Pinning chats is a great way to keep your most important conversations easily accessible at the top of your messages app on iPhone. Pinned chats will stick to the top of your messages list, so you don’t have to scroll through all your conversations to find the ones you need the most.
Pinning chats is easy and only takes a few taps. And you can unpin chats just as easily when you no longer need them at the top. Here’s a step-by-step guide to pinning and unpinning chats on your iPhone.
Benefits of Pinning Chats
Here are some of the benefits of pinning chats on your iPhone:
- Keeps important conversations easily accessible at the top of your messages list.
- Saves you from having to scroll through all your messages to find key chats.
- Lets you prioritize conversations you need to access frequently.
- Makes it simple to find and open chats with important contacts.
- Helps you stay organized by keeping must-see chats on top.
Whether it’s an ongoing conversation with your best friend or important details from your boss, pinning lets you keep all your vital chats in one easy-to-find place at the top of your messages.
Requirements for Pinning Chats
Here are the requirements for being able to pin chats on an iPhone:
- You must be using iOS 9 or later on your iPhone.
- Pinning chats is only available in the Messages app, not other messaging apps.
- You can only pin message threads from the Messages app, not individual messages.
- You can pin both individual and group conversations.
- There is no limit on how many chats you can pin.
As long as you have iOS 9 or later, you can pin as many message threads as you want in the Messages app on your iPhone.
How to Pin a Chat
Pinning a chat is a very straightforward process. Just follow these steps:
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Locate the conversation you want to pin in your messages list.
- Swipe the chat from right to left.
- You will see a Pin button appear. Tap on it.
- The chat will now be pinned to the top of your messages list. A small pin icon will appear next to it.
And that’s all there is to it! With just a quick swipe and tap, you can pin key chats for easy access.
Example of Pinning a Chat
Here is a quick visual example of how to pin a chat:
- Open Messages and find the chat you want to pin.
- Swipe the chat from right to left.
- Tap the Pin button.
- The chat is now pinned.
Unpinning Chats
Just as easy as pinning is unpinning chats you no longer need at the top of your messages list. Here’s how to unpin chats:
- Locate the pinned chat you want to unpin.
- Swipe the pinned chat from right to left just like before.
- You will see the pin icon change to an Unpin button. Tap it.
- The chat will now be unpinned and move back down your messages list.
And your previously pinned chat is now unpinned! The process is exactly the same as pinning, just tap Unpin instead.
When to Unpin Chats
Here are some examples of when you may want to unpin chats:
- Conversation is no longer important and doesn’t need priority placement.
- Chat is related to an event that has now passed.
- You’ve started a new job and need to unpin work conversations.
- Person you had pinned chat with is no longer someone you talk to regularly.
- You have too many pinned chats and need to clean them up.
Essentially when a pinned conversation is no longer a top priority, it’s a good candidate for unpinning.
Pinning Chats on iPhone vs. Android
Pinning chats works similarly on both iPhone and Android, with only minor differences:
| Pinning Chats on iPhone | Pinning Chats on Android |
|---|---|
|
|
The main differences are that pinning happens in Messages on iPhone vs. in individual messaging apps on Android. And Android may limit you to pinning only around 5 chats.
Troubleshooting Pinning Issues
Pinning chats is usually a smooth, hassle-free process. But here are some solutions for a few issues that may pop up:
Can’t find pin icon
If you don’t see a pin icon after swiping a chat, make sure you’re swiping from the right side of the screen rather than the left. The pin/unpin button will only appear with a right swipe.
Pin isn’t working
First, double check that the chat you’re trying to pin is an iMessage or SMS text conversation from the Messages app. Other types of conversations cannot be pinned. If it’s the right type of chat, try force quitting the Messages app and restarting it.
Too many pinned chats
While there is no set limit for pinned chats on iPhone, having too many can make it harder to navigate your messages. Try unpinning chats that are no longer a priority. Or organize your pinned chats into categories like Primary, Secondary, Work, etc.
Pinning Chats on Other Devices
In addition to pinning on your iPhone, you can also pin chats on other devices:
iPad
The process for pinning chats in Messages on an iPad is the same as on iPhone. Swipe right, tap the pin, and the chat will be pinned.
Mac
On a Mac, open Messages, right click a chat and select Pin from the menu. The chat will now be pinned to the top of the list.
Apple Watch
At this time, you cannot pin or unpin chats directly from the Apple Watch. You’ll need to use iPhone, iPad or Mac to manage pinned chats.
Customizing Pinned Chats
While you can’t customize too much about pinned chats, here are a few things you can do:
- Rearrange the order of your pinned chats by dragging and dropping them.
- Give pinned chats fun names rather than just phone numbers.
- Use pinned chats for temporary access to information like addresses.
- Add relevant emojis next to pinned chats to categorize them.
Get creative with ways to make your pinned chats more useful and personalized!
Conclusion
Pinning important chats is a handy organizational feature on iPhone and other Apple devices. With just a quick right swipe and tap, you can keep your most vital conversations easily within reach.
Unpinning chats works the same when those pinned conversations are no longer a top priority. Overall, making use of the pinning feature can help you save time and stay on top of the messages that matter most.