How To Schedule a Text Message on Your Different Devices

Scheduling texts is about having the freedom and flexibility to communicate on your terms while still ensuring your messages reach their destination at the right time. 

Whether you're a night owl crafting messages in the late hours or an early bird catching the worm with a morning reminder, scheduling texts means your timing is always on point.

However, the process for scheduling texts isn't the same across all devices, which is why we've translated the tech-speak and broken down the process for each type of device. 

Whether you're team Apple, team Android, or somewhere in between, we'll explain how to send a scheduled text. 

Why Would You Need to Schedule Send a Text?

Scheduling a text isn’t exactly the standard operating procedure. After all, it’s designed to arrive at its designation instantly as soon as you tap send. However, there are a few reasons that you might want to schedule a text to be sent in advance.

For example, imagine you're deep into a late-night brainstorming session, and you've just had an aha moment that you can't wait to share. But it's 2 A.M, and the recipient is probably tucked up in bed. 

Instead of potentially disturbing their beauty sleep, text message scheduling is here to swoop in and save the day (or, rather, the night). Simply draft your message, set a sensible time of day for it to be sent, and there you go. You've used a brilliant workaround to respect your recipient's sleep schedule.

Perhaps you're the organized type who loves planning and establishing appointment reminders. Maybe you want to send a friendly reminder to follow up on a previous conversation or a timely nudge to remind them of an upcoming event. 

For instance, you could be reminding a friend about your weekly movie night, establishing a weekly check-in with your book club, sending a motivational quote every Monday morning, or making sure your family doesn't forget about grandma's birthday. 

With text scheduling, you can draft your message whenever you please and set it to be delivered at the perfect moment. It can be a one-time thing, or you can send up recurring messages. All you have to do is schedule it, hit the send button, and you’re done. No more forgetting, no more last-minute scrambling. Just easy, effortless communication. 

How To Send a Scheduled Text on iPhone

Here's the tea: You can't directly schedule a text within the iPhone's iMessage app. We've got a workaround that's effective and adds a bit of ease to your everyday life. 

Enter the Shortcuts app, your new best friend, when you decide you want to start scheduling texts. Trust us, this app is a gem that can make your life a whole lot smoother.

Here's how to schedule a text with the Shortcuts app:

1. Find and open the Shortcuts app. It's got a funky, interlocking pink and teal diamond logo. If you can't spot it, just use the search bar.
2. Once you're in, tap on Automation at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select the + icon at the top right. If you're new to this and don't have any existing automation, tap Create Personal Automation.
4. Now, it's time to decide when you want your text to fly. If you're aiming for a specific time of day, click on Time of Day.
5. Set your desired time for the text message launch.
6. Under Repeat, choose whether you want your text to repeat weekly, daily, or monthly. It's like setting up your own personal text delivery service.
7. After that, tap Next.
8. In the Action Suggestions, tap on Send Message.
9. A box will appear at the top of the screen. Tap Message and type in your text.
10. Then, tap Recipients to select the phone number of the lucky receiver of your message.
11. Once you're happy with everything, tap Done and then Next. Review your automation and decide if you want your phone to ask for your approval before it sends the text. If not, simply toggle the switch.
12. Tap Done once again, and you’re all set! 

This is a helpful feature if you want a text to be sent out to a group of people at a later date, such as a reminder for a party or an event. You can even send messages to yourself to act as reminders to take medicine, visit appointments, and more. It's like having a personal assistant in your pocket.

If you only need to send the scheduled text one time, delete the automation by swiping left in the automation tab.

How To Send a Scheduled Text on Android

Got an Android device instead? No problem! 

Android users also have this ability as well, so long as you’re running Android 7 or newer, that is. You can schedule texts right from within the Messages app installed on your Android phone. No need for extra texting apps from the app store or confusing tech maneuvers. It's as straightforward as it gets. 

Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Messages app on your Home Screen. It's your gateway to scheduling text messages.
2. Open the conversation you want to send a scheduled text to. It could be anyone — your friend, sibling, or even your future self.
3. Type up your message. Make it count!
4. Touch and hold the send icon. This will bring up a dialogue box with a few scheduling options.
5. Choose your preferred date and time. If you tap on the date, a calendar will pop up for you to select the perfect day. Then, set the time you want your message to be sent.
6. Once you're all set, tap the send icon. Your message will then be scheduled to be sent at your chosen time. 

There you have it. Scheduling texts on your Android is as easy as it gets. 

Curious if you have any messages scheduled? Just open a conversation. If there's a scheduled message, you'll see a Scheduled Message notification next to it.

Did you make a mistake? No problem. To edit or delete the scheduled message, open the conversation with the message in question. Tap the Schedule icon. From there, you can tweak the message, delete it, or send it right away.

How Can You Send Scheduled Messages Using Third-Party Apps?

Do you want a little extra oomph in your text scheduling experience? Especially for our iPhone users out there, we get it. Using the Shortcuts app can feel like you're solving a Rubik's cube. But hey, there's a solution for that, too: Third-party apps.

These SMS scheduling apps can be your secret weapon for sending our scheduled messages. They often come with extra features and templates that can make your messaging experience more fun and personalized. 

For instance, do you want to change your messages' font size or color? Some of these apps have got you covered. It's like giving your messages a style makeover for maximum impact. 

However, before you get started, a word of caution: Not all third-party apps are created equal. 

Some might not perform exactly as you'd expect, and others might be wolves in sheep's clothing trying to access your personal data and sell it to advertisers to use in personalized marketing campaigns. To be honest, it's a bit like the wild west out there. 

Therefore, make sure to do your homework before you hit that download button. Check out user reviews, look for reputable sources, and make sure any app you download respects your privacy and security. After all, your personal messages are just that — personal.

How To Set Up Auto-Reply on Your Device

Ever wish you could clone yourself so you could be in two places at once? While we can't offer you a clone, we do have the next best thing: Auto-replies. 

This handy feature lets you send an automatic response to incoming messages without needing to set a specific scheduled time. It's like having a digital assistant who's always on call.

Setting up an auto-reply on your iPhone is a piece of cake, but you need to be in Driving Focus Mode for it to work. We'll guide you through it, though. Here's how to set it up:

1. Head over to your iPhone's Settings.
2. Tap on Focus. It's where your phone helps you focus on what matters most.
3. Select Driving. This mode is designed to help you stay focused on the road, but in this case, we're using it to help manage your messages.
4. Click on Auto-Reply. 
5. Next, decide who gets your auto-reply messages. You can choose No One, Recents, Favorites, or All Contacts. 
6. Now, it’s time to craft your auto-reply message. This message will be sent out whenever someone tries to reach you while you're in Driving Focus Mode.

Now, your auto-reply is set up and ready to go. Just remember to activate your Driving Focus Mode, and your phone will handle the rest.

How Burner Can Help

Let's face it, setting up auto-reply can feel like a bit of a maze, especially if you have an Android. Even with an iPhone, having to be in Driving Focus Mode can feel a little limiting. However, we've got a solution that's going to make you say, "Why didn't I think of this before?"

Meet Burner, a free app for both iOS and Android that lets you set up auto-reply and so much more.

Think of Burner as your communication sidekick. It can send an auto-reply to your contacts so they feel cared for, even when you're not around. Burner can send an auto-reply to let them know you'll get back to them when you can and easily help you maintain that all-important connection with your contacts.

Burner also provides you with a second number to help you keep your personal number private. Whether you’re hitting the dating scene or buying and selling on platforms, Burner has got your back. 

Unlimited calling? Check. Texting? Check. Spam blocking? Double-check. With Burner, you can even get a second number in your chosen area code.

Wrapping Up: The Power of Scheduled Texts

Keeping your communication strategy organized and on-point can be a game-changer for managing your personal connections and respecting the boundaries of others. Scheduled text messages are one such tool, enabling you to send messages at the ideal time, regardless of your schedule or time zone differences.

Scheduled texts come with the added advantage of setting up timely reminders for special events, deals, or promotional offers. You can set it and forget it, eliminating the need to remember to send the message at the right moment.

Whether you're a team iPhone or Android, scheduling texts is a breeze. iPhone users can leverage the power of the Shortcuts app to create a roundabout path to scheduling messages. Android users, on the other hand, can enjoy the built-in functionality of their Messaging app to send texts at a later date. There are also numerous third-party apps available for both iPhone and Android that offer more advanced scheduling capabilities.

Take control of your communications. Schedule your texts and let technology do the heavy lifting, giving you more time to focus on what truly matters to you. Remember, Burner is here to help you manage your phone numbers and settings to organize your groups of contacts, providing you with an easy tool to stay in control and maintain boundaries.

Sources:

Top Ten Scams – 2021 | Fraud

How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages | Consumer Advice