A CONCERNED parent discovered that their child was sending “concealed” texts.
These so-called “invisible” messages are actually built-in on every iPhone – but they’re easy to miss.
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The feature is a standard part of iOS if you use the default Messages app.
In a Reddit post, a parent wrote: “My child has found a way to conceal texts.”
They shared a screenshot of the Messages app with several texts that were concealed with a mysterious blur.
Several Apple fans were quick to react to the post, revealing that it’s an official iPhone feature called Invisible Ink.
HOW TO SEND INVISIBLE TEXTS
Invisible Ink is one of Apple’s message effects, only found in a hidden menu.
When you receive an Invisible Ink message, it’s blurred and can’t be read.
The only way to view it is by swiping on it or tapping parts of it.
It’s a great trick because it can stop “shoulder surfers” reading your messages if they’re next to you.
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The feature is also a fun way to send surprises to friends and family.
And it’s very useful if you’re discussing a TV show or movie in a group chat and want to talk about spoilers.
To send an Invisible Ink message, first go into an iMessage chat.
Importantly it won’t work on SMS, so you need to make sure you’re texting someone who also has iMessage.
Type out a message that you want to send as Invisible Ink but don’t press Send.
Instead, hold your finger down on the Send button to reveal a hidden menu.
Now choose the option on the right called Invisible Ink, and then hit Send.
This message will be blurred out, and will only appear if you tap on it.
On a very long message, you’ll need to tap or drag on different parts of the message to reveal the full text.
You can also tap and hold down on the message to see it.
TEXT BEST THING
Of course your Messages app is packed with plenty of tips and tricks.
One of the best is the ability to send special effects just by using specific phrases.
Try sending:
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- Happy New Year
- Happy Chinese New Year
- Happy Birthday
- Pew Pew
- Congratulations
- Congrats
These all have their own special effects that will appear on the recipient’s phone when the text is opened.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best…
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen, then tap in the bar and type a currency (like €200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you’re due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you’re down to 80% capacity. If you’re below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
