You can't convert a text message that's already sent, but you can change how future messages are sent

Once a text message leaves your phone, it's already gone as either a regular SMS (text message) or an iMessage. You cannot change a message after it's delivered. What you can do is change the settings that control whether your iPhone sends future messages as iMessages or regular texts — and understand why your phone might be sending one type when you expected the other.

The difference matters because iMessages use your internet connection and appear in blue bubbles, while regular texts use your carrier's network and appear in green bubbles. iMessages let you see when someone is typing and when they've read your message, but they only work between Apple devices. If you're texting someone with an Android phone, your message will automatically drop down to a regular text no matter what your settings say.

Key Takeaways

  • iMessage is turned on by default for most iPhone users, so your messages go to other Apple devices as iMessages unless something is blocking it.
  • If messages to a specific person are arriving as green texts instead of blue, that person likely has an Android phone or their iMessage is turned off.
  • You can force your iPhone to send regular texts by turning off iMessage entirely in Settings, or by disabling it just for a specific contact.
  • If you switched from Android to iPhone, you may need to register your phone number with Apple's iMessage system before your contacts' phones recognize you as an iMessage user.

Check if iMessage is turned on for your account

Open Settings on your iPhone, then go to Messages. Look for the toggle next to iMessage — if it's green and switched to the right, iMessage is on. If it's gray and switched to the left, iMessage is off and all your messages will send as regular texts.

If iMessage is already on but you're still seeing green bubbles when texting a specific person, that person's device doesn't support iMessage. This usually means they have an Android phone, or they have an older iPhone with iMessage turned off. Your phone automatically detects this and sends a regular text instead.

Turn iMessage on or off for all contacts

To turn iMessage on: go to Settings > Messages and toggle iMessage to the right (green). Your phone will connect to Apple's servers using your Apple ID and phone number. This takes a few seconds to a few minutes.

To turn iMessage off: toggle iMessage to the left (gray). After you do this, all your outgoing messages will send as regular texts, even to other iPhone users. This uses your carrier's text plan instead of your internet connection.

If you just switched from Android to iPhone, turning iMessage on and waiting a few minutes is important. Your contacts' phones need time to recognize that your phone number now belongs to an iMessage user. Until that happens, some of their messages to you might still try to send as iMessages and fail.

Disable iMessage for one contact without turning it off for everyone

Open the conversation with the person you want to text as regular SMS. Tap and hold on their name at the top of the conversation, then tap Info. Scroll down and toggle off Send as SMS if it's on, or toggle it on if it's off. This setting is backwards from what you might expect — turning it on forces regular texts, while leaving it off lets iMessage take over when possible.

This is useful if you're texting someone with an Android phone and want to make sure you're not accidentally sending iMessages that they won't receive. It's also useful if someone's iMessage is broken and you want to force your phone to use regular texts until they fix it.

Why your messages might be green even though iMessage is on

Your iPhone checks whether the person you're texting has iMessage turned on. If they don't, or if their device doesn't support it, your message automatically sends as a regular text and appears in a green bubble. This is not a problem — it's your phone working correctly.

If you're seeing green bubbles for someone who definitely has an iPhone with iMessage on, a few things could be happening. Their iMessage might be temporarily offline, your internet connection might be too slow for iMessage to work, or there might be a delay while your phone's system catches up. Try sending the message again in a few seconds.

What to do if iMessage won't turn on

If you toggle iMessage on but it stays gray or shows an error, your phone is having trouble connecting to Apple's servers. First, make sure you're signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. Go to Settings > [Your Name] and check that you're logged in at the top.

Next, check your internet connection. iMessage needs either WiFi or cellular data to activate. Try turning WiFi off and on, or switching to a different WiFi network. If you're on cellular data, try switching to WiFi instead.

If iMessage still won't turn on after a few minutes, restart your iPhone. Hold down the side button and one of the volume buttons until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then press the side button again to turn it back on. Try toggling iMessage on again once the phone restarts.

The difference between blue and green bubbles explained

Blue bubbles mean the message sent as an iMessage. It traveled over the internet using your WiFi or cellular data, and the recipient's Apple device received it as an iMessage. You'll see read receipts (a small "Read" label with a timestamp) if the other person has read receipts turned on.

Green bubbles mean the message sent as a regular SMS text. It traveled through your carrier's network the same way texts worked before iMessage existed. You won't see read receipts, and the message might not support some iMessage features like reactions or high-quality photo sharing.

The color is automatic — you don't choose it. Your phone decides based on whether the recipient's device supports iMessage and has it turned on. If you're texting someone with an iPhone but seeing green bubbles, they either have iMessage off or there's a temporary connection problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change a message from green to blue after I've already sent it?

No. Once a message is sent, it's already gone as either SMS or iMessage and cannot be changed. You would need to send a new message. If you want future messages to go as iMessages instead of texts, check that iMessage is turned on in Settings and that the other person has an iPhone with iMessage enabled.

Why do my messages to my friend's iPhone show as green?

Their iMessage is likely turned off, or they switched to an Android phone. You can also check by opening a conversation with them and looking at the message input box — if it says "Send as SMS" instead of just showing a send button, their device doesn't support iMessage. Your phone will automatically send regular texts to them.

If I turn off iMessage, will my contacts know?

No. Turning off iMessage just changes how your outgoing messages are sent. Your contacts won't receive a notification. They might notice that your messages start arriving as green texts instead of blue, but only if they look at the conversation thread.

Do I need WiFi for iMessage to work?

No. iMessage works over WiFi or cellular data. If you have either one, iMessage can send and receive. If you have neither, iMessage won't work and your messages won't send until you regain a connection.

What happens if I switch from iPhone to Android?

Your iPhone contacts will keep trying to send you iMessages at first, because Apple's system still thinks your phone number belongs to an iMessage user. You won't receive these messages. To fix this, you need to turn off iMessage on your old iPhone before you stop using it, or go to Apple's website and deregister your phone number from iMessage manually.