To like a message on an iPhone 13, open the conversation in Messages, double-tap the message bubble (or touch and hold it), then tap the thumbs-up icon. A small thumbs-up appears on the corner of that bubble, and everyone in the conversation can see it.
These steps are written for iOS 27, the current version, and they match iOS 26 and iOS 18. iOS 27 runs on the iPhone 13 and on every iPhone from the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation) onward, so the steps are the same on all of them. Apple calls these reactions Tapbacks, and its Tapback guide covers the same feature.
Like a Message With a Thumbs-Up
- Open the Messages app.
- Tap the conversation that has the message you want to like.
- Double-tap the message bubble. You can also touch and hold it. A row of reaction icons appears above the bubble, and a menu with options such as Reply and Copy appears below it.
- Tap the thumbs-up icon. The row closes, and a thumbs-up badge now sits on the corner of the message.
You can like any message in the thread, not just the newest one. Scroll up to find it, then double-tap that bubble. In a busy group chat, check the sender’s name and the wording before you tap so the reaction lands on the right message.
Tapbacks work on photos, videos, voice messages and links as well as text. For a photo or a link preview, double-tap the edge of the bubble. A single tap on a link opens it, and touching and holding a photo can bring up photo options instead of the reaction row.
Use a Different Reaction or Any Emoji
The reaction row starts with six standard Tapbacks:
- Heart (love)
- Thumbs up (like)
- Thumbs down (dislike)
- Haha
- Double exclamation mark (emphasize)
- Question mark
To react with something else, double-tap the bubble, then tap the smiley face button at the end of the reaction row. The emoji keyboard opens. Pick any emoji and it attaches to the message the same way the thumbs-up does.
From the same keyboard you can also react with a sticker or a Memoji. Switch to the stickers section and tap the one you want. Genmoji, the custom emoji you create with a text description, need Apple Intelligence, which the iPhone 13 doesn’t support. You can still see Genmoji reactions that other people send you.
Emoji and sticker Tapbacks arrived in iOS 18. If you’re on iOS 17 or earlier, you only get the six standard Tapbacks. You can check your version in Settings > General > About.
Put a Sticker on Top of a Message Instead
A Tapback always sits in the same spot on the corner of the bubble, and each person gets one per message. A sticker reaction is different: you place it anywhere on the bubble, you can add several, and you can resize or rotate it.
- Touch and hold the message bubble.
- Tap Add Sticker in the menu.
- Tap a sticker, emoji or Memoji. It lands on the bubble.
You can also drag a sticker from the + button > Stickers drawer and drop it on the bubble. Wait until the bubble darkens slightly before you lift your finger, or the sticker may go out as its own message. While you drag, use a second finger to resize or rotate it.
To remove a sticker you placed, touch and hold the bubble, tap Sticker Details, swipe left on your sticker, and tap Delete. You can also make your own stickers from photos.
Change or Remove Your Like
You can have one Tapback on a message at a time. Picking a new one replaces the old one.
- Double-tap the bubble that has your reaction, or tap the reaction badge on it. The reaction row opens, and your current reaction is highlighted.
- To switch, tap a different reaction. Your thumbs-up is replaced by the new one.
- To remove it, tap the highlighted thumbs-up again. The badge disappears from the bubble.
Removing a reaction only removes yours. You can’t edit or remove reactions other people added. Also keep in mind that the other person may already have seen a notification about your like, and removing it won’t take that back.
See Who Liked a Message in a Group Chat
In a group conversation, several people can react to the same bubble, and their badges stack on the corner.
- Tap the reactions on the bubble.
- A list opens at the top of the screen showing each reaction with the photo of the person who added it. Tap a photo to see the person’s name.
This is the quickest way to see who has already answered a “Who’s in?” message without reading through a dozen replies.
Like a Message on iPad or Mac
If Messages in iCloud or the same Apple Account is set up on your other devices, you can react from them too, and the reaction syncs to the conversation.
- iPad: the steps match the iPhone. Double-tap or touch and hold the bubble, then tap the thumbs-up.
- Mac: in the Messages app, Control-click or right-click the bubble and choose Tapback, or force click it on a trackpad. Pick the thumbs-up, or click the smiley face for any emoji.
How Likes Show Up for Android and Green-Bubble Chats
Blue bubbles mean the conversation uses iMessage, and reactions work as described above. Green bubbles mean the message went by RCS or SMS/MMS, usually because the other person has an Android phone.
- RCS (green bubbles with typing indicators and read receipts): the standard Tapbacks, including the thumbs-up, show up as reactions on the Android phone. Apple’s iOS 27 update added fuller Tapback support for RCS, so reactions to photos and videos now arrive as reactions instead of a line like “Loved an image.” Both phones and both carriers need to support RCS. Some emoji reactions may still arrive as a separate emoji, depending on the other person’s messaging app.
- SMS/MMS (plain green bubbles, no typing indicator): Android phones often receive a like as a separate text, something like “Liked ‘See you at 7’.” Some Android messaging apps convert that text back into a reaction, but many don’t.
If the reply matters, such as confirming a time or an amount, a short text like “Yes, see you at 7” is clearer than a thumbs-up for someone outside iMessage.
If a chat with another iPhone user is green, here’s why iPhone messages turn green and how to fix it.
Like, Emoji Reply, Sticker, or Forward: Which to Use
| What you want to do | Use this |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge one message without sending a new text | A Tapback (thumbs-up or any emoji reaction) |
| Send an emoji as its own message | Type the emoji in the text field and send it |
| Drop a sticker on top of a message | Touch and hold the bubble, then tap Add Sticker |
| Share the message with someone outside the chat | Forward it |
For the other options, here’s how to use emoji on iPhone and how to forward a text message on iPhone.
If Liking a Message Doesn’t Work
- The reaction row doesn’t appear. Double-tap directly on the bubble, not the space beside it. If double-tapping doesn’t work, touch and hold the bubble instead.
- You see Copy and Reply, but no reactions. Look above the bubble rather than below it. The reaction row sits on top, and the menu sits underneath.
- There’s no smiley button for other emoji. Your iPhone is on iOS 17 or earlier. Update in Settings > General > Software Update to get emoji and sticker reactions.
- The thumbs-up went on the wrong message. Double-tap that bubble, tap the highlighted thumbs-up to remove it, then like the correct message.
- Your emoji or sticker was sent as a new message. You typed it in the text field, or lifted your finger before the bubble darkened. Delete it if you want, then react again from the reaction row.
- The other person sees text instead of a reaction. The chat is using SMS/MMS. See the green-bubble section above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the other person get notified when I like their message?
Usually, yes. In iMessage the sender sees the reaction on their message and often gets a notification, depending on their notification settings. In group chats, everyone sees the reaction.
Can I like a message from the Lock Screen?
You can. Touch and hold the message notification on the Lock Screen, and the reaction row appears above it. Tap the thumbs-up and your iPhone sends the reaction without opening Messages.
Does liking a message mark it as read?
Opening the conversation to react is what marks it as read. If you want to come back to it later, you can mark the conversation as unread after reacting.
If you would rather people not see Read when you open their messages, turn off read receipts on your iPhone.
Can I like more than one message at once?
No. Each reaction goes on one bubble. Double-tap each message you want to like.
What does the double exclamation mark mean?
It’s the “emphasize” reaction. People use it to flag a message as important or to show surprise. It shows up on Android over SMS as “Emphasized” followed by the message text.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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