To pin shared content in messages on iPhone, open the conversation, touch and hold the message bubble containing the attachment, then tap Pin. This elevates the content to the top of the conversation’s Details view, making it instantly accessible without scrolling through the thread.
How to pin shared content in messages on iPhone
Apple’s documented steps are precise. Follow them exactly to pin a link, photo, or document inside a conversation:
- Open Messages.
- Open the conversation that contains the content you want to pin.
- Touch and hold the message bubble with the attachment.
- Tap Pin.
The pinned item now appears in the Pins section of the conversation’s Details view. This is the only method Apple provides; there is no menu option to pin from a swipe or a long-press on the conversation list.
Where to find your pinned content
Apple specifies three locations where pinned content appears automatically:
- Shared with You in supported apps such as Photos, Safari, and Apple Music.
- Messages search, pinned items appear in search results when you look for content in the Messages app.
- The conversation Details view, tap the contact or group name at the top of the thread, then look for the Pins section.
This means you can access pinned content without reopening the original conversation, whether you are in another app or using the search feature.
How to unpin shared content
To unpin content, repeat the same steps used to pin it. Open the conversation, touch and hold the pinned message bubble, then tap Unpin.
Limitations of pinning in Messages
Apple documents two key limitations. First, photos can be saved to your library, but not pinned. If you want quick access to a photo, you must save it to your Photos library instead of pinning it inside the conversation. The feature works on all supported iPhone models running the latest iOS, with no carrier-specific version documented in the official pages.
Pinning on Android: a different feature
On Android, Google Messages supports pinning entire conversations, not shared content inside them. To pin a conversation, open Google Messages, touch and hold the conversation, then tap Pin at the top. On Android, Google Messages only documents pinning conversations, not shared content inside a conversation. Google's retrieved help page does not state a device model, Android version, or pin limit for this feature. If you need to pin shared content on Android, no official feature exists in Google Messages; you would need to use a different app or method. For details on pinning conversations on Android, see the sibling article covering text messaging and T-Mobile texts features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will pinned shared content be visible to the other person in the conversation?
Yes. When you pin a message, it remains visible at the top of the conversation for both you and the other person to see. Pinning does not hide the content from anyone in the thread.
Can I pin multiple items in the same conversation?
Yes. You can pin multiple items in a single conversation.
Is pinning shared content available on all devices?
Pinning shared content in Messages is available on iPhones running the latest iOS that supports the feature. It is not available on Android devices through Google Messages, which only supports pinning entire conversations.
Can I rearrange the order of pinned items?
The order in which you pin items determines their position, and unpinning and re-pinning is the only way to change it.
Does pinning sync across my Apple devices?
Pinned content syncs across devices signed into the same Apple ID with iCloud for Messages enabled. If you pin an item on your iPhone, it appears in the same conversation on your iPad and Mac.
