One of iOS 10's standout features is the revamped iMessage, packed with dedicated apps, drawing tools, and eye-catching effects. Yet, after updating, many users—including my two friends I helped last night—struggle to get these effects to display or send properly.
Typically, one of two common issues is to blame. Before fixing, my friends only received SMS notifications naming the effect in brackets when I sent them.
Don't worry—I've got two straightforward solutions that resolved this for us. Have a friend test by sending you an effect after each step.
If you're not receiving effects, start here. Head to Settings > Messages, then toggle off iMessage. Wait 10 seconds to ensure it's fully disabled—you won't lose any messages.
Turn it back on and wait a few seconds for activation. Return to the Messages app and test with a friend's effect-enabled message. If it plays, you're set; otherwise, try the next fix.
You might have enabled Reduce Motion for smoother performance or less animation. This blocks iMessage effects, so if you want the full experience, prioritize effects over reduced motion.
Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion (which reduces UI movements like icon parallax). Turn it off.
With iMessage reset and Reduce Motion disabled, you should now send and receive iOS 10's fun new effects seamlessly.
Read also: 9 GIFs showcasing each new iMessage bubble effect in iOS 10
