Welcome back! You’ve already learned how to make and receive calls, and now it’s time to explore the other way people stay connected today — texting.

Texting is powerful for one simple reason: it allows you to stay in touch with family and friends anytime, without the pressure of a phone call. You can send a quick “I love you” to your grandkids, share a photo with a friend, or let someone know you’re on your way. And the best part? They don’t need to respond right away — and neither do you.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll know how to:

• Open and read a text message.
• Send a new text to someone.
• Add photos and emojis to your messages.

Let’s start with the basics: reading a text.

On your home screen, look for the green “Messages” app — it looks like a speech bubble. Go ahead and tap it. When it opens, you’ll see a list of conversations. Each one is a thread between you and another person or group. If the conversation is new, you’ll see a little blue dot next to it, which means you haven’t read it yet.

Tap on one of your conversations to open it. Inside, you’ll see little bubbles — some on the left, some on the right. The ones on the right are the ones you sent. The ones on the left are from the other person. To read a message, just scroll up or down with your finger.

Now let’s move to sending a message.

Inside that same conversation, look at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see a text box that says “iMessage” or “Text Message.” Tap inside that box, and the keyboard will pop up. Now, just type your message. For example, type “Hello! I’m practicing texting today.” When you’re ready to send, tap the blue arrow button on the right side of the box. And there it goes — your first text!

But what if you want to start a brand new conversation? In the Messages app, look at the top-right corner. You’ll see a little square icon with a pencil. Tap that, and you’ll open a new message window. In the “To:” box at the top, type the name of the person you want to text. If they’re already saved in your contacts, their name will pop up automatically. Tap it, type your message, then press send.

Now for the fun part — adding photos and emojis.

Let’s say you want to share a picture. Inside the conversation, look for the little camera icon near the text box. Tap it, and you’ll see two options: take a new photo, or choose from your existing photos. If you want to snap something right now, just point your camera, tap the shutter button, and then hit “Send.” If you want to share a photo you’ve already taken, tap “Photos,” choose the one you want, and press send.

Imagine how much joy your grandkids will feel when you send them a picture of your garden, or your smile, right from your phone.

Next up — emojis. Emojis are those little smiley faces, hearts, and symbols you’ve probably seen. They may look silly at first, but they’re a wonderful way to add emotion to your message. To use them, tap the little smiley face button on your keyboard. This will bring up the emoji keyboard. Scroll through and tap whichever one you like. It will appear right in your message. Try adding a heart, a smiley face, or even a thumbs-up. Then press send.

And here’s a bonus trick: if you type a word like “heart” or “cake,” your iPhone may suggest an emoji version for you to tap instead. That makes it even easier.

Let’s pause here to review what you’ve learned so far. You can:

1. Open the Messages app and read texts in conversations.
2. Reply by typing in the text box and pressing the blue send arrow.
3. Start a brand-new conversation by tapping the pencil-and-paper icon.
4. Add photos from your camera or photo library.
5. Sprinkle in emojis to make your texts fun and personal.

Now, let’s address a common fear: what if I make a mistake? What if you send the wrong message, or accidentally text the wrong person? Don’t worry — it happens to everyone. Most mistakes are small and easily explained. And with recent iPhones, you even have the ability to “Undo Send” if you act quickly. If you ever feel uncertain, just double-check the “To:” box before you hit send.

Here’s your quick win action step:
Today, practice sending three texts:

1. A simple “Hello” to a family member.
2. A photo — maybe of your pet, your home, or something nearby.
3. A message with at least one emoji.

Ask the person to reply back, and enjoy the conversation. The more you practice, the faster texting will become second nature.

In our next lesson, we’ll cover voicemail — setting it up, listening to messages, and making sure you never miss important information. That way, whether someone calls or texts, you’ll always be in control of the conversation.

Great work — you’re now officially a texter!