How to Create a Custom iMessage Profile in iOS 13

[MacRumors]

In iOS 13, Apple allows you to create a standardized iMessage profile that includes your name and photo - or an Animoji/Memoji - which accompanies the messages you send to friends so that they know who you are.

The idea behind the new feature is that contacts in the Messages become more easily identifiable, similar to the way WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger contacts have recognizable profile pictures.

If you choose to use a Memoji as your profile pic, you'll be happy to learn that iOS 13 also provides options for customizing it, including pre-selected poses and background colors.

How to Add a Custom Message Photo Profile in iOS 13

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Share Name and Photo.
   
   
   
   To use a photo in your new profile, tap the Camera button and take a picture of yourself. Alternatively, tap All Photos to choose an existing picture from your photo albums.
4. Once you've selected a picture, you'll be given the option to move and scale it in the circular frame. Click Choose once you're done.
5. You'll then be asked to select a filter to apply to the photo. Alternatively, tap Original to skip this step.
6. Tap Done.
   
   
   
   Tap the empty fields alongside your profile picture to enter your first and second name.
7. Make sure the Share Name and Photo switch is toggled to the On position.
8. Choose from one of the automatic contact sharing options - Contacts Only, Always Ask, or Anyone.

How to Add a Message Animoji/Memoji Profile in iOS 13

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Share Name and Photo.
   
   
   
   Select an Animoji from the default list. If you've created a Memoji, it will also appear in the list for you to choose.
4. In the next screen, select a pre-defined Pose.
   
   
   
   Move and scale the image in the circular profile frame, then tap Choose.
5. Select a background color.
6. Tap Done.
7. Tap the empty fields alongside your profile picture to enter your first and second name.
8. Make sure the Share Name and Photo switch is toggled to the On position.
9. Choose from one of the automatic contact sharing options: Contacts Only, Always Ask, or Anyone.

In iOS 13, you can also turn your Memoji into stickers, which can be used across numerous apps like Messages and Mail. Memoji stickers and the Memoji editor are also supported by all devices with an A9 chip or later - not just those with TrueDepth cameras.

Article Link: How to Create a Custom iMessage Profile in iOS 13

 

[dontwalkhand]

Sounds like Apple really wants to replace Facebook messenger and what’s app. I’m ok with this, but they need an iMessage app for Android users too as I can’t always tell my friends to get an iPhone and they actually listen.

 

[JoshBoy]

My Memoji doesn’t show up following these instructions.

 

[Wide opeN]

Sounds like Apple really wants to replace Facebook messenger and what’s app. I’m ok with this, but they need an iMessage app for Android users too as I can’t always tell my friends to get an iPhone and they actually listen.

Hmmm... Do What's App and Facebook messenger really hold that much sway!?

Especially for Apple to give up they're number competitive advantage!?

The thought is nice though.

 

[YankeeSR23]

My Memoji doesn’t show up following these instructions.

Try doing from in the Messages app itself. On top tap the “...” button and then edit name and photo and then edit photo and your Memoji should be one of the first options. For me it wasn’t showing either but trying it in messages it showed up.

 

[sterlingindigo]

It would be nice if these ios13 how to’s were posted once iOS 13 becomes available to those who aren’t developers or posted to a separate developers board or at least a disclaimer for the general public that iOS 13 isn’t available yet.

 

[thewhitehart]

What happens if you have someone’s name and photo in your address book already? Does their custom profile override your settings?

 

[spenceralger]

Do iMessage profiles do anything about the problem of multiple conversations to the same person using different contact details (email/phone number)?

 

[martyjmclean]

Hmmm... Do What's App and Facebook messenger really hold that much sway!?

Especially for Apple to give up they're number competitive advantage!?

The thought is nice though.

Yep. iMessage only holds a majority in Australia, NZ and the US. The UK, Europe and Asia use WhatsApp or WeChat.

What happens if you have someone’s name and photo in your address book already? Does their custom profile override your settings?

I'd assume so...

 

[TonyC28]

Do contacts need to be more recognizable than their name would allow? It’s a nice feature but is it really solving a problem? The article says that it will helps friends and contacts know who I am. If they’re a friend or contact don’t they already know that?

 

[pika2000]

Hmmm... Do What's App and Facebook messenger really hold that much sway!?

Especially for Apple to give up they're number competitive advantage!?

The thought is nice though.

In some regions, it’s almost a requirement to have WhatsApp as many businesses use that for notifications and communications. Similarly with other services like Line and WeChat. They have dominance and offer other services in certain regions that lock you in into using that platform.

 

[bluecoast]

Yep. iMessage only holds a majority in Australia, NZ and the US. The UK, Europe and Asia use WhatsApp or WeChat.


I'd assume so...

Indeed. Uk resident here. Nearly everyone I know uses WhatsApp. I miss out on a lot of conversation threads but I’m not uploading my address book to Facebook in order to make WhatsApp work properly.

 

[TrenttonY]

It won’t be long before people realize you can put an obscene name and profile picture and the recipient can’t do anything about it except block them.

 

[Totemsflare]

Hmmm... Do What's App and Facebook messenger really hold that much sway!?

Especially for Apple to give up they're number competitive advantage!?

The thought is nice though.

In europe, everyone is on WhatsApp. I force other iPhone users to use iMessage but they’re never particularly happy about it.

 

[Frantisekj]

Yep. iMessage only holds a majority in Australia, NZ and the US. The UK, Europe and Asia use WhatsApp or WeChat.


I'd assume so...

You can see Facebook dominates world with Messanger and WhatsApp. iMessage do not appear in report. Not sure it is omnited or irrelevant.
https://www.similarweb.com/blog/worldwide-messaging-apps
And in some regions you have data for chatting in WhatsApp for free, like in Africa.
It clearly shows how people care about privacy.

 

[ke-iron]

You can see Facebook dominates world with Messanger and WhatsApp. iMessage do not appear in report. Not sure it is omnited or irrelevant.
https://www.similarweb.com/blog/worldwide-messaging-apps
And in some regions you have data for chatting in WhatsApp for free, like in Africa.
It clearly shows how people care about privacy.

It seems as though iMessage was omitted because unlike the messengers in the report, iMessage cannot be installed on any other platform but Apple’s own. But iMessage has a huge user base. I know a lot of people who uses iMessage as their primary messenger, they just use what’s app to communicate with people overseas, group chats that involves people who use android phones or to send large files. I myself fit into that category, if it wasn’t for those reasons I’d never use WhatsApp.

 

[headlessmike]

It would be nice if these ios13 how to’s were posted once iOS 13 becomes available to those who aren’t developers or posted to a separate developers board or at least a disclaimer for the general public that iOS 13 isn’t available yet.

Also, this technically violates the developer NDA about sharing information about unreleased software. Not that anybody cares anymore.

I fondly remember the period after Mac OS X Leopard was announced but still in beta and finding any information that wasn't straight from Apple was nearly impossible. It made me look forward to the release in a different way to today.

 

[mattopotamus]

This feature is also baked into the messages app:

-launch messages
-Tap the “...” at the top
-choose edit name and photo

 

[johnmed]

Indeed. Uk resident here. Nearly everyone I know uses WhatsApp. I miss out on a lot of conversation threads but I’m not uploading my address book to Facebook in order to make WhatsApp work properly.

I wouldn’t now, but did pre Fb buying WhatsApp.

 

[Textime]

They should optimize the search function on iMessage rather than doing new memojis. For example if someone used the word car once a week and you’re searching for that specific word you only get the result for the last time mentioned. Worse, if you search for a person you didn’t talk long time ago the person won’t show up if you search the name. You need to scroll through all your conversations down.
All in all there is a lot of work to do on iMessage.

 

[dialogos]

It seems as though iMessage was omitted because unlike the messengers in the report, iMessage cannot be installed on any other platform but Apple’s own. But iMessage has a huge user base. I know a lot of people who uses iMessage as their primary messenger, they just use what’s app to communicate with people overseas, group chats that involves people who use android phones or to send large files. I myself fit into that category, if it wasn’t for those reasons I’d never use WhatsApp.

One more reason people prefer WhatsApp over iMessage in Europe is the ability to have voice chats. At least in Europe it's very common to have voice calls (without video) over WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has some features which would be very useful in iMessage. For example the ability to archive messages!!! (very useful feature) Or to search in messages for links, files, images etc. Or to assign different ring tones for different contacts! (that's how I separate personal to work messages) I guess iMessage is catching up but still to most of us in Europe as long as we can't communicate with android users it's pretty much useless I guess. The reality is that even people who own an iPhone use WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber but almost never iMessage ..Let's hope that will change soon.

 

[miflgr92]

Do iMessage profiles do anything about the problem of multiple conversations to the same person using different contact details (email/phone number)?

This is my biggest pet peeve about iMessage. Sure the memojis and stuff are fun, but what about improving the actual function of iMessage? Threads based on contact info, not number, would be ideal. I have family all around the world and they swap SIM cards frequently while traveling back and forth. I have all of their numbers programmed into their contact info. Why does iMessage start a new thread with each number instead of continuing from where we left off before they swapped SIM cards? Come on Apple.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Two features iMessage needs to be more feature complete as a messaging app:

1. cross platform messaging, which means an Android app. More Androids out there than iPhones. By not offer it they are forcing us to require either Facebook messenger or WA to communicate with everyone.

2. A new method for signing in. The current activation method for iMessage is buggy and unreliable. We need to get away from passwords and move to mobile phone number confirmation activation. Like WA and Signal etc. It’s far more reliable and it’s simpler. The number of times of had to fix iMessage activation issues on iPhones or relations and friends has been so many I’ve lost count. It seems be a thing with iMessage, and I blame their fiddly method Apple are using for activation. This needs to be fixed or address like last year. I’ve gave Apple much feedback on this and they seem incapable or unwilling to properly address it.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Sounds like Apple really wants to replace Facebook messenger and what’s app. I’m ok with this, but they need an iMessage app for Android users too as I can’t always tell my friends to get an iPhone and they actually listen.

If you pay for it very few of them will refuse

 

[now i see it]

for some reason the use of animoji conjures up the image of a creepy old guy hiding behind an avatar that looks like a toy teenage girl or boy