How can I “bcc” a group of users via text?

[pedzsan]

I want to send the same text to a list of people but not as a group. I don’t want the other people to see replies, etc.

I assume this will require an app but I don’t know for sure. It would be nice if there was a way to do it via standard iOS applications.

If macOS has this ability, that would work for me too.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

No built in mechanism for that. There may be an app for it but if so I'm not aware of it - just have to send it to each person individually.

If iMessages, beware that being reported for "Spam" can disable your iMessage account.

 

[ghostface147]

You can’t using iMessage.

 

[iStorm]

You can disable MMS Messaging so it uses SMS instead, then the recipients shouldn't see it as a group message. At least one recipient will need to be a non-iMessage user so that it sends using SMS instead of iMessage. You should be able to tell how it's going to send based on what's displaying in the message box...either 'iMessage' or 'Text Message'. You'll want it to say 'Text Message'. If all recipients happen to use iMessage, then temporarily disable iMessage on your end before sending the message. You may want to try this out with a small group of people first to make sure it's working as intended.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/18ehdm1

Send a group text message on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Stay connected to the conversations that matter the most. Learn how to start a group text message with your friends, family, and coworkers.

support.apple.com

Group SMS​

These messages also appear in green text bubbles and go through your carrier. Group SMS messages don’t support multimedia attachments, like photos or videos. All responses in a group SMS are sent as individual text messages and the recipients can’t see the other responses from the group.

---

Another option would be creating a Shortcut to do this. If you're familiar with Shorctuts, you could make one so that you enter/select a list of contacts, type your message once, then loop through the list and send the message to each one individually.

 

[pedzsan]

You can disable MMS Messaging so it uses SMS instead, then the recipients shouldn't see it as a group message. At least one recipient will need to be a non-iMessage user so that it sends using SMS instead of iMessage. You should be able to tell how it's going to send based on what's displaying in the message box...either 'iMessage' or 'Text Message'. You'll want it to say 'Text Message'. If all recipients happen to use iMessage, then temporarily disable iMessage on your end before sending the message. You may want to try this out with a small group of people first to make sure it's working as intended.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/18ehdm1

Send a group text message on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Stay connected to the conversations that matter the most. Learn how to start a group text message with your friends, family, and coworkers.

support.apple.com

---

Another option would be creating a Shortcut to do this. If you're familiar with Shorctuts, you could make one so that you enter/select a list of contacts, type your message once, then loop through the list and send the message to each one individually.

I like the shortcut idea. I don’t know 100% of what I’m talking about but if I went to send images, that can’t be done with SMS — right?

 

[bob_zz123]

You can't send images via. SMS. Just trying to keep it simple - the other option would be to just use e-mail, if you have everyone's e-mail addresses, almost everyone has their e-mail set up on their phone these days? And then you get the native Bcc functionality for free!

 

[jaytv111]

I like the shortcut idea. I don’t know 100% of what I’m talking about but if I went to send images, that can’t be done with SMS — right?

Correct, MMS = Multimedia Messaging Service, SMS = Short Messaging Service, plain SMS is text only.