As you must have noticed, some of the messages on your iPhone are Green, while others have a Blue background. In case this sounds interesting, let us take a look at why some iMessages on your iPhone have a Green background and how this matters to you.
Why Are Some iMessages Green On iPhone
Your iPhone is capable of sending both Carrier supported traditional SMS text messages and also iMessages which go through Apple’s servers.
A crucial difference between these two types of messages (SMS/iMessage) is that sending an SMS message is going to cost you money and will be counted against the messaging allowance of your phone plan, whereas sending an iMessage is not going to cost you anything.
Hence, Apple has made it easy for iPhone users to distinguish between SMS and iMessages by colouring SMS messages in Green and iMessages in Blue colour.
An easy way of remembering this is to think of Green as being related to Money which is what your Carrier wants from you. Blue iMessages are totally free and you can send as many iMessages as you want from your iPhone.
How to Know You are Sending An iMessage
Unless you are on an Unlimited texting plan, sending SMS/MMS messages is going to cost you money. Hence, it is important to know whether a particular Message that you are trying to send from your iPhone is going as an iMessages (Free) or it is leaving your iPhone as SMS Message (Paid).
Luckily, iPhone makes it really easy to check whether a particular Message from your iPhone is going as an iMessage or paid SMS Message.
All that you need to do is to keep an eye on the colour of the Send button. In case you see a Green send button, your iPhone is letting you know that the message will be going as a paid SMS Message, using your Carrier’s Cellular Network.
In case you see a Blue send button, you can bring a smile to your Face, as the message will be going through Apple’s servers as a Free iMessage (See image above).
Why Do Some Messages Go As SMS
The Process of whether a particular Message is sent as an iMessage or Carrier supported SMS Message is Automatic. Any time you send a Message to someone using an Apple Device (iPhone, iPad or Mac), your iPhone will be sending your Message as a Free iMessage, using Apple’s servers.
When you send a Message to anyone who is not using an Apple device, your iPhone switches to SMS Mode and conveys the Message over Cellular Network of your Carrier.
Note: iMessages can use both WiFi and Cellular Network, where as SMS Messages mostly make use of the Cellular Network.
Advantages of iMessage Over SMS
The biggest advantage of iMessage is that it is free to use and there is no limit on the amount of free iMessages that you can send to anyone using an Apple device.
Another major advantage of using iMessage is security, iMessages leave your iPhone in an encrypted form and they remain encrypted even when they go through Apple’s servers. According to Apple, even they cannot see the contents of your iMessages.
In comparison, SMS and MMS messages go through the Cellular Network of your Carrier and they are not encrypted.
Apple’s iMessage supports large file attachments and makes it really easy to attach Photos and Files of up to 100 MB to your messages. Most Cellular Service providers place restrictions on the type and size of file attachments (Maximum 2~3 MB).
SMS Text Messages are plain looking, boring and outdated, compared to feature rich modern messaging systems like iMessage and WhatsApp.
For example, iMessage is full of features like Screen Effects, Hand written text, Emojis, Delivery status indicators and Activity indicator bubble to indicate that someone is typing a new message for you.
iPhone Not Sending Blue iMessages
In case your iPhone is not sending Blue iMessages, it is most likely that you have not turned ON iMessages on your iPhone. Follow the steps below to Enable iMessages on your iPhone.
1. Tap on Settings
2. On the Settings screen, tap on Messages.
3. On the Messages screen, simply turn on the option for iMessage by moving the toggle to ON Position (See image below).
In case you are still having problems with iMessage, you can refer to: How to Fix iMessage Not Working on iPhone.