Learn how to copy SMS texts, MMS messages or iMessages from Apple’s Messages app on iPhone and paste the whole message or some text into another app.
How to copy SMS, MMS and iMessages from iPhone
On older iOS editions, you could easily copy any SMS, MMS or iMessage received through Apple’s stock Messages app by tapping inside its chat bubble. Since iOS 10, the process has changed quite a bit because touching a chat bubble now brings up a Tapback menu with message reactions.
But don’t worry, you may still copy text messages. In fact, you have three ways to do so.
Follow along for step-by-step instructions detailing how to use all three methods to easily copy text messages from the Messages app on your iPhone.
How to copy the entire Messages chat bubble
To copy the contents of a whole SMS text, MMS message or iMessage, touch and hold a chat bubble in the Messages app to choose the Copy command from the popup menu.
With the copied message pasted into the app of your choosing, you’re able to simply use touch gestures to edit it like you normally would any other pasted text.
How to copy parts of the Messages chat bubble
You cannot directly copy a custom part of the Messages chat bubble. Instead, use the forward command to create a new message from the selected text, which you’re able to edit.
Selecting more than one text at a time will merge them into a single conversation upon tapping the Forward option. This is great for those times when you need to copy long threads that appear one after the other without indicating whom they were sent by or when.
How to copy the Messages chat bubble with Live Text
Starting with iOS 12 and iPadOS 12, you’re able to use the power of machine learning and Apple’s Live Text feature to pull a custom text selection from a screenshotted message.
The same Live Text trick can be used to copy text from a Messages notification.
And that’s how you can copy an SMS, MMS or iMessage from Apple’s Messages app, whether you need to copy the whole message or just parts of the text.
