How to Pin and Unpin Messages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac in 2024

Want to pin messages on your Apple device? Check out How to Pin and Unpin Messages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac in this guide.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, staying organized is key to maintaining clear communication.

When it comes to managing your messages on Apple devices, knowing how to pin and unpin conversations can make a significant difference in keeping your important chats easily accessible.

Whether you’re an iPhone aficionado, an iPad enthusiast, or a Mac user, this article will guide you through the simple yet powerful methods of pinning and unpinning messages.

So, how to pin and unpin messages on iPhone, iPad and Mac?

To pin messages on iPhone or iPad, try

Open the Messages app, long press on the chat, and tap on Pin.

To unpin text messages on iPhone and iPad, go to the Messages app, click the three dots, select Edit Pin, and tap the minus (-) sign next to the pinned chats.

For pinning text messages on a MacBook, Open the Messages app, right-click on the chat, and select Pin.

To unpin text messages on a MacBook, right-click on the chat and choose the unpin option.

Let’s dive into the world of pinned messages and unleash the full potential of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Related: How to Delete Messages

How to Pin and Unpin Messages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Table of Contents

How to Pin Messages on iPhone or iPad

When it comes to managing your messages on Apple devices, pinning and unpinning conversations can help you stay organized and easily access important chats.

Let’s explore the step-by-step process for pinning and unpinning messages on your iPhone and iPad.

Method 1:

Start by opening the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad. You can identify it as the green app with a white thought bubble icon.
Look for the specific chats that you want to pin. Once you’ve found a chat, press and hold on it for a moment. This action will trigger a menu of options to appear on your screen.
Among the options, you’ll see choices like delete, hide alert, and more. Tap on the “Pin” option to pin the selected text message. This action will make the text appear at the top of your message list.

Note: In some cases, the “Pin” option may not always be visible using this method. If that happens, proceed to the alternate method.

Method 2:

Locate the text messages you wish to pin within the messaging app on your iPhone or iPad.
Swipe the specific chat from left to right. As you do this, a pin icon will become visible.
Tap on the pin icon to complete the process of pinning the text message. Once pinned, the message will appear at the top of your message list for easy access.

Note: Please be aware that this method might be harder to find on certain iOS devices, especially if your iPhone or iPad is not updated to the latest software version.

Method 3:

To efficiently pin multiple conversations at once, open the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad.
Next, locate the three dots (…) icon positioned next to the “New Message” draft option in the top right corner of the screen. Tap on it.
From the options that appear, select “Edit Pins.” This action will allow you to manage your pinned text messages.
Pin the text messages you want to be visible at the top by selecting them. You can do this by tapping on the empty circle or checkbox next to each message.
To customize the order of the pinned conversations, press and hold on a conversation, and then drag it using your fingers. This way, you can arrange the pinned messages according to your preferences.

How to Unpin Text Messages on iPhone and iPad

On your iPad or iPhone, you can unpin a communication chain if it is no longer essential to you and you don’t want it to show up at the top.

Check out the following two methods to unpin your Text messages:

Method 1:

Start by unlocking your iPhone or iPad and opening the Messages app.

Look for the three dots (…) icon located next to the “New Message” draft option in the top right corner of the screen. Tap on it to access additional options.
Among the options that appear, select “Edit Pins.” This action will bring up all the pinned chats at the top of your screen.
Pinned chats will be identified by a minus (-) sign displayed on their headers and a slight swaying motion.
To unpin a specific chat, tap on the minus symbol associated with that chat. By doing so, the chat will be released from the pinned section and return to its original position in your message list.

Using this method, you can unpin multiple text messages by tapping on the minus symbol for each conversation you wish to unpin.

Method 2:

Locate the text messages app on your iPhone or iPad and open it.
Find the conversation that you want to unpin from the pinned section. Press and hold on the chat for a short moment.
As you hold the chat, a menu will appear, presenting you with various options such as conceal notifications, delete, unpin, and more.
Tap on the “Unpin” option to remove the chat from the pinned section. The message will return to its original location within your message list.

How to Pin Text Messages on a MacBook

Additionally, Mac users can now pin Text messages. The text messages app on your computer and an Apple ID login are all that are required. Your Mac will automatically sync your messages.

Method 1:

Start by opening your MacBook and launching the Messages app. You’ll need an Apple ID login for your Mac to automatically sync your messages.
Navigate to the conversation or text message that you want to pin. You can easily locate the desired message by scrolling through your message list.
Once you’ve found the message, right-click (or control-click) on the name of the conversation. This action will bring up a context menu with several options.
Among the options presented, you’ll see “Pin.” Click on the “Pin” option to activate it. The selected conversation will now be pinned and appear at the top of your message list.

Method 2:

Open the Messages app on your MacBook and find the conversation that you wish to pin.
Using your mouse or trackpad, click and hold on the text message you want to pin, then drag it from the top of the sidebar to the pinned section.
Release the mouse or trackpad to drop the message into the pinned section. The conversation will now be pinned and easily accessible at the top of your message list.

How to Unpin Text Messages on a MacBook

The process for unpinning the Text message is very similar to that for pinning it on a Mac.

Method 1:

Locate the message that you want to unpin within the Messages app on your Mac.
Right-click (or control-click) on the discussion chain to bring up the context menu.
From the options presented, click on the “Unpin” option. The message will be released from the pinned section and return to its original location within your message list.

Method 2:

Find the conversation that you wish to unpin within the Messages app on your Mac. The pinned conversations are displayed at the top of the screen.
Click and drag the chat from the pinned section and move it to the regular list of conversations.
As you drag the chat, you’ll notice that the regular list updates in real-time.
Release the chat in the regular list, and it will return to its original location.

Unable to Pin/Unpin Text Messages – Troubleshooting Trips

Sometimes you may encounter difficulties when trying to pin or unpin text messages on your device.

Let’s explore some troubleshooting tips that can help you overcome these challenges and successfully manage your conversations.

Phone not updated

One common reason for encountering issues with pinning or unpinning text messages is running an outdated version of iOS on your device.

Apple regularly releases updates to improve performance, fix bugs, and enhance the user interface.

Therefore, before attempting to pin or unpin text messages, ensure that you have the latest iOS version installed on your iPhone or iPad.

Updating your device’s software can often resolve any compatibility issues.

Temporary glitch

Occasionally, a temporary glitch can occur within the Messages app, causing it to malfunction.

If you’re experiencing difficulties with pinning or unpinning text messages, try relaunching the app or restarting your device.

This simple action can often rectify minor software hiccups and restore the proper functioning of the app.

Outdated version of the app

Another possible culprit for issues with pinning or unpinning discussions is using an outdated version of the Messages app.

Developers regularly release updates to address bugs, introduce new features, and ensure compatibility with the latest iOS version.

To rule out this possibility, visit the Apple App Store and check if there’s an updated version of the Messages app available.

If so, download and install it on your device. Afterward, try the pinning or unpinning option once more.

An updated app version can often resolve any underlying compatibility issues and enable smooth operation.

What are the advantages of Pinning Text Messages?

Pinning text messages offers several advantages that can greatly improve your messaging experience. Let’s explore the benefits of pinning text messages:

Priority and Organization: By pinning text messages, you can prioritize specific chats and discussions.

Pinned messages are displayed at the top of your messaging app, making them easily accessible and instantly visible.

This feature allows you to keep important conversations within reach, ensuring that you never miss crucial information or updates.

Streamlined Navigation: One of the significant advantages of pinning text messages is that it reduces the strain of navigating through a lengthy list of messages.

When you have numerous conversations, finding specific chats can become time-consuming and cumbersome.

By pinning important messages, you eliminate the need to scroll through a large number of conversations, saving you valuable time and effort.

Time Efficiency: Pinning text messages can be particularly beneficial in work or academic contexts.

If you frequently communicate with colleagues, clients, or classmates via text messages, pinning important conversations allows you to quickly access the specific discussions that are significant to your work or assignments.

This time-saving feature enables you to stay focused on essential tasks without getting lost in the sea of messages.

Reduced Stress and Overwhelm: With a multitude of messages coming in daily, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.

By pinning text messages, you create a clear distinction between important conversations and the rest of your message threads.

This separation helps to declutter your messaging app and reduces the mental stress of constantly sifting through irrelevant messages to find what matters most to you.

How to Pin and Unpin Messages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac – FAQs

Where Does a Text Message Go When It Is Unpinned?

After being removed from the top of the Messages app, a thread can be unpinned to return to the normal, chronological display of message threads.

As a result, if no new messages have been placed in the thread in a while, the thread you unpin will appear to vanish.

Not to worry. If you go down the list, you can still find the thread there.

The thread you deleted can also be found by using the search bar in Messages, which is found at the top of the Messages app.

Where Does a Text Message Go When It’s Pinned?

A thread in the Messages app can be fixed to the top by being “pinned.” Until you unpin the message thread, it will be there.

The chronological list of threads does not include pinned threads. By tapping the icon for the pinned thread, you may see the message thread.

Can You Also Pin Messages on WhatsApp?

On an iPhone, you can pin messages in apps other than the Messages app. You can quickly pin your chats on the iPhone and Mac if you use WhatsApp to communicate with iOS and Android users. You can only pin up to three chats at once, in contrast to Messages.
Pin Chats in WhatsApp on iPhone
Using the right swipe, select the Pin icon in a WhatsApp chat. Swipe to the right once more and select Unpin to remove the message from the pin.
Pin Chats in WhatsApp on Mac
In a WhatsApp chat, control-click or right-click, then choose the Pin chat icon. Alternatively, choose Pin by swiping the conversation to the right on the Magic Mouse or touchpad.
A Whatsapp chat can be unpinned by control-clicking, selecting Unpin chat from the context menu, or swiping the chat to the right and tapping the Unpin button.

How to Pin and Unpin Messages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac – Takeaway

And that is how you pin and unpin chats on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac Messages app.

However, there is a restriction on the number of discussions you can pin. Whether they are conventional text messages or iMessage group discussions, you can only presently pin up to nine conversations. When you reach the cap, you must unpin a discussion before you can pin another one.

Are you prioritizing chats, threads, or contacts in Messages using the pinning feature? How do you feel about this feature? Post your feedback and experiences in the comments section.

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Damien

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