While Messages (the app) can send either SMS or iMessage (and automatically detects the right format to use), iMessaging only works between Macs/iOS devices. Messages to other platforms goes as an SMS text.

Seriously considering the whole "disowning" thing... I have been experimenting though since my last communique, but in spite of "texting/messaging" someone on an iPhone, the double click still not giving me that option to "bold" or "underline." I also made sure that iMessage was on in my settings. Fortunately, I really do most of my texting from my computer, as I seem to be sitting here far more than I am elsewhere and texting via iPhone, as mentioned it works here beautifully including the changing of text colour.

chas_m · Oct 13, 2015

I don't think you can do the formatting on iOS devices using the default Apple keyboard, but there are third-party keyboards you can install that may have this option. Haven't investigated those. But it does, as you say, work fine on OS X.

kathmat · Oct 13, 2015

chas_m said:
I don't think you can do the formatting on iOS devices using the default Apple keyboard, but there are third-party keyboards you can install that may have this option. Haven't investigated those. But it does, as you say, work fine on OS X.

Dang! Formatted, sent it to myself and darling daughter, but in spite of seeing it on the message being sent, it did not receive that way. Oh well... it was worth a try. Thank you so much for your patience. And now the boss (nephew) is waiting on a pending project, so I guess I better do some real work. Thanks Chas! I will keep on trying though, just stubborn - that's me.

cwa107 · Oct 13, 2015

Not sure how this qualifies as "Apple News and Reports", so I moved it over to 'iOS Apps' instead. Please be sure to read the forum descriptions before posting. It helps us keep the forum tidy, and helps others to find relevant information.

kathmat · Oct 14, 2015

cwa107 said:
Not sure how this qualifies as "Apple News and Reports", so I moved it over to 'iOS Apps' instead. Please be sure to read the forum descriptions before posting. It helps us keep the forum tidy, and helps others to find relevant information.

I am really sorry. I had stopped posting on Mac Forums as I have always found it very difficult to determine where to place my question. I thought this was a general discussion section so thought I would be safe here. Been chewed out in the past (Your's was just a kind suggestion not like some others I have encountered here from other cranky moderators.)

I have read the descriptions but sometimes the question is not absolutely specific to any of the categories offered from my perspective.

I don't think I am ever going to get it right, as I always seem to make the wrong choice. So... I think I need to look for another forum. (Said in a "sorry to go" not a "sulk and storm out like Miss Piggy" fashion.) But thank you for moving it to the right place.

Cheers

Apple and texting formatting

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