iOS 27 Finally Fixes Replying to Android Texts

When iOS 27 arrives next month, you'll be able to reply to a specific green chat bubble (aka an Android message) in a Messages conversation on your iPhone.

All you need to do is press and hold the message, tap Reply, then type your response. It will be received by the recipient as a real threaded reply (i.e. an inline reply), tying it directly to the message in question. It's the same with reactions – react to a shared photo and your contact will see the intended emoji instead of a message saying that you "liked an image."

It's all thanks to Apple's embrace of RCS Universal Profile 3.0, the GSMA standard it helped publish and has been adopting in stages. Universal Profile 2.4 first appeared in iOS 18 in September 2024, but it didn't support inline replies. Come this September, on supporting iPhones, that will finally change.

Bear in mind that the feature also depends on carrier support at both ends. Even before you update to iOS 27, you can see if your device is ready for the change: simply go to Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Messages ➝ RCS Messaging, and check that the RCS Messaging toggle is enabled. If the setting isn't displayed in said menu, your carrier has yet to enable the feature.