Tips for Responding to inReach Messages on iPhone

NOTE: The information in this article does not apply when responding to messages with the Garmin Messenger™ app. If you plan to use the Garmin Messenger app to respond to inReach® messages, see - Getting Started With the Garmin Messenger App.

When responding to inReach messages from the default text messaging app iPhone, it is important to keep in mind that inReach devices handle messages a little differently. Use the suggestions below to ensure that your messages can be delivered and to avoid unnecessary overage charges for the inReach user.

Additionally, it can be helpful to turn off Filter Unknown Senders in the message settings of the iPhone to ensure you receive notifications for inReach messages and that you are able to open any location links that may be included in the message. For more details on adjusting this setting, see - Apple Support: Block, filter, and report messages on iPhone.

Use the suggestions below to ensure that your messages can be delivered and to avoid unnecessary overage charges for the inReach user.

Do Not Send Direct Messages, Only Replies

SMS messages sent by an inReach device come from what looks like a regular phone number. However, inReach devices are not phones so they cannot accept calls.

The number that the message comes from can also change from recipient to recipient. These numbers should not be shared with others as a way to reach the inReach user, and messages sent directly to these numbers will not be delivered.

As long as you keep the SMS (text) message you received, you can continue to reply to it in the future to reach that inReach user.

Do Not Add the inReach Phone Number to an Existing Contact

Do not add the phone number from a previously-received inReach message to an existing contact on your phone. The way that iMessage prioritizes contact methods may prevent replies from being delivered to the inReach device. Additionally, location links received from the inReach may not work properly if you have saved the phone number to an existing contact.

If you wish to save the number, it can be saved as a new, separate contact (e.g. John_inReach), but you may need to update the contact at some point as the phone number has the possibility to change.

Avoid Using Emojis, Message Effects, or Reactions When Responding to Messages

Anything other than plain text may have to be broken up into multiple messages, even for seemingly short messages, which can lead to potential overage charges for the inReach user. Many inReach plans are limited on the number of messages that can be sent and received before overage charges are applied.

Examples Include, but are Not Limited to:

• Reacting to a Message

  • iMessage includes a feature called Tapback, which allows you to quickly reply to messages with things like a thumbs up, a heart, and other expressions. inReach devices are not able to display these and instead will receive messages describing the reaction with quoted text of their original message. A simple thumbs up can easily result in several messages being received by the inReach user.

• Emojis

  • Messages containing emojis are coded differently than plain text, and often must be broken up into multiple messages when received on an inReach device.