How to disable the typing bubble indicator in Messages on iPhone
Learn how to reply to messages on your iPhone or iPad without showing the typing bubble indicator to the other person.
When is the typing indicator shown in the Apple Messages app?
The moving ellipsis (…) indicator is shown on the recipient’s device when you’re typing a message to them, aprovided they’re actively viewing the conversation or the main Messages screen (see the image below).
In my repeated tests, I found the following:
- The typing bubble doesn’t show when you hit the text box to bring up the keyboard.
- It doesn’t show even if the first key you tap is 123 (to see the number keys and special characters) or the emoji key (to browse through the emojis).
- However, it starts showing the moment you tap the first key to type, insert a special character key or emoji, or hit a suggested word above the keyboard.
- The typing indicator should disappear if you erase everything and swipe down on the screen to hide the keyboard.
- The typing indicator also vanishes automatically after about 5 minutes (more on this below).
Remember that the typing indicator is shown for iMessage and RCS texts but not for SMS.
Hiding the typing bubble indicator in Messages
There can be situations where you don’t want the other side to know you’re currently active in the chat and that you’re typing a message to reply to them.
Unfortunately, unlike turning off Read Receipts to stop letting the other side know you have read their message, there is no toggle in the Messages app settings to turn off the typing indicator bubble.
Thankfully, there are a few easy workarounds to hide the typing indicator in the iOS Messages app. Some of them are incredibly simple, and you might already know about them.
Wait for at least 5 minutes before replying
Imagine you’re in a heated conversation and don’t want the other person to know you’re typing a long reply. Or perhaps you’d rather not give the impression that you’re too eager to respond.
In these cases, waiting at least 5 minutes before typing can help. In my tests, the typing indicator doesn’t appear on the recipient’s screen if you reply after 5 minutes. Additionally, the indicator disappears if you type a very long message for more than 90 seconds.
Waiting also gives you time to craft a thoughtful response. Plus, after a few minutes, the other person might leave your conversation screen or the Messages app, making it unlikely they’ll see the typing indicator at all.
Use the Notes app
Instead of typing a lengthy reply directly in the Messages app, you can take your time drafting it in the Notes app. Once ready, simply copy it, paste it into Messages, and hit send.
Turn off the Internet and then type
Go to your iPhone or iPad’s Control Center, turn off the Wi-Fi and cellular data, and then start typing. The person you’re replying to won’t see the typing bubble. Once you finish, turn on Wi-Fi or cellular data and hit send.
Send a short text and then edit it into a longer reply
The typing bubble is not shown when you edit a message. So, start by sending a small text. Then, touch and hold it, and tap select Edit from the pop-out menu. Now, take your time to type a longer message.
Remember that you can edit only those messages sent in the last 15 minutes.
Ask Siri to reply
You can use Siri to message a person without the typing indicator bubble.
Just say, “Hey Siri, send a message to Sebastien saying hello.” Siri will now show a message compose box. Use the keyboard to type a longer message if needed and hit Send.
Type in a new conversation window
This unconventional trick also prevents the typing bubble from showing on the recipient’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Exit the conversation to return to the first screen of the iPhone or iPad Messages app. Tap the compose button in the top right corner as if you were starting a new message.
- Type what you want to say.
- After typing, add the recipient in the “To” field above. Remember to do this after following step 2. If you add the same person to the “To” field beforehand, your past messages thread with them will show up, and they will see the typing indicator.
- Hit the send button.
Temporarily turn off iMessage
This is an extreme and unnecessary thing to do, as easier and more logical methods are mentioned above, but just for the sake of knowledge, we should let you know that the typing indicator won’t show if you turn off iMessage from Settings > Apps > Messages before you start replying. And after you finish typing, turn iMessage back on to send it.
However, remember that turning iMessage off may lead to issues when you return to re-enable it.
Also, check out: 65+ tips and tricks for the Messages app on iPhone and iPad
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/03/21/how-to-disable-typing-indicator-messages-app-iphone/
Leave a Reply