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The short version of instructions is this: Open Settings > tap on your name > iCloud and make sure the toggle next to Messages is turned on. Apple uses iCloud to back up and sync your Messages conversations (that includes text messages, too). Having a constant backup of your iMessage conversations that syncs across all of your Apple devices is another one of my favorite benefits of Apple's messaging platform. Messages in iCloud keeps everything in sync and backed up. If you're new to iMessage and are unsure how to turn it on, skip to the bottom of the post. Take a few minutes, go through each option, and decide how you want Messages to behave. The rest of the settings determine things like if read receipts are for on every iMessage conversation, whether or not you want text messages (those green bubbles) forwarded to your other Apple devices or kept on your iPhone, how long you want to keep messages on your device, and so on. I have a thorough walkthrough of that process here. Or if you don't have an iPhone, but use iMessage on a Mac and iPad, then make sure your Send & Receive settings look identical. Luckily, it's an easy fix: Don't use your email address(es), use only your phone number in the Send & Receive section of Message's Settings. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked why some messages are showing up on a Mac or iPad, but not an iPhone - or the other way around. Most importantly, double-check your send and receive settings.
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It's a good idea to open the Messages' settings screen and take a few minutes to go through the various options and customize how Messages will work. You can also check out some of the other features expected to be released with iOS 16 this fall, including five hidden iOS 16 features we didn't expect to find and some of the more annoying iOS 16 features and how you can fix them. In this guide, we'll show you several tips and tricks, like pinned conversations and sending money via text, that can help you unlock the full potential of iMessage. Read more: The iPhone 14's Future May Be Hidden in iOS 16 You'll soon be able to unsend and edit text messages, a feature that'll be released along with iOS 16 later this month, but you don't have to wait until then to explore Messages settings that might enhance the texting experience on your iPhone right now.
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