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iOS 16 Lets You Sort Personal and Work Messages on Dual-SIM iPhones

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iOS 16 introduces a useful new feature for dual-SIM iPhone users: the ability to sort messages per SIM in the Messages app. This feature is particularly beneficial to those who have both personal and work lines set up on a single iPhone.

General Apps Messages
"Messages now supports the ability for customers with a dual SIM iPhone to filter their messages based on their SIMs," says Apple's release notes for the second beta of iOS 16, which was made available to developers for testing on Wednesday. When enabled, the feature filters both iMessages and SMS/MMS messages.

It appears that per-SIM message sorting requires enabling message filtering in the Settings app under Messages → Filter Unknown Senders. Then, users can tap on the icon with three dots at the top of the Messages app, which opens a menu with options to sort messages based on "All Lines" or individual SIMs, such as Personal, Business, or Travel.

iPhone XS and newer models are equipped with both a physical nano-SIM card slot and a digital eSIM, allowing for dual-SIM functionality. This means you can have two lines of service on one iPhone, which is useful for having personal and business lines on a single iPhone or for purchasing data-only plans via eSIM while traveling abroad. Starting with the iPhone 13 lineup, dual-SIM mode also works with two eSIMs.

iOS 16 is currently in beta for registered Apple developers. The update will be released to all users with an iPhone 8 or newer around September.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

F
Fabian90
52 months ago
Is it possible to automatically switch on/off a SIM at a set time? Example: Work SIM only active from 9-5
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
JosephAW
52 months ago
Wished they solve the search issues of older messages. It’ll show the results in a search but when you tap the message it jumps to the most recent text message instead of the search results.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Joe Rossignol Avatar
Joe Rossignol
52 months ago

Starting with the iPhone 13 lineup, dual-SIM mode also works with two eSIMs.

I did not even know this! Does that mean you can have two eSim activated + a physical sim or is it two eSim or 1 eSim and one physical sim?
2 eSIMs *OR* 1 eSIM + 1 nano-SIM.

Apple: "With iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 mini, you can use Dual SIM with either two active eSIMs or a nano-SIM and an eSIM."

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mousse Avatar
Mousse
52 months ago

It simply bewilders me, do none of the Apple engineers actually use Apple devices and software? Aren't they constantly frustrated by the obvious missing functionality? Don't they go into work and start nerding away at fixing them, if nothing else, so that they can use those fixes themselves?
Eat your own dog food. ('https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food')

MacRumors content image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sideshowuniqueuser Avatar
sideshowuniqueuser
52 months ago

Wished they solve the search issues of older messages. It’ll show the results in a search but when you tap the message it jumps to the most recent text message instead of the search results.
It just struck me what the problem is. Apple are missing a Steve Woz. Massively. Woz would sort out all these obvious, and long missing, features pronto.

It simply bewilders me, do none of the Apple engineers actually use Apple devices and software? Aren't they constantly frustrated by the obvious missing functionality? Don't they go into work and start nerding away at fixing them, if nothing else, so that they can use those fixes themselves?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
zorinlynx
52 months ago
It would be more useful to be able to sort by work or personal CONTACTS. Most people don't have dual SIMs and use their phone for both work and personal use.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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