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Your iPhone’s tapback feature will be receiving an upgrade in iOS 18. The handy reaction feature allows you to give messages a thumbs up, a thumbs down, or a heart, or react with laughter or shock. The latest version of iOS gives you even more tapback reactions!
Why You’ll Love This Tip:
- Use emojis to react more accurately to every message.
- Create custom emojis with stickers and use them as reactions.
How to Use Tapback on iPhone to React with Emojis & Stickers
System Requirements
This tip works on iPhones running iOS 18 or later. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.
The newest update for your iPhone improves the tapback feature. What is tapback on iMessage? This feature allows you to “react” to messages with a “Ha Ha,” a thumbs up, a thumbs down, a heart, a question mark, or an exclamation point. However, with the latest software update, you have all the previous reactions plus you can react with any emoji or sticker. Here’s how to use the new iPhone’s tapback feature to react with an emoji.
- Tap and hold a text message.
![iphone messages app with a red box around text message bubble]()
- When the tapback menu pops up, you can swipe left to see some suggested emojis.
![iphone messages app displaying message menu with a red box around tapback options]()
- You can tap the emoji icon to choose any emoji.
![iphone messages app displaying message menu with a red box around emoji button]()
- The emoji menu will appear, from which you can select from any emoji.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying emojis keyboard, with a red box around emojis]()
- You can swipe right to your frequently used emojis.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying emojis keyboard, with a red box around emojis and an arrow pointing right, indicating to swipe right]()
- Continue swiping right to your stickers.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying emojis keyboard with a red box around frequent emojis with a red arrow pointing right, indicating to swipe right]()
- You can choose from your frequently used stickers, or tap the stickers icon to choose another sticker.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying emojis keyboard with a red box around stickers button]()
- Select a sticker or create a new one.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying stickers keyboard with a red box around a sticker of a cat and a red box around the new sticker button]()
- When you are returned to the emoji screen, tap the sticker or choose another emoji.
![iphone messages app tapback menu displaying emojis keyboard with a red box around a cat sticker]()
- Whether you reacted with an emoji or sticker, you will see it in a small bubble above the message.
![iphone messages app with a red box around message bubble which has a smaller, secondary bubble with a cheeseburger emoji inside it]()
That’s how to use the new iMessage tapback features. You can react with any emoji or sticker you have. Next, here’s how to see who reacted in iMessage.
