You can change text color on iPhone in Messages and Notes, but the options depend on which app you're using

The Messages app itself does not have a built-in text color feature. If you want colored text in a message, you'll need to use a different app — Notes, Mail, or a third-party keyboard — and then copy the text into Messages. The Notes app lets you highlight text in different colors directly. Mail lets you change text color before sending. Some messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram don't offer text color either, but Notes is the fastest way to create colored text on your iPhone and then share it.

The confusion usually comes from mixing up what each app can do. Messages itself is plain text only. But if you're looking to send something with colored text to someone, you have real options that take less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • The Messages app does not support text color — you must use Notes, Mail, or another app and copy the text over.
  • In Notes, select text and tap the paintbrush icon in the toolbar to highlight it in yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, or red.
  • In Mail, select text and use the formatting menu (three dots or arrow icon) to change the text color before sending.
  • Some third-party keyboards offer colored text, but copying from Notes is usually faster and more reliable.

How to highlight text in different colors using Notes

Open the Notes app and type or paste your message. Select the text you want to color by tapping and dragging across it, or double-tap a word and then tap "Select All" if you want the whole note colored. Once the text is highlighted in blue, look at the toolbar above the keyboard — you'll see a paintbrush icon (it looks like a small brush). Tap it and choose your color: yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, or red.

After you've colored the text, tap and hold on the colored text to select it again, then tap "Copy". Open Messages, tap into the conversation, and tap and hold in the message field, then tap "Paste". The colored text will appear in the message. The person receiving it will see the colors on their end if they're using an iPhone; Android users will see the text but may not see the highlighting depending on their device.

Using Mail to send colored text

If you're sending an email rather than a message, Mail gives you more control. Open Mail and start a new message. Type your text, then select the words you want to change. Tap the arrow or three-dot menu icon in the formatting toolbar (you may need to swipe left in the toolbar to find it), then look for the "A" with a colored line underneath — that's the text color tool. Tap it and choose your color.

Mail's color options are similar to Notes: you get several standard colors to choose from. This works best for emails because the recipient will see the formatting preserved. If you try to copy colored text from Mail into Messages, the color may not transfer the same way it does from Notes.

Why Messages doesn't support text color

Messages uses a simple text format called SMS (Short Message Service) for regular text messages and a slightly richer format called iMessage for messages between iPhone users. Neither format was designed to carry color information the way email or rich-text documents do. Apple keeps Messages simple and fast, which is why it doesn't include text styling options like color, bold, or italics in the compose window.

This is a deliberate choice, not a limitation of the iPhone itself. Other messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram also don't support colored text for the same reason — they prioritize speed and compatibility across different devices and operating systems.

Third-party keyboards and colored text apps

Some third-party keyboards available in the App Store claim to offer colored text or special formatting. These work by generating text that uses Unicode characters to create the appearance of color or style — for example, using mathematical alphanumeric symbols to make text look bold or italic. The recipient sees the special characters, not actual colored text, and the effect only works if their device supports those Unicode characters.

These keyboards are slower than copying from Notes and the results are inconsistent across devices. If you need colored text for a message, Notes is more straightforward. If you're interested in special text effects for social media posts or other uses, you can explore these apps, but for basic messaging they're usually unnecessary.

What happens when you send colored text to Android users

If you send a message with colored text from Notes to an Android user, they will receive the message as plain text without the colors. Android's default messaging app does not interpret the color formatting that Notes uses. The text itself arrives intact — only the color information is lost. This is why colored text in Messages is mainly useful when you know everyone in the conversation is using an iPhone.

If color is important for your message, it's worth mentioning to the recipient that they may not see it on their device. For important information, it's better to rely on plain text or to explain what you're highlighting rather than assuming the color will come through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of individual letters in a message?

In Notes, you can select any amount of text — a single letter, a word, or the whole note — and apply a highlight color to it. So yes, you can color individual letters, though it's tedious. Select the letter by tapping and dragging, tap the paintbrush icon, and choose your color. Repeat for each letter if you want different colors.

Does colored text work in group messages?

Colored text copied from Notes into a group message will appear in color for all iPhone users in the group. Android users will see plain text. The color formatting is preserved in the message thread, so it works the same way as one-on-one messages.

What if the paintbrush icon doesn't appear in Notes?

Make sure you have text selected (it should be highlighted in blue). The paintbrush icon only appears when text is selected. If you still don't see it, try swiping left in the toolbar to reveal more formatting options. On older iPhone models or iOS versions, the icon location may vary slightly.

Can I change the color of text I've already sent?

No. Once a message is sent in Messages, you cannot edit it to change the color. You would need to send a new message with the colored text. Some messaging apps like iMessage allow you to edit messages after sending, but color changes are not part of that feature.