Confetti is an animated effect that makes small colorful shapes burst across your screen when you send or receive a message

On iMessage (Apple's texting app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac), you can trigger confetti by typing a specific word or phrase before you send. The most common trigger is typing "congratulations" — when the recipient opens that message, confetti will animate across their screen for a few seconds. Other words that work include "happy birthday," "happy new year," and "congrats." Android phones using Google Messages do not currently have this same feature, though some third-party messaging apps offer similar effects.

The confetti effect is purely visual and happens on the receiving end. It does not change the actual text of your message — it just adds animation when they open it. The effect lasts about three seconds and then disappears. You cannot customize the colors or size of the confetti; Apple controls what the animation looks like.

Key Takeaways

  • Type "congratulations," "happy birthday," "happy new year," or "congrats" in iMessage to trigger confetti when the recipient opens your message.
  • The confetti effect is visual only and does not change your actual message text.
  • The animation plays automatically on the receiving phone — you do not need to do anything special to send it.
  • This feature works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but not on Android phones using standard Google Messages.

Which words and phrases trigger confetti

Apple has built confetti into iMessage for specific celebration-related words. Typing "congratulations" is the most reliable trigger. "Congrats" (the shortened version) also works. "Happy birthday" will set off confetti when someone opens a birthday message. "Happy new year" does the same for New Year's messages.

The exact list of trigger words can change with iOS updates, so Apple may add or remove words over time. If you type a trigger word and the confetti does not appear, check that you are using iMessage (not regular SMS text), that both phones are on recent software versions, and that the recipient has not disabled effects in their settings.

How to send a message with confetti

Open the Messages app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Type your message and include one of the trigger words — for example, "Congratulations on the promotion!" or "Happy birthday, Sarah!" Send the message as you normally would by tapping the send arrow.

The recipient will see your message arrive normally. When they open the conversation thread, the confetti animation will play across their screen. They do not have to do anything to see it — it happens automatically. If they have disabled message effects in Settings, the confetti will not appear, but they will still see your text.

Other message effects in iMessage

Confetti is one of several animated effects built into iMessage. Typing "happy holidays" triggers falling snow. "Pew pew" creates laser effects. "Balloons" makes balloons float up the screen. These work the same way as confetti — you type the trigger word, send the message, and the animation plays when the recipient opens it.

You can also manually add effects to any message by typing it, then pressing and holding the send button (on iPhone) or right-clicking the send button (on Mac). A menu will appear with options like "Slam," "Gentle," "Invisible Ink," and "Loud." These manual effects work on any message, not just ones with specific trigger words.

Why confetti and other effects exist

Apple added these animated effects to make texting feel more expressive and celebratory. A plain text message saying "congratulations" is fine, but the confetti animation adds a moment of visual celebration that can feel more personal. The effects are optional — you can send messages without them, and they do not change how the message is stored or backed up.

These effects only work between iMessage users. If you send a message to someone with an Android phone, the trigger word will still appear in the text, but no animation will play on their end. They will straightforward see the words you typed.

Turning off message effects if you do not want them

If confetti or other animated effects distract you or cause motion sickness, you can disable them. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Messages, then scroll down and toggle off "Show Effect Animations." On Mac, open Messages, then Preferences, then Notifications, and uncheck "Play effects." Once disabled, you will not see any animations when you receive messages with trigger words, though the text itself will still arrive normally.

Disabling effects on your phone does not prevent others from sending you messages with confetti — it just means you will not see the animation. The sender will not know whether you have effects turned on or off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does confetti work on Android phones?

No. Confetti is an iMessage feature and only works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Android users who receive a message with a confetti trigger word will see the text normally, but no animation will play. Some Android messaging apps have their own effects, but they work differently and require both people to use the same app.

Can I customize the confetti colors or size?

No. Apple controls what the confetti looks like — you cannot change the colors, speed, or duration. The animation is the same for every user. If you want different visual effects, you would need to use a different messaging app that allows customization.

Will the person know I used a trigger word to send confetti?

They will see the confetti animation when they open your message, so they will know you sent a message with an effect. Your actual message text will include whatever you typed, so if you wrote "Congratulations on the job," they will see both the word and the animation.

What if I want to type "congratulations" without triggering confetti?

You cannot disable the effect for a single message while keeping effects on overall. If you want to use the word without animation, you would need to either disable all effects in Settings, or spell it differently (like "congrats!" with an exclamation point might not trigger it, though this is not may provide).

Do confetti effects use extra data or battery?

No. The animation is processed on the receiving phone and uses minimal resources. It does not affect your data plan or battery life in any noticeable way.