How to create an SMS message.

Creating an SMS text message on your phone isn’t hard. The details will vary somewhat depending on your phone and your carrier, however. We’ll have detailed info for each carrier later, but for now, here’s the general drill:

1. Find the “text messaging” or “SMS” option on your phone’s menu, and select it.

2. You might have to make a second selection, such as “create text message” or “send a message.”

3. Enter the text of your message using the buttons on your phone’s keypad. The simplest but most time-consuming way to do this is standard text entry, also known as multi-tap: You press each button several times until the letter you want appears.

For instance, the “2” key has the letters A, B, and C on it. If you want to enter an A, you’d press the “2” button once. For C, you’d press it three times (2-2-2). (Corrected 8/1/06 — thanks, anonymous commenter!)

For a space, press * (the asterisk or star button) and for other punctuation, you’ll usually press the 1 or 0 key.

4. Once you’ve finished entering your message, press the phone’s menu button (softkey) labeled “save” or “send.”

5. Enter the phone number or email address of the person you want to send the message to.

6. Press the button labeled “send” and off it goes!

Note: If multi-tap text entry sounds like a time-consuming drag, check out T9 text entry — it’s much easier and faster!

About Dylan Tweney

I'm the publisher of SMS411.net and of several other sites, including daily haiku/micropoetry site tinywords.com. In my day job, I'm an editor.
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11 Responses to How to create an SMS message.

  1. Theresa says:

    i followed your directions but these texts are still being charged to my verizon account. Is that right or did I do something wrong? Just got a droid x and I'm new to all of this.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Alrighty then!! Good to learn, thanks for that!

  3. kamala says:

    how to create picture sms with text

  4. Valiant1 says:

    How do I access my gmail account from my phone? I have tried to find a way in the phone to set it up, n called tech support many times, n they Do NOT know, so doesn't anyone access their email from their phones?

  5. Anonymous says:

    How do I create a picture SMS?

  6. Anonymous says:

    I use Tracfone and I can send text messages to my cell, but when I answer, the text does not come back to my computer. What’s up?

  7. Free SMS says:

    I heard of a new site coming up for sending free sms and ringtones VOI

  8. Anonymous says:

    Is there a key to capitalize a word within a sentence? Right now, I can only capitalize a letter after a punctuation mark. Thanks – Don

  9. Mayank says:

    Hi Dylan –

    I would like to chat with you in regards to your SMS Service. Could you please email me your contact details or point me somewhere where I can get your contact details?

    Cheers
    Mayank@Ecrio.com

  10. kind green says:

    i live in tampa Fl and can recieve pictures and text. but when i send an email from my hotmail account numbers dashes and a bit shows but nothing else can you help

  11. Anonymous says:

    The “1” key on my phone, and all other phones I have used, doesn’t contain the letters a, b, and c. The alphabet starts with the “2” key.

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