5 Helpful iMessage Apps to Improve Productivity

Did you know that your iMessage app can do so much more than just send messages?

Given that iPhone users spend a significant amount of time communicating via the iMessage app for business and pleasure, it can be a huge time saver to be able to access other useful apps without closing iMessage, returning to the home screen, and opening the other relevant app. 

Apple created a separate iMessage app store easily accessed directly via the iMessage app where it is possible to see and download a wide array of iMessage apps for iPhone. While you may already be familiar with the apps that offer a never-ending variety of stickers that can be used to enhance any text conversation, you may not be aware of the apps for  iMessage that can significantly improve your productivity. 

Here are 5 of the best iMessage apps that we recommend trying:

1. Microsoft OneDrive

For anyone who uses Microsoft products and stores documents and other files in OneDrive, the iMessage app is a gamechanger. Imagine you are texting with a colleague or a client and you need to share a specific document that is saved in OneDrive. You simply open the OneDrive iMessage app directly from within your chat window and you’ll see all of your folders and files. Navigate to find the document you want to send, select it, add a description if necessary and then just click “send.” 

The recipient will be able to click on the link and immediately access the document in their own OneDrive app. 

2. iTranslate

In today’s global economy, more and more people are working across borders and it’s not uncommon to come across situations in which translating a text message into another language is essential. Although no translation app is perfect (and it’s always good to let the recipient know you are using a translator and to forgive any errors!), attempting to communicate in someone else’s native language can go a long way to build stronger relationships and avoid any miscommunication. 

The iTranslate app for iMessage gives you a keyboard with the option to translate from one language to another with hundreds of choices. No matter where in the world the people you are communicating with are from, you’ll be able to share information easily and seamlessly in their native language. 

3. Dropbox

Dropbox is another common file-sharing solution that so many people depend on. Whether you are sharing pictures from a recent vacation with your family, or work-related images and videos with your team or customers, the Dropbox iMessage app is one you will return to again and again. 

Access the app directly from the chat screen and within seconds you can send any file in your Dropbox account directly in iMessage. Your recipient will be able to then save the files to their own account if necessary. 

4. Scanner Pro 

Remember the days of those bulky scanner machines? It would take so long to physically scan a document and then figure out how to actually find the saved file on the computer and only then attach it to an email to send wherever it needed to go. Wasting precious time to scan and share a document is a thing of the past with the Scanner Pro app for iMessage. 

Open Scanner Pro from within the iMessage app and get all of the app’s advanced benefits at your fingertips. It will take you mere seconds to share a copy of an invoice, receipt or any other hard-copy document that you want to turn digital. 

5. Grammarly

Wouldn’t it be nice to be sure that every message you sent is grammatically correct and doesn’t contain any spelling errors? Especially if you are communicating with clients or prospective clients, you want to be sure you make a good impression. Rather than drafting the text of your message into Grammarly, correcting any errors and then copying and pasting it back into iMessage, you can download the Grammarly keyboard app for iMessage.

 

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can choose the Grammarly keyboard directly in iMessage and any mistakes will be flagged for easy correction as you type. 

How to Use iMessage Apps for Productivity 

Learning how to add iMessage apps is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Make sure you have the latest version of iOS installed on your iPhone and that your AppleID is signed in to the app store.
2. Open the iMessage app and click the “compose” button to start a new conversation (or choose an existing conversation).
3. You’ll see what’s called an “app drawer” that shows you the icons of the available iMessage apps.
4. To use one of the apps, simply click the relevant icon.
5. To download additional apps, click on the app store icon, select the new app to install and click “get.” Once the app has downloaded, you will see it in your app drawer. 

 

Here’s how to customize iMessage and sort and manage your iMessage apps:

1. Scroll all the way to the left in the app drawer and click on the “more” button.
2. Click on the “edit” button in the upper left corner. 
3. Use the “plus” and “minus” buttons to add or remove apps from your favorites list. 
4. Drag an app using the gray bars to re-order them. 
5. Use the toggle switch to hide or show an app. 
6. When you are finished making changes, click “done.”

To delete an app, return to the app drawer and click the “more” button to see the list of available apps. Swipe left over the app you wish to remove and then click “delete.” If you want to reinstall a deleted app, you can simply download it again from the app store. 

Potential Drawbacks of Using iMessage Apps for Productivity 

Using iMessage apps for iPhone can certainly save time and increase productivity, but there are a couple of drawbacks that are important to keep in mind. For example:

• Security Risks – any additional app that you add to your phone can bring with it potential security risks and new ways for hackers to try to access your phone and all the personal and private data it contains. It’s important to ensure that any app you download from a third-party is reliable and secure.

• Distraction – having too many apps to choose from or trying to designate a specific app to use for every type of message you send can drive you to distraction and end up defeating the purpose of trying to be more productive. Sometimes it’s appropriate to just send a regular sms without using anything fancy! Make sure you limit your iMessage apps to ones that you find useful.

• Compatibility – when using an iMessage app, recipients will only be able to see what you send them if they too have the same app downloaded. If they don’t, they will receive a link inviting them to download the app. Some people may not want to do this or may be annoyed by receiving instructions to download an additional app rather than the document or file they need. In addition, iMessage apps are only relevant for those using the iPhone or Apple ecosystem – if you are messaging someone with an Android, you won’t be able to take advantage of most iMessage apps. 

Get Productive Today

Adding iMessage apps can uplevel your productivity by accessing the features of many of your favorite apps without ever leaving the iMessage screen. If you haven’t taken advantage of this yet, try downloading some of the iMessage apps we recommended above and watch your productivity soar.