iOS 27 lets users hide or swap the audio button in iMessage

Apple has updated how the iMessage text entry bar works in iOS 27, giving users more control over the button that sits next to the typing field.

For a long time, many iPhone owners have complained about accidentally tapping the audio recording icon while trying to send a text message. The mistake not only interrupts typing but also stops any music playing on the device, since the phone switches into listening mode to capture a voice recording. The issue gained wider attention after singer Justin Bieber posted publicly about his frustration, arguing that a send button should not serve multiple functions in the same spot. His post drew thousands of likes, reposts and reactions online.

It is unclear whether Apple's change was a direct response to Bieber's complaint, but the company has now introduced a fix. Starting with iOS 27, users can go to Settings, then Apps, then Messages, then Show in Text Field, where three options are available: keep the default waveform-style record icon, switch to a microphone icon for quick dictation access, or select "None" to remove the button altogether.

Importantly, no functionality is lost when the button is hidden. Users can still record voice messages by tapping the plus button next to the text field and selecting Audio from the menu, while dictation remains accessible through the microphone icon below the keyboard.

Beyond this change, iOS 27 brings several other updates to iMessage, including a new drawing tool for sending sketches and handwritten notes with markup capabilities, an AI feature that suggests words and phrases and can automate tasks such as adding items to Reminders or Notes, support for using one phone number across two iPhones, and improved RCS messaging support that allows editing and unsending messages.