The simplest way to start messaging someone on iMessage
To add someone on iMessage, open the Messages app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, tap the compose button (a pencil and paper icon), type their name or phone number, and start typing your message. That is it — there is no separate "add contact" step in iMessage itself. The person receives your message through iMessage if they have an Apple device, or as a regular text message if they do not.
iMessage works differently from apps like WhatsApp or Telegram because it does not require you to create an account or confirm a friendship first. It uses your phone number or Apple ID email address to identify you, and the other person's device handles whether the message arrives as iMessage (blue bubbles) or SMS (green bubbles). You do not need their permission to send them a message.
If you want to save the person as a contact in your phone first, that makes future conversations easier to find, but it is not required to message them through iMessage.
Key Takeaways
- iMessage does not require adding someone as a contact or getting their approval — you can message any phone number or Apple ID email address directly.
- Messages appear as blue bubbles if the recipient has an Apple device, or green bubbles if they use Android or a non-Apple phone.
- Saving someone as a contact in your phone's address book makes conversations easier to organize but is separate from iMessage itself.
- On iPhone and iPad, use the compose button in the Messages app; on Mac, use the Messages app in your Applications folder.
- If someone blocks you on iMessage, your messages will still send but will not be delivered, and you will not see a notification that you have been blocked.
How to message someone on iPhone or iPad
Open the Messages app and look for the compose icon — a pencil writing on paper — in the upper right corner. Tap it. A new message window opens with a field that says "To:" at the top.
Type the person's name, phone number, or Apple ID email address in the "To:" field. If the person is already in your contacts, their name will appear as you type and you can tap it to select them. If they are not in your contacts, type their full phone number or email address. As you type, iMessage checks whether that number or email is registered with an Apple device — if it is, you will see a small indicator.
Tap in the message field at the bottom and type your message. When you are ready, tap the send button (an arrow pointing up). The message sends when ready. If the recipient has an Apple device, the message arrives as iMessage and the bubble will be blue. If they do not, it arrives as a standard text message and the bubble will be green.
How to message someone on Mac
Open the Messages app from your Applications folder or by searching for it with Spotlight (Command + Space, then type "Messages"). Click the compose button — a pencil and paper icon — in the upper left corner of the window.
A new message window opens. Click in the "To:" field and type the person's name, phone number, or Apple ID email. If they are in your contacts, their name will appear as you type. Click their name to select it, or finish typing their phone number or email address.
Click in the message field and type your message. Press Command + Enter or click the send button to send it. The same blue-bubble (iMessage) or green-bubble (SMS) behavior applies on Mac as on iPhone and iPad.
Adding someone to your contacts first (optional)
If you want to save someone as a contact before messaging them, open your phone's Contacts app or address book. Tap the plus sign or "New Contact" button, fill in their name and phone number or email address, and save. Once they are in your contacts, you can start a conversation with them in Messages by typing their name instead of their number.
Saving a contact is optional — iMessage works with or without it. The advantage is that all your conversations with that person will be grouped under their name in your Messages list, making them easier to find later. Without a saved contact, the conversation appears under their phone number or email address instead.
If you receive a message from someone not in your contacts, you can save them by opening the conversation, tapping their name or number at the top, and selecting "Add to Contacts."
Understanding blue bubbles versus green bubbles
When you send a message in iMessage, the color of the bubble tells you which service delivered it. Blue bubbles mean the message went through iMessage, Apple's encrypted messaging service. Green bubbles mean the message went through SMS (standard text messaging). This distinction matters because iMessage includes features like read receipts, typing indicators, and end-to-end encryption, while SMS does not.
iMessage automatically uses blue bubbles when messaging another Apple device and green bubbles when messaging an Android phone or a non-Apple device. You do not choose which one — iMessage detects the recipient's device type and routes the message accordingly. If someone switches from an iPhone to an Android phone and does not turn off iMessage on their old iPhone, their new Android phone may not receive your messages for a while, because iMessage will still try to send them as iMessage rather than SMS.
You can see which service a message used by looking at the bubble color. If you want to force a message to send as SMS instead of iMessage, you can turn off iMessage in Settings, but this is rarely necessary.
What happens if someone blocks you on iMessage
If someone blocks you on iMessage, you will not see a notification that says you have been blocked. Instead, your messages will continue to send normally from your perspective — they will appear in your conversation thread as if they went through. However, the other person will not receive them, and you will not receive any responses.
The only way to know for certain that you have been blocked is if you were previously having a conversation with someone and suddenly stop receiving responses, and you can confirm through another method (like calling or asking a mutual contact) that they are still active on their device. There is no way to unblock yourself — the other person must unblock you.
If you think you have been blocked, do not keep sending messages. Wait for the person to unblock you, or reach out through a different method if it is important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to add someone as a contact before I can message them on iMessage?
No. You can message any phone number or Apple ID email address directly in iMessage without saving them as a contact first. Saving a contact is optional and mainly helps you organize your conversations by name rather than by number.
Can I message someone on iMessage if they have an Android phone?
Yes, but the message will arrive as a green-bubble SMS text message instead of a blue-bubble iMessage. The person will receive it, but they will not have access to iMessage features like read receipts or typing indicators. From your end, you can still type and send normally.
What is the difference between messaging someone by phone number versus by email on iMessage?
Both work the same way — iMessage delivers the message to whichever one you use. Most people message by phone number because it is simpler, but you can also message someone by their Apple ID email address if you know it. The recipient receives the message either way.
If I delete a conversation, can I still message that person again?
Yes. Deleting a conversation only removes the message history from your Messages app. You can start a new conversation with the same person anytime by opening Messages, tapping compose, and typing their name or number again.
Why are my messages showing as green bubbles when I thought the person had an iPhone?
The most common reason is that the person turned off iMessage in their settings, or they recently switched to an Android phone and iMessage has not updated yet. You can also check by opening the conversation, tapping their name at the top, and looking at the details — if iMessage is available, it will show an option to send via iMessage.