Mass Text 100 People in Minutes with iOS Shortcuts! [iOS 14 compatible]

[@emmasines3829]

Hi. Can you do a video where it can pick numbers from a list not contacts and message each of them?

[@lacanuck1]

First time watcher of your videos. Great job. Clear - direct - paced - no music to have to listen to, perfect.

[@Mattscalf]

Thank you so much helped me text all my landscaping customers without doing it one by one!! Sooo much appreciated

[@kaionterobertson7670]

What app do I use to make the group? I tried doing to with the select contact option but it’s saying I can’t send to that many people

[@michaellewis161]

I tried this with a group I created and when it sent the text it included every name of the group in every text. So there was a long list of names in the text. Do you know what I might have did wrong or how to fix it? Thank you.

[@stackattackwildcat]

Instead of doing what he said you need to make the variable “Repeat Item” unfortunately that will include they’re full contact name. I have not figured out how to just include the first name.

[@powerhomeoffer9925]

Hey CJ is it possible to attach an image on the the mass text??

[@denisec5549]

Thank you for your video. What changes can I make to the script to send a message to everyone at one time in the group rather than sending individual.

[@1stgreensoul]

Hello. Can I use this for a list of phone numbers I have? I want to use this to text clients about their orders. Or do you know any simple way of using a Mac or iPhone to send group messages? Thank you!

[@beatrixwhipple5485]

This is such a helpful video! So clear and well-paced. Since this video was made groups have been turned into lists; when I try to set this up and hit play, the "find all contacts" step turns green and does not show the contacts in the list (group) I have selected, as it does on your video. Any idea why?

[@karlislegibson9050]

CJ This was great! Where have you been all of my iphone life?!? Thanks again!

[@quitasglamcam2419]

*Here in 2022. I recommend doing “text” before “send message” so that you can easily select repeat item. Also, iPhones has a free group app in the App Store. AND lol you can hit the 3 dots to send another text to the same people. Things get out of order but don’t try to edit them. Only edit the text! Thank you! This video was so helpful!*

[@joshuajohnson9663]

What is the name of the group app mam?

[@quitasglamcam2419]

@@joshuajohnson9663 “groups” the icon has a orange, red, green, and blue corners.

[@stackattackwildcat]

I can’t get my group to show up do you know why this is?

[@laboatrunner]

Great lesson. Can I get a print out of these steps?

[@LeoWiser]

Thank you this is a game changer for me, is it possible to add an audio file with the text messages on the app?

[@speakforth]

Super simple and exactly what I was needing so I can text my soccer teams. Thanks.

[@shaznegyal3162]

The 2am "you up" texts are gonna hit diff. now!

[@khush6989]

🤣

[@StevenRichards1132]

Is the background of your video being generated with a green screen? What app do you use you set up the green screen background?

[@CJ3KTech]

yes, I am using Final Cut Pro X.

[@darrinbrowder3819]

Great video, but something in my settings is not allowing me to send mass text messages. Please help me figure out what I need to change. Thank you.

[@Marcielle_Makes]

Awesome greenscren tip!

[@majesticairbrushing4611]

Hello CJ, quick question. Thanks for this. Can I add another contact like an admin to see all individual replies coming back to me. But obviously not allowing the recipients see them

[@edward88n]

How can you add an attachment like photo or pdf?

[@brettkariquall1048]

Can you send a photo with the text message this way? I want to send an invite that I saved as a photo if possible.

[@CJ3KTech]

You can but last time I checked you had to manually click send on each message. It will not auto send.

[@tiangwennjie6329]

Can I exit Shortcuts and open other apps while running the Mass Text ? Thank you

[@CJ3KTech]

Unfortunately you cannot. Not without risking the shortcut ending prematurely.

[@tiangwennjie6329]

@@CJ3KTech Thank you very much for doing this video. Can you do a video for Mass Whatapps Message ?

[@HOMELESSPENTHOUSE]

@@tiangwennjie6329 yeah a whats app video is needed lol . u a goat for this one cj

[@khs71reunioninfo60]

This is awesome...love it but the results of my test group returned ""message send failure" on several of the contacts..got a fix for that?

[@jazzmotherfunker]

Same issue here. It didn't send the message to all my contacts from the group and some of them returned as failed messages

[@CedricMcCay]

This was helpful! I send out texts every morning to a growing group of men to encourage them, each day. This will save me a LOT of clicks and a bit of time. Appreciate it much!

[@barter56]

Hi, I'm looking at doing the same thing for a group of men. Do you know if there is a way to do this automatically? like a scheduled text out

[@indya-jadeedwards3805]

how do i send a message multiple times at once ?

[@PPassivee]

Can you send over 100 msgs it say I can change it in setting but I don’t know how

[@andrewsuther1784]

I’m getting a “there was a problem communicating with the app” that’s right above the send text action. Why is that? Can anyone help with troubleshooting?

[@yellowcake.]

C tech- guess what bro! i can't thank you enough. it took me twice but it is done working like a swiss army knife. let me be the first one to tell you you are brilliant and a real presenter.

[@xx-pm2lr]

Think it’s about time for an update video for iOS 15👀

[@xx-pm2lr]

Now that I’m actually starting to use shortcuts

[@stephanieburcham4530]

Thanks so much for this video but are you able to use your phone while it is sending in the background. I just messed my send up by answering one of the outgoing texts

[@benjamcm]

I followed your instructions. Very informative, but the shortcut tries to send text messages to the contact home phone also, is there a way to avoid that?

[@JenniferEberhard]

You just BLEW my mind! Thank you so much for this it will change my business tasks so much!

[@ArnaudBltd]

Huge shootout to you for making this video !! I saved ton of time to send message with my new phone number to all my contacts

[@thecameraqt]

How do you add a time/schedule the mass text? Thank you for the step-by-step.

[@gracesJewelryAndDesign]

Want to know too

[@H.Z4HOOR]

I am trying it but a message pop with you can’t share 604 contact items as it is not allowed. You can allow it in settings but Idk where to do this ? Can you please help ?

[@soulrootz3974]

This is what I need help with too did you figure it out?

[@H.Z4HOOR]

@@soulrootz3974 no bro

[@Ghostmotivation07]

Bro what?!!!! This is just money! Thank you!

[@tlamatini8278]

Can’t see where your mouse is going. Good videos though very helpful

[@langstonhughey227]

It’s showing me that “this action is trying to share X contacts items, which is not allowed” it goes on to say you can allow this in settings. But I’m not clear what about my settings needs to be changed to allow this as I didn’t see this notification on your video

[@VIDEOSOP666]

What about if I need to send a video instead of a text

[@CarlosSanchez-og1hn]

Is it possible to pull the phone numbers from a spreadsheet instead of contacts?

[@CJ3KTech]

A little more complicated but absolutely possible.

[@davidlujano553]

is there any way you can develop a tutorial that’s would be great

[@Alison6783]

Yes how! I need this for work!

[@Twindadx2_]

Hey thanks for the information. The only issue I am having is trying to get it to distinguish between a home number and a mobile. Sent a test and one went to my buddies landline instead of iPhone

[@The.Y]

AMAZING! You have no IDEA how much this has helped me and our congregation to send out daily readings. Though, I would like to set a schedule in case I oversleep, (it has happened) LOL! ...But, this is a blessing in it of itself since I also do not have to pay additional money to sent it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! 🙏

[@michaelsmowersca]

im assuming you can create the first part of a scheduled text script to accomplish this. just need to have it set up the night before and run it.

[@brcleaningcompany2566]

Has anyone found a way to text without adding to contact or group, via Mackbook air? I am able to do it via iPhone and iPad, but MacBook Air laptop only allows to message from contacts only

[@moonvismc927]

mine's not repeating automatically, I had to click send button manually

[@alfredoddiaz8306]

Hey CJ, I keep getting a prompt saying that the is a problem running the short cut “New Shortcut 1” Mind helping me out?

[@skizzags]

I know it’s been a while since you posted this video, BUT I’m still in need of how to group message (individually) with a photo… can you HELP?

[@NathanFontaine1]

How would i add a photo

[@jeromeherron4195]

Thank you so much for the information in this video. I have been looking for a way to send bulk text messages for a good while.

[@keshawnharris7956]

At 2:51 how did you make that group called holiday test group. I have iOS gc but can’t seem to find them when I put the title that I have for them in the iOS gc. I know you said you were going to link the groups app in the description below but I don’t see it.

[@CJ3KTech]

I made my groups from my MacBook connected to my iCloud contacts.

[@jelisamaria]

This took me so long to get, but I finally got it. Than you so much.

[@brcleaningcompany2566]

Has anyone found anything with the option to Mass message without having to add number as contact or group first,

[@nehemiahgeorge6322]

Thanks for this updated version. 👍🏾

[@CJ3KTech]

You bet!

[@generationsarising]

For this shortcut, how can I get it to ask me for the text when I run the shortcut instead of having to edit the shortcut to change the text?

[@chievesfamily]

Great shortcut! Is there a way to schedule a time and date when this text message goes out?

[@courtapotamus]

You should be able to create an automation where you can choose a time and date. I believe you would follow the same steps to build the automation as you would the shortcut, you would just start by choosing the day and time to send before building the shortcut. Hope this helps!

[@carlabrown2577]

This was great. I hope I can make it work.

[@flannerymars6341]

How can this method be used to send photos?

[@jessicanolte1303]

This is so easy to follow and so easy to use! Thankyou so much! I am wanting to send photos with my text but I seem to be missing something as when it goes to send it isn't adding the text with the photo's. I have -select photo's (images & videos, select multiple on). Then all the other steps you have . Then in Send message- I have selected variable "text photos" to repeat item. Then wait 3 seconds and end repeat. I know I have to manually send each message- annoying but totally doable! But it only has the photo in the text message and is missing my text- HELP!!! I would love your help on what I am missing!

[@johnkim7868]

I'M TRYING TO FUGURE OUT THE SAME THING. PLEASE SHARE ANY INSIGHT

[@dunerider88]

Great video and very helpful!

[@yellowcake.]

i love your presentation. i'm gonna try this now. not a gamer but this is gonna be for the brothers in my church. thank you CJ3K .

[@curtisbutters6314]

Thank you for your video saves me a bunch of time

[@joshuajohnson9663]

Great video. Works like a charm

[@pauletteboyd906]

I don't know how to use twitter. I took 4 screen shots of the program I can send in email or text. Thanks for your help

[@CJ3KTech]

[e-mail]

[@jameshoutz6290]

Possible to get an updated video for iOS 15? Seems like it still work, but more than 9 contacts it throws up an error.

[@CJ3KTech]

I can work on that.

[@jameshoutz6290]

@@CJ3KTech I got it figured out. Had to go to 'settings' - 'shortcuts' - 'advanced'. Then enable 'allow sharing large amounts of data'.

[@soulrootz3974]

@@jameshoutz6290 thank you! I needed this comment

[@flannerymars6341]

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH I have having such a hard time, it shouldn't be this difficult and you explained it well much appreciated

[@homoud.alyahya]

Good tutorial, thank you. I couldn't determine what did you do to expand the list of contacts in the group. I got the first contact and the number showing 1 out of x, but I am not able to expand the list. Could you or anyone else tell me how.

[@brianabramov5798]

You failed to mention that if you are finding contacts in a way other then groups, such as last names, it is case sensitive. So if the last name of your contact is Mordechai, Then you need to capitalize the letter M when filtering it! It wasn’t working for me until i watched another video and they mentioned the case sensitivity as a thing

[@katiebarlow4681]

I'm desperate to be able to do this, but can't seem to do it on IOS5. It keeps saying the texts are being sent to random weird numbers and not the contacts in the group I have chosen... any help appreciated!!

[@aftonphelps3885]

woohoo!! this was great. thanks. did exactly what I wanted it to do!

[@lesroylouard8351]

It works. Much better job this time. Thank you!

[@CJ3KTech]

Thank you!

[@margiettgil2859]

What if i don’t have my contacts in group but in last name ?

[@CJ3KTech]

I’m not sure I understand the question. Can you explain more?

[@mannydoesrealestate]

Broooo! haha so useful thanks homie!

[@nefkliens]

Hey Bro, thank you for this tutorial.. But I have a problem when I run the group contact and testing it, it shows the group list of contacts but when I tried again to test it with the TEXT included it is only sending in 1 contact. I tried different group contact it is only showing 1 contact. Please help. 🙏

[@nefkliens]

I already figured out, its not working on Repeat Item, its working on Contacts. Thanks bro for this tutorial. Its a BIG HELP. 🤝

[@topproviderrealty]

How did you do that @nefkliens

[@ChadMcDole]

Hey bro! Thanks for this video, it is super cool! I have a question… Is there a way to create a texting campaign in shortcuts? I tried selecting one contact, creating a text and then scheduling another text a few days later and so on to text like a custom campaign. Do you know if that is possible? I cannot figure that out yet. Thank you I appreciate your help my man! 👊

[@Joshuawaldroup]

This freezes for me on the first step, my phone wont "find contacts" as described in the beginning, any advice greatly appreciated!

[@CJ3KTech]

What group is it showing to find contacts in?

[@Joshuawaldroup]

@@CJ3KTech I tried several different groups

[@steven9699]

Can I know what’s my problem? I follow each step as In Your video. But was using ‘select contact’. But my message was keep fail to send. Need I go click resend only can proceed to 2nd selected phone contact. But it fail to send again. Can you help me?

[@justincarrow2205]

Is it possible to program it to send to two contacts in the same message? Group text?

[@CJ3KTech]

Like pairs? Or do you want to send to multiple groups of people?

[@justincarrow2205]

Like send to John Smith and Jane Smith together in one group message. Not an individual message to John Smith and then a second identical message to Jane Smith

[@CJ3KTech]

Yes it can be done. Wouldn’t be terribly easy to do though.

[@jcarrow]

Multiple groups of people. That way when I send out the holiday message it would go to the husband and wife of all of my contacts

[@CJ3KTech]

I would imagine that a shortcut could be created to check if the contact had a related contact, i.e, a spouse, and add that spouse to the message recipient for that one time...Actually I’m positive it ca be done.

[@courtapotamus]

Thank you so much for this video!! I have been trying to build this FOREVER and haven’t been successful. Is there a way to do this but to keep the message within a group and not send individually? Like if you wanted to send to different group chat and not individually to each person within a group chat?

[@agu43964]

Great tutorial indeed! Keep in mind that the phone numbers in your contact list need to have the proper format. If the message cannot be sent, it will throw an unknown error message and stop the automation.

[@sjhousingllc3293]

how do we add a URL to the message where the recipient only needs to click the link.

[@sjhousingllc3293]

for example first name repeat name , find acess to you. needs at "URL" .....

[@huertaeh4135]

Help Please: So I am getting this error message that says: this action is trying to share 86 contacts items, which are not allowed. You can allow this in settings… But I don’t know were to go in settings. Can someone help?

[@5255andrew]

Getting the same error. Did you ever figure it out?

[@michaelsmowersca]

Great video that was well put together. I have a data set of over 2400 numbers and counting to be sending messages to. I have them segmented into groups of 100 contacts at a time, all with a different note in it. The issue i was running into was multiple texts being sent to one person. as well as an iMessage fail when they have an android. It will fail to send as a text unless i manually send it out. any suggestions for those issues? i switched the note to their department name... (more stable than a note??? might alleviate this issue we will see) Texts are being sent properly after first message is sent but this is still annoying, maybe a phone setting or a rendering issue with phone number in iMessage...? last issue not having to manually send a photo... i have spammed my friend with 50 pictures trying to get this done and it is not working.

[@elephantopinion8532]

Can you add an image to your text? Thank you!

[@CJ3KTech]

You can but you’d have to manually hit send on every message. It wouldn’t automatically send the image for you.

[@sleepeatsee]

Super helpful - thank you!

[@CJ3KTech]

You're welcome!

[@benjamin01ism]

Hi, thank you so much for this great vid, it's extremely helpful. I am trying to send a text to 400 people but I can't get past 40 or so and it stops. Any idea why that would be? Thank you in advance for your help

[@sonnyzesati4105]

Hey! Thanks for your help! I need help on making groups, I did it but it sent to my whole contacts, I want to make specific groups like you for certain occasions

[@homoud.alyahya]

You can use application called "Groups" in App Store. I have been using it for quite some time and I found it very useful in managing groups.

[@alateralus88]

Thanks for the shortcut, this is awesome. Quick questions. I would like to send a mass message where two people remain static and the third changes. So for example, i would send 5 msgs and in the msg it would be person a + b + me + c then the next msg would be a + b + me + d. Would you be able to do that? thanks in advance

[@CJ3KTech]

You sure can. Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram. @cj3ktech

[@tellthetruthmschris413]

Thank you thank you thank you so much!!!!

[@hierro777]

hey boss can you help out with sending a mass text to my client list? i dont have them in my contacts list. only excel. message me if you can help. many blessings.

[@adamgusse9484]

Hey... I have everything set exactly as you do... It would not send them automatically. It was popping up 1 by 1 making me send them one by one. How do you make it send to all in my contacts by itself like your was every 3 seconds? And at the 13 mark I got a phone call that stopped the process. When I went to restart it... it did not pick up where it left off. It started the entire list all over again. In the same order. The other odd thing was that the list was just random order. It did not work its way down in alphabetical order. But the biggest issue I have it that it wont send to entire list automatically. Making me do it one by one. Which defeats the purpose. How do I make it send to all automatically??? Thanks for your help in advance

[@glh280]

Love your personality!!

[@CJ3KTech]

Thank you! 😊

[@eddiedoudrealestate5340]

How do I create a groy

[@eddiedoudrealestate5340]

Group

[@tithisings]

Thank youuu for your help!!!

[@BibbyLV]

Yo I came across your vid randomly and you’re from where Im from and we’re even in the same sneaker community on facebook😭

[@judevfx776]

Is says I don’t see a valid number or iMessage address for “my name”

[@christinagavin6695]

I’m trying to do this with “Show when run” de-selected; a message popped up waiting for me to manually send. I toggled “Show when run” on and off, but my messages still won’t send out automatically. I’ve added “get clipboard” in scripting above text and “clipboard” into the Messages block to send along a photo. I was able to get this to work a week ago, but I can’t remember what I did. Any ideas?

[@powerhomeoffer9925]

Hey CJ is it possible to attach an image on the the mass text??

[@mintyfreshtm7859]

What app do I use for Apple contacts? You need to stay focused on what your talking about aswell

[@CJ3KTech]

I use my MacBook Pro as apple allows you manage groups from there. There are a plethora of options available to you. I don’t have a recommendation there. Also. Thanks for the feedback.

[@brennanduncan298]

I keep getting, "message send failure" any solution?

[@MissLovesScience]

It is still making me select the photo for every contact. I don't mind pressing send for each person, but do you know a way to select the photo only one time? Thank you! You are helping a teacher out that is tired of texting students individually!

[@CJ3KTech]

Yeah. Do you have Twitter (@cj3ktech) we might need to hybrid the shortcut so that you choose the photo before the repeat with each so that it passes the photo into the loop after you select it one time. But I’d be happy to help. 😊

[@MissLovesScience]

I don’t have a Twitter, but I’ll try experiment with that. Thank you!

[@CJ3KTech]

Any other social media where I can reach you?

[@MissLovesScience]

@@CJ3KTech instagram @blovely24

[@CJ3KTech]

DM’d you.

[@Comet512]

My goodness this is amazing. I have been using this to alert seniors when vaccine appointments are open on various websites. Works great!! I did notice that if a person has two phone numbers, it tries to text each number. One of my contacts had a mobile number and a landline number. The landline number threw an error via text message.

[@ericculverhouse3139]

Just discovered this as well, did you figure out a fix for it?