Sending a Text Message Manually

We know that we can ask SIRI to play our last messages; but, sometimes, it might be good to send a message manually because you want to send a little bit longer message and need to take your time editing it. This can be done directly in the Messages app. The steps below will walk you through how to send a message to someone manually.

Explanation

Messages are organized and kept in a program called “Messages.” You can just ask SIRI to open Messages. Once there, you will see a list of folders that are named after each person you have sent or received a message from if you have set it up like that. If it is not a name, it will be at least a phone number. This is because that person is not in your contacts yet. Once you put them in your contacts, their name will replace their number in your message lists.

So, for this example, we are going to assume that you have a message from somebody by name that you know. If you haven’t already, ask SIRI to open your Messages folder. This is where we will begin.

Drag your finger down the screen from top to bottom and listen to all the individual names that you have sent or received messages.
When you find the one that you want to send a message, double tap with one finger to open that person’s folder.
Now this screen is a list of messages by them and what you have said to them. Keep in mind that the messages are dated by oldest to most recent, with the most recent being what you can see. Also, if there are more messages by that person than would fit on the screen, you will have to swipe down with three fingers to see more of the older messages between you and that person.
Remember that the text box, where you can either type in or dictate your message to them, is always at the bottom of the screen.
If you are ready to send them a message, just find the edit box at the bottom, double tap to open the text box and think of something to say.
If you wish to dictate the message, just double tap the screen twice with two fingers to turn on the microphone to begin listening to you.
When you hear the tone, begin saying what you wish to that person. When you are finished, just repeat the two-finger double tap to turn the mike back off.
You will hear another tone and what you dictated will be spoken back to you based on how the system heard you. If you don’t hear the message, you will need to find it on the screen. It is usually just above the keyboard near the middle of the screen.
You need to listen to what it spoke back to you because you may need to fix it if it is not what you said.
Let’s assume that your device dictated correctly. Drag your finger up the right edge of the screen starting from the bottom right-hand corner. You should hear the items spoken on the screen in the following order: Dictate, Return, Delete, L, P, and Send.
Just double tap with one finger on the Send option, and the message will be sent after you hear a little whoosh sound.
You can wait a few minutes to see if the person is nearby their phone and they may write you back pretty quickly. If that person has an iPhone as well, you will hear your phone announce when they are typing their message back to you if you have that feature turned on.
As long as you stay in their folder, you will just hear Voice Over read their message to you when it arrives.
If you are finished texting to this person, you will need to drag your finger up to the upper-left corner to find the Back button. If you have unread messages from other persons or folders, it will announce the number of unread messages and then say the Back button.
Double tap the Back button with one finger so you can return to the main list of text messages by everyone. This allows you to open and respond to someone else the same way.
Otherwise, you can close the program with the Home button, if you have one. If you don’t, touch at the very bottom of the screen and you should hear a doop sound. Now drag your finger up slowly until you hear another bloop sound. Now lift your finger to close the app. Or, use a gesture that you may have programmed to close out of programs. I programmed the two-finger swipe left to close my apps.

I recommend you navigate around this screen to get familiar with all that is here. There are several options that will take you into some more advanced areas; but, you need to know how the screen looks just for familiarity.

End of lesson.