Copying and pasting from text messages on the iPhone has always been a bit of a pain. For so long, the only way to do it was to copy the entire message at once. Well, with the latest version of iOS, you can now select specific parts of a text to copy to your clipboard. This is very useful if you want to share or search a chunk of a longer text message without copying the whole thing or without sharing personal information.
Why You’ll Love This Tip
- Copy specific parts of text messages without copying the whole message.
- Easily look up words or phrases that are texted to you.
How to Copy a Text Message on iPhone
System Requirements
This tip was performed on an iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 26.0.1. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.
You can now easily highlight and copy a selection of text from your messages on iOS 26. This is super convenient for copying specific information that someone texted you. For more helpful iPhone shortcuts and tricks, check out our free Tip of the Day newsletter. Now, here’s how to copy a text message on iPhone:
- Long-press the text bubble that you want to copy.
![a screenshot of the messages app on iphone with a red box around a text message bubble]()
- Choose Select in the menu that appears.
![a screenshot of the messages app on iphone displaying an expanded menu with a red box around the select option]()
- Highlight the text you want to copy by dragging the blue dots at the start and end of the text.
![a screenshot of the messages app showing highlighted text with red boxes around the blue dots]()
- Tap Copy.
![a screenshot of the messages app showing highlighted text with a red box around copy]()
That’s how to use the new text features on iPhone. Now you’re free to paste your copied text wherever you want! Next, find out the RCS meaning in your Messages app.
