About Messages via satellite on your iPhone

With iPhone 14 or later (all models), you can send iMessages or SMS messages via satellite when you’re off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

How Messages via satellite works

Starting in iOS 18, Messages via satellite can help you connect with your friends and family*, even when you’re somewhere with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. You can send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.

To connect to a satellite, you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and horizon.

Learn how to connect to a satellite with your iPhone

Messages via satellite is available in the U.S. and Canada. It's free for two years after the activation of an iPhone 14 or later (all models).

Before you go off the grid

If you’re going somewhere with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, here are some ways to be prepared:

• Try the Satellite Connection demo — To learn how to connect to a satellite, open the Settings app > Apps > Messages, then tap Satellite Connection Demo.

  

• Turn on iMessage — To use iMessage via satellite, you need to turn on iMessage before you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

• Set up an emergency contact and set up Family Sharing — When you’re off the grid, your emergency contacts and members of your Family Sharing group can message you via SMS without you messaging them first. When you connect to a satellite, you’ll receive their messages. Additionally, your emergency contact (along with your location and a transcript of your messages with emergency services) will be automatically shared with emergency responders if you use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services.

• Encourage your contacts to update their iPhone — To receive iMessages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 18 or later. To reply to SMS messages via satellite, your contact needs to have iOS 17.6 or later or a non-Apple device.

Use Messages via satellite

• When your iPhone detects that you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, it alerts you — on the Lock Screen, you get a prompt that you can send and receive messages via satellite. Otherwise, you get a notification to Use Messages via Satellite when you open the Messages app.

  

• When you connect to satellite, you’ll also see the option to text emergency services using Emergency SOS via satellite, get help with car troubles using Roadside Assistance via satellite, and share your location using Find My via satellite (where these services are available).

• To send a message, just open the Messages app — you’ll be prompted start accepting messages, if you haven't already, and your iPhone provides instructions to connect to a satellite to send a text. If you have iPhone 14 Pro or later, the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen has indicator dots that show the strength of your connection and, if your connection could be improved, arrows that direct you to turn left or right. You can tap the Dynamic Island to open Connection Assistant for more help.

  

• When you connect and start accepting messages via satellite, you'll receive any SMS messages that were sent from your emergency contact or members of your Family Sharing group before you started accepting messages via satellite. You won't receive iMessages until your emergency contact or family member returns to the conversation and taps Send via Satellite underneath their message bubble.

• Messages via satellite might take a little longer to send. In ideal conditions with a direct view of the sky and horizon, a message might take 30 seconds to send. It might take over a minute to send under trees with light or medium foliage — and you might not be able to connect to a satellite under heavy foliage or if you’re surrounded by other obstructions.

• Some Messages features aren’t supported when using a satellite connection. You can’t send or receive photos or videos, audio messages, stickers, or messages in a group message.

• If you can’t send an iMessage via satellite — for example, if the person who you are trying to text has an iPhone that doesn’t have iOS 18 or they have a non-Apple device, or if you haven't sent them an iMessage recently — you can use SMS messaging via satellite.

Learn more about using Messages via satellite

Other ways to access satellite features

When you are somewhere with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, you can also find satellite features through the Connection Assistant:

• In Control Center: Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone to open Control Center, then tap the Cellular button on the right. Tap Satellite, then choose Messages via satellite (or another satellite feature).

• In the Settings app: Open Settings, then tap Satellite and choose Messages via satellite (or another satellite feature).

Receiving texts via satellite when you’re on the grid

If you have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage and you’re messaging with someone who is using Messages via satellite:

• In iMessage conversations, you see an alert that your contact is accepting messages via satellite.

• After you tap send, you need to also tap Send via Satellite underneath the message bubble.

  

• If you’re an emergency contact or a member of a Family Sharing group, you can send an SMS message before your contact sends you a message via satellite. They'll receive the message once they start accepting messages via satellite.

Messages via satellite availability

• You need an iPhone 14 or later (all models) with iOS 18 or later¹.

• You need to be in a place with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

• You need to connect to a satellite with your iPhone

• You need an active SIM.

• To use iMessage via satellite, you need to turn on iMessage before you're outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. To use SMS messaging via satellite, your carrier must support it.

• Messages via satellite is available in the U.S. and Canada.