For years, Apple Messages supported full-screen balloon, confetti, and laser animations alongside bubble effects like Slam and Invisible Ink. However, styling individual words within a sentence with rich typography or custom motion remained impossible. In iOS 18, Apple introduced Animated Text Effects and standard typographic styling (bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough), allowing users to emphasize specific words and bring conversations to life with dynamic motion.
What are Animated Text Effects in iOS 18?
Unlike classic full-screen bubble effects that alter the entire message bubble upon sending, Animated Text Effects apply continuous or rhythmic animations directly to selected letters and words. Key features include:
- Word-by-Word Styling: Apply distinct effects to single words while keeping the remainder of the sentence standard.
- Continuous Motion: Animations loop continuously in the chat transcript on both sender and recipient screens.
- Typographic Formatting: Bold, italicise, underline, or strike through words for structured communication.
- Automatic Suggestions: Common conversational expressions like “Congratulations”, “Happy Birthday”, or “Nooo” automatically suggest matching animations.
Available Animated Text Effects
Apple includes eight dedicated animated effects in iOS 18:
| Effect Name | Visual Animation Style | Ideal Conversational Context |
|---|---|---|
| Big | Word expands into a bold, enlarged font | Shouting, announcements, exciting revelations |
| Small | Text shrinks into miniature, lightweight lettering | Whispers, side comments, sheepish confessions |
| Shake | Letters vibrate rapidly left and right | Nervousness, shock, dramatic disbelief |
| Nod | Text bobs gently up and down | Agreement, confirmation, casual understanding |
| Explode | Word bursts outward in a flash of particles | Celebrations, surprises, mind-blown reactions |
| Ripple | Fluid wave crests through the letter sequence | Calm statements, aquatic references, smooth transitions |
| Bloom | Letters brighten and flourish outward | Warm greetings, compliments, spring themes |
| Jitter | Individual characters bounce erratically | Restlessness, extreme excitement, caffeine energy |
Applying Text Effects Step-by-Step
To style words with animations on an iPhone running iOS 18:
- Open the Messages app and select a conversation.
- Type your message text into the composition box.
- Double-tap the specific word you want to animate to highlight it (or drag the handles to select a phrase).
- In the black context menu that appears above the text, tap the right-arrow icon and select Text Effects (or tap the dedicated A icon above the keyboard toolbar).
- Swipe horizontally across the carousel of available effects to preview animations in real time.
- Tap your chosen effect to apply it. The selected word animates immediately in the text box.
- Tap the blue Send (Up Arrow) button to deliver the message.
Combining Formatting with Formatting Styles
You can layer standard typographic treatments alongside motion effects. In the same Text Effects menu:
- Tap B for Bold text.
- Tap I for Italic text.
- Tap U for Underline styling.
- Tap
Sfor Strikethrough formatting.
Compatibility with Older iOS Versions and Android
Animated Text Effects render with full motion on devices running iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. When sending messages to contacts running older iOS versions or non-Apple devices via SMS/RCS:
- Older iOS Versions: Words typically display with standard bold or italic formatting without motion.
- Android Devices: Messages deliver cleanly as standard text without broken markup codes or lost characters.
Mastering Animated Text Effects in iOS 18 provides an expressive, playful way to add nuance, humour, and emotion to your everyday iPhone conversations.