How to make a fake text message video
Fake text message videos are short, vertical clips that play out a chat conversation on a phone screen — and they're one of the most-watched formats in short-form video. Here's how to make one in a few minutes, no editing skills required.
What is a fake text message video?
A fake text message video is a fictional chat — styled to look like WhatsApp, iMessage or another messaging app — animated message by message and exported as a vertical clip for TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. The conversation is scripted by you for storytelling, marketing or entertainment; nothing is pulled from anyone's real messages.
The format works because it's intimate and suspenseful: viewers read along like they're peeking at someone's phone, and a good hook keeps them watching to the reveal.
How to make a fake text message video, step by step
- 1
Write the conversation
Start with the hook. Open on the most intriguing line — a confession, a plot twist, a reply that demands an explanation — then type the back-and-forth exactly as two people would text. Keep messages short, assign each one to the right sender, and write a satisfying payoff for the end.
- 2
Pick a chat style
Choose the messaging app your audience recognises — WhatsApp or iMessage — then set the names, avatars, wallpaper, and light or dark mode. Matching the interface people use every day is what makes a fake chat read as real instead of a cheap lookalike.
- 3
Add realistic timing and details
Drop in typing indicators, send delays, read receipts, emoji, reactions and the occasional voice note. The small pauses and details are what make viewers believe the conversation is happening live, so don't skip them.
- 4
Export as a vertical video
Render the conversation to a vertical 9:16 MP4. The messages animate in one bubble at a time, framed for TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts so nothing gets cropped. Download it and post — no video editor required.
Tips to make your chat video go viral
- Lead with the payoff in mind: every message should pull the viewer toward a reveal.
- Keep it under ~30 seconds — short-form rewards a tight, fast-moving thread.
- Read it out loud. If the dialogue sounds like something a real person would text, it'll land.
- Use realistic timestamps and typing dots; the pacing sells the illusion more than the words.
- End on a cliffhanger or punchline so people rewatch, comment, or ask for part two.
Fake text message video FAQ
- What app makes fake text message videos?
- Mock Chats is built specifically for this: you script the messages, choose a WhatsApp or iMessage style, and export an animated vertical video — no screen recording, screenshots or video editor involved.
- Is it legal to make a fake text conversation video?
- Making fictional chat videos for storytelling, marketing or entertainment is fine. Don't impersonate real people, pass the conversation off as genuine in a harmful or deceptive way, or use real private messages without consent.
- How long does it take to make one?
- Once you've written the conversation, exporting takes seconds. Most creators go from a blank screen to a finished clip in a few minutes.
Make your first fake text message video
Script a chat, pick a style, and export a vertical video in minutes. Free to start — no credit card required.