Blue text bubbles on iPhone mean the message was sent with iMessage, Apple’s messaging service. Green bubbles mean it was sent as a regular text through your carrier, using RCS or SMS/MMS. That usually happens when you’re texting someone without an Apple device, or when iMessage is off or unavailable on either phone. For sending, group texts, and the rest of the app, see our complete guide to text messaging on iPhone.
This guide is based on three Apple Support articles: What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS?, If your iPhone messages are green, and Turn on RCS messaging on your iPhone.
What Blue Messages Mean
Apple says iMessage sends messages to another iPhone or Apple device over Wi-Fi or cellular data. It supports high-resolution photos and videos, documents, Tapbacks, message effects, delivery and read receipts, and typing indicators. iMessage conversations are end-to-end encrypted, and Apple shows a lock icon at the top to mark this.
If Wi-Fi isn’t available, iMessage uses cellular data, so data rates might apply. Because iMessage uses data rather than your carrier’s texting service, you don’t need a text plan for it.
What Green Messages Mean
- RCS: Apple says RCS works with non-Apple phones and supports high-resolution photos and videos, links, delivery and read receipts, and typing indicators. It needs iOS 18 and a carrier that supports RCS on iPhone. Starting with iOS 26.5, RCS conversations can be end-to-end encrypted when every participant’s carrier supports it.
- SMS/MMS: the older text and picture message formats. Apple says they aren’t end-to-end encrypted.
Both appear in green bubbles. Photos sent by MMS are often compressed and may look blurry to the person receiving them.
Why Your Messages Are Green
Apple lists these reasons a message goes out green instead of blue:
- The person you’re texting doesn’t have an Apple device.
- iMessage is turned off on your device or theirs. Here is how to turn on iMessage on iPhone.
- iMessage is temporarily unavailable on your device or theirs.
- You may need to update your Messages settings after setting up a new device.
How to Turn On iMessage
- Open the Settings app and tap Apps.
- Tap Messages.
- Turn on iMessage.
- If needed, tap Send & Receive and choose whether new conversations start from your phone number or email address.
Result: messages to other Apple users go out as iMessage in blue bubbles when possible.
How to Turn On RCS Messaging
- Open Settings > Apps > Messages.
- Tap RCS Messaging.
- Turn on RCS Messaging.
Result: texts to Android phones can use RCS features. Apple notes there may be a short delay the first time, and if the setting doesn’t appear, your carrier may not support RCS.
Other RCS Settings Worth Knowing
- Business messages: Apple says some companies send order alerts over RCS. Turn them off in Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging > RCS Business Messages.
- Encryption: in iOS 26.5, the same screen has End-to-End Encryption (Beta), which Apple says is on by default where carriers support it. Encrypted RCS chats show “Encrypted” with a lock icon.
- Default texting app: Apple notes that in iOS 26 you can choose which app handles SMS, MMS, and RCS messages.
Troubleshooting
Texts to another iPhone are suddenly green
One of you may be offline or have iMessage turned off. Check Settings > Apps > Messages on both phones.
You don’t see the RCS Messaging setting
Apple says RCS might not be available with your carrier or in your region. Contact your carrier.
FAQs
Do green messages cost money?
They use your carrier’s texting service. Apple says carrier fees may apply, so check your plan.
Can I see if a green message was read?
With RCS, yes. Apple says RCS supports read receipts, but it doesn’t list them as an SMS/MMS feature.
More iPhone Guides
- How to mark text messages as unread on iPhone
- How to turn read receipts on or off on iPhone
- How to delete pictures from text messages on iPhone
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.