Method 2 of 3: Texting on Older Flip Phones

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   Select the Messages, Text, or SMS icon on your main menu. SMS stands for Short Messaging Service. The labelling may be different for different phones. Scroll over to the icon and push your Select or Enter button.
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   Select the "Create New Message" option. You should be presented with a blank text on your screen.
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   Enter a recipient in the address bar. You can either type a phone number into the bar or you can click the first letter of a person in your contact list to scroll through and select.
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   Begin typing your message by using the keypad. Each number on your keypad corresponds to a set of alphabetical letters, which should be labeled on the key. Hitting a number key will type out the first letter that it corresponds with. For example, "2" accesses the letters A, B, and C, so hitting the 2 key once will type out an A. To type a B or C, you have to hit the 2 key twice quickly or three times, respectively.
   • If you want to type "Hi," for example, hit 4 key twice quickly, pause, and then hit the 4 key three times quickly. The pauses take some getting used to, so you might practice typing some before you get the hang of doing it quickly. If you make a mistake, delete the letters you've mistyped and start over.
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   Consider using predictive text. T9 is a program written to guess the word you are trying to spell as you type out the letters, so you only have to hit each number key once per letter. On some older model flip phones, this option will be the default and can be confusing to some first-time texters. Once you get the hang of it, though, it can make texting much faster and easier.
   • To type "Hi," you can just hit the 4 key twice. T9 will process the possible letters (GHI) and guess that you are trying to write "Hi."
   • If you choose to use T9, make sure your phone is set to "T9 mode." You should be able to toggle this with the pound or asterisk key on your phone.
   • Make sure T9 guesses the right word. "Good," "home," and "gone" can all be spelled by pressing 4663, so make sure the word that appears is the word you want. On most phones, press the asterisk or pound key to access an alternate word combination.
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   Add a space after you are done with a word. This is typically done by pressing the 0 key. You can then begin typing a new word.
   • Inserting a space also resets T9, so you can initiate a new string of numbers for a new word.
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   Add punctuation marks with your 1 key. You may have noticed that 1 does not correspond to any letters, but instead, can be used to access punctuation marks of all sorts.
   • Hitting the 1 key once will display a period, and hitting it twice quickly will display a comma. Keep hitting 1 in succession until you find the desired punctuation mark.
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   To send your completed message, go to "Options" and select "Send."
   • If prompted to specify the phone number that you are sending the message to, either directly enter in the message receiver's number OR access "Phonebook" and select the message receiver's number.

Method 3 of 3: Learning Basic Texting Etiquette

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   Use text lingo and shortcuts sparingly. "LOL" and "BRB" are instant-message stand-bys that have mostly entered into the popular lexicon. But still, overusing short-cuts like leaving out letters and using acronyms to get messages across can make your communication seem immature and difficult to read for some texters. Use full words and complete sentences whenever possible, and try and use at least some punctuation.
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   Check your tone. When you're getting the hang of texting, your texts will sometimes sound meaner than you intend. Try and include words like "please" and "thank you" to soften the tone of your messages.
   • "Come pick me up now" sounds much more rude as a text, for example, compared to, "I'm ready to be picked up now. Thanks!"
   • Never communicate bad news or frustration via text, save it for in-person or phone conversations.
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   Try and acknowledge that you've received a text message. Increasingly, some people use text messages as a go-to first means of communication. When you're first getting into it, it can be difficult to know how, when, and if to respond. A quick "Ok" or "Thanks" to let the person know you've read and received the message is often appreciated, or you can also shoot them a quick call if you'd rather.
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   Prioritize in-person communication over your phone. Situations in which it would be inappropriate to talk on the phone are often also inappropriate to text.^[1] No one wants to sit at dinner with someone who's constantly checking their phone for new text messages.
   • If you're texting somewhere quiet, like the library or a movie theatre, make sure your phones notification messages are turned off. The marimba jingle that you like so much is just as annoying as a conversation at a dramatic moment in a movie.
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   Cut to the chase. Text messages are most effective for brief missives and short communications of information. Be judicious and save the dramatic pauses and intricate details of a story for when you're with someone in person. Likewise, don't get frustrated if you message someone "hi" and they don't want to have an IM-style chat.^[2]
   • Try asking a specific question or offering a particular piece of information in a text. Rather than asking "What's up" to your friend you're hoping to make plans with, you might type, "Do you want to get sushi later?" If you want to have a longer and more personal conversation, call them.