How to Pin Message Conversations in iOS

Pin important iPhone messages to the top of your screen

What to Know

  • Open the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad.
  • Tap Edit > Edit Pins, tap the yellow pin icon, and press Done.
  • Alternatively, press down on a conversation you want to pin for a few seconds and tap Pin when prompted.

This article explains how to pin message conversations in iOS, a useful feature when you want to quickly access a chat without having to search for it in the Message app or having to create a new message. 

Can You Pin a Message Conversation in iOS?

If you have an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or newer, you can pin a message conversation, also known as a thread, to the top of the Messages app. This is a convenient feature for anyone who would like to access select conversations and text messages quickly and without having to scroll down through the app. It also spares you from having to create a new message if you can't find what you are looking for.

Once message conversations are pinned, you can immediately pull up an old or existing thread with a family member, dog walker, or babysitter by navigating to the top of your Messages app’s screen. You can pin multiple message conversations at once so your most important messages are always easy to access. Keep in mind pinned message conversations will remain at the top of the Messages app until you’ve taken the steps to unpin a message conversation in iOS.

How Do You Pin a Message Conversation on iPhone? 

Follow these steps to pin a message conversation, message thread, or text message in iOS. The following steps apply to all iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or newer.

  1. Open the Messages app on your device.

  2. At the top left of the screen, select Edit.

  3. From the drop-down menu, tap Edit Pins.

  4. Tap the yellow pin icon to the right of the message conversation you want to pin. You can select multiple conversations to pin at once.

    Edit, Edit Pins, and Pin icon highlighted in Apple Messages app
  5. Once you’ve selected all the threads you want to pin, select Done.

  6. You’ll now see your selected pinned message conversations at the top of the Messages app. All other messages will appear below your pinned conversations. To unpin conversations, tap Edit again.

    When you decide it's time to unpin a message conversation, that conversation doesn't disappear. It'll go back to where it was chronologically within the Messages app.

    Done, Pinned messages, and Edit highlighted in Apple Messages app

An Alternative Way to Pin a Message Conversation on iPhone

There's another way you can pin a conversation to the top of your Message's app in iOS. This method is especially useful if you want to quickly pin one thread in particular. The following steps apply to all iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or newer.

  1. Open the Messages app.

  2. Tap and hold down on the conversation you want to pin until a pop-up screen appears.

  3. Press Pin.

  4. You’ll now see the selected pinned message conversation at the top of the Messages app.

Pin highlighted in Apple Message app
FAQ
  • How do I delete messages on iOS?

    To delete messages on iPhone, tap and hold the message, then tap More > trash can > Delete Message, or tap Delete All to delete the whole conversation. Alternatively, swipe right on the conversation and tap trash can > Delete.

  • How do I make handwritten messages on iOS?

    Use the iMessage Digital Touch tool to send handwritten messages on iOS. Open an iMessage and hold your device sideways (in landscape mode), then tap the Sketch icon on the right side of your keyboard.

  • How do I hide messages on my iPhone?

    To disable iOS message notifications on your lock screen, open the Settings app and go to Notifications > Messages > Lock Screen. If you want to see lock screen notifications for new texts, but you want the message contents hidden, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages > Show Previews.

  • How do I play games in iOS Messages?

    To find iMessage games, create a new conversation and tap Apps > Grid icon > Store. To start playing, enter a conversation with the person you want to play with, tap Apps > Grid icon, choose the game, and tap Create Game.

Was this page helpful?