You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iMessage effects not working? iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12.1.2

I seem unable to make iMessage effects work on an iPhone 8 Plus, using iOS 12.1.2? The phone is new--bought it two days ago. All system apps are brand new.


Place my cursor in the iMessage text field, type my message, press and hold on the arrow icon at the end of the text field. When I can get a response (which is not every time I press and hold on the arrow), the monitor image simply blurs the screen image, then, when I release the icon, the iMessage text posts.


What am I doing wrong?

iPhone 8 Plus

Posted on Aug 7, 2019 3:56 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 7, 2019 4:03 PM

Send a message with effects

With message effects, you can use bubble effects to change the way your message bubbles look. You can also use full-screen effects to animate the screen when you send a message.

Add a bubble effect

You can use bubble effects to animate your message bubbles with different expressions. To send a message with a bubble effect, follow these steps:

  1. Open Messages and tap  to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation.
  2. Enter your message or insert a photo, then touch and hold .
  3. Tap  to preview bubble effects.
  4. Tap  to send.


Use message effects with iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod ...

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206894

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 7, 2019 4:03 PM in response to digitaleavings

Send a message with effects

With message effects, you can use bubble effects to change the way your message bubbles look. You can also use full-screen effects to animate the screen when you send a message.

Add a bubble effect

You can use bubble effects to animate your message bubbles with different expressions. To send a message with a bubble effect, follow these steps:

  1. Open Messages and tap  to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation.
  2. Enter your message or insert a photo, then touch and hold .
  3. Tap  to preview bubble effects.
  4. Tap  to send.


Use message effects with iMessage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod ...

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206894

Aug 7, 2019 4:05 PM in response to digitaleavings

Add a full-screen effect

With full-screen effects, you can animate your screen with an echo, spotlight, and other effects. Follow these steps:

  1. Open Messages and tap  to start a new message. Or go to an existing conversation.
  2. Enter your message. 
  3. Touch and hold , then tap Screen.
  4. Swipe to the left to see full-screen effects.
  5. Tap  to send.


Aug 7, 2019 4:14 PM in response to SravanKrA

Yep, had already walked through that list.


ONCE, after receiving your reply, I tried it again--and wasn't watching when it happened, so uncertain how I got it!--but, once the effect options did appear onscreen, and I was able to preview what they did. But, I've not been able to replicate it. Would be much simply to have a button to click to bring up the options. If this relies on a specific type of touch to activate, it seems very ineffective, or perhaps I've got the wrong size fingers to make it work.

iMessage effects not working? iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12.1.2

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.