How to Prank Your Crush over Text

Co-authored by Nicole Moore and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: January 30, 2026

If you want to grab your crush’s attention, a funny text prank is a great way to do it. Not only will it make them chuckle, but it’s a great way to show off your sense of humor, too! Read through these hilarious texting pranks you can pull on your unsuspecting crush to get you both laughing.

1

Pretend like you don’t know who it is.

Wait until your crush texts you, then act like you lost their number. Keep saying things like, “Who is this?” or, “Wait, how’d you get this number?” After a few messages back and forth, you can break and let them know that you knew it was them the whole time!
- You could also text them things like, “Hmm, I don’t think I know anyone with that name.”
- Or, “Are you sure you’re texting the right person?”

2

Have a conversation using only song lyrics.

Pick a song you like, then send lyrics in individual messages. You might try one like "Hello" by Adele or "Telephone" by Lady Gaga. Then, send the lyrics one sentence at a time to your crush. If they don’t figure it out after a few minutes, tell them it was just a prank!^{[1]
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- For example, if you wanted to use "Hello,” you’d start with, “Hello, it’s me.” Your crush would probably respond with something like, “Hey.” Then, keep going with the lyrics, “I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet.” This is pretty confusing, and your crush will probably say something like, “Huh??”

3

Send them a fake bot message.

Pretend like you’re an automated robot sending them messages. If you want to, you can block your number by texting through an anonymous app, like TextFree or Text Burner. Then, send them goofy messages, like:^{[2]
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- “This is a message for JAKE. JAKE, did you know that you can save money by switching to FartCo Insurance? Call us today! Reply STOP to opt out.”
- “Thank you for subscribing to daily alerts! Today’s daily alert is: tell your crush you like them! Reply STOP to opt out.”

4

Rickroll them.

Pretend like you’re sending them a real link, then copy and paste Rick Astley's music video. This is a classic prank that people have been using for years now, and it never gets old! Send the link along with a message like, “Wow, have you watched this video that was on the news this morning? It’s crazy.” Then, when they click the link, they’ll be taken to the music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up.”^{[3]
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- To copy and paste the video link, click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

5

Count down to a random time of day.

In the morning, send your crush a text starting a countdown. Keep sending them messages like, “Only 3 more hours!” “2 hours and 45 minutes left!” When they ask you what’s going on, just tell them it’s a surprise. Then, when the countdown is over, you can text, “IT WAS A PRANK!”^{[4]
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- Or, you could say something like, “It was a countdown to me… Telling you hi!!”

6

Send them some cat facts.

This prank works even better if they don’t like cats. Act like your crush has just signed up for a service that will send them cat facts all day. If they try to opt out, don’t let them! You might send messages like:
- “Thank you for subscribing to cat facts! Did you know that a group of kittens is called a kindle? Reply YES if you did, and NO to opt out.”
- “Thanks for subscribing to cat facts! Random fact of the day: Hairless cats are cats, just without hair. Reply STOP to opt out.”

7

Tell them they just posted something embarrassing online.

Get their heart racing with a made-up text about a photo or status. If you’re friends with your crush on social media, you could text them and ask why the heck they posted such an embarrassing or revealing photo online. Or, you could ask them if they got hacked, since their Facebook status was super weird. When they go and check, they’ll realize that it was just a prank.
- You might say something like, “Whoa, why’d you post that selfie on Snapchat?”
- Or, “Did you get hacked? Your Instagram feed looks super weird right now.”

8

Text them and ask to buy the item they listed online.

Pretend like you saw a listing for something random that they’re selling. Bonus points if it’s super weird, like a pack of llamas or a sculpture made of human hair. When they text you back confused, tell them that you’ve seen their listing, and that you hope they’ll give you a discount!
- Try something like, “Hey, is the antique horse hoof still available? I think it would go perfectly with my decor.”
- Or, “How low are you willing to go on that pair of electric roller skates? I’ve been dying to get my hands on them!”

9

Send a gif of the typing bubble.

This prank only works if both you and your crush are on iOS devices. Look up a gif of the gray typing bubble, then send it in a message to your crush. When they open it up, it will look like you’re still typing, but the bubble will never go away. They’ll probably think you’re crafting a super long message, when in reality, you’re just chilling.^{[5]
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- Make sure it’s a moving gif, not just a picture! Otherwise, it won’t look realistic.

10

Sign them up for a random texting list.

Find a contact list online, then enter in your crush’s number. Try to do something silly, like updates for a band they hate or a comedian they’ve never heard of. Then, you can ask them if they’ve been getting any random texts lately to see how annoyed they are.^{[6]
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- Try something like, “Hey, have you been getting updates for the Justin Bieber tour? They keep texting me, and I don’t know why!”

11

Tell them the police are at your home.

Get them to worry about you, but just a little. Send your crush a text telling them that the police or the FBI just knocked on your door. When they ask why, you can explain that you’re now under suspicion of murder! If your crush starts freaking out, you can explain that it was just a prank the whole time. Try something like:
- “The police were just here talking to my parents. Apparently I’m being investigated?? I’ll tell you more later…”
- “Just talked to the FBI, that was so scary. If you don’t hear from me, I might be in jail!”

12

Say you have something serious to tell them, then disappear.

This one might make them anxious or even a little nervous. Send your crush an ominous text, like, “I have something really important to tell you.” Then, when they respond, don’t text back. They might send you a few urgent messages wondering where you are and what’s going on. After a little while, you can text them back and tell them that it was just a prank.^{[7]
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- Be careful with this one! If your crush thinks you’re in trouble or you’re going through something, they might actually get worried about you.

Join the Discussion...

What are the best prank text messages you can think of?

Dev Murphy

There are lots of hilarious (and safe) ways to prank your friends, boyfriend or girlfriend, and family members over text! Here are some of our favorite tricks:

Pretend you're a bot. Send funny texts that sound like they could be a bot, and ignore your friend's pleas to opt out of your text subscription. For instance, text them: "Thanks for subscribing to DAILY DOG FACTS! We'll send you cool dog facts every hour on the hour. To STOP, reply, 'STOP.' Standard messaging rates may apply." When the other person texts "STOP," pretend they're still subscribed: "Thanks for continuing DAILY DOG FACTS! Did you know the average dog has four legs?"
Sign your friend up for spam texts from celebrities. Does your friend dislike a particular celebrity? Enroll them in that celeb's text newsletter list so they'll receive updates whenever there's news about that person.
When they text you, act like you don't know who they are. Next time your friend texts, "Hey, what's up?" reply, "Who is this?" Keep up the charade for as long as you can; they're sure to get frustrated trying to convince you you know them!
Send them song lyrics without any context. Share lyrics from a common (or not so common!) song, like "Hello" by Adele, line by line. They'll be confused at first, but hopefully, they'll catch on eventually!
Start a countdown to nothing. Send a text that says, "24 hours left." When they reply with confusion, just say, "You'll see..." Send them hourly countdown texts, and when the time is up, reveal the surprise...nothing at all!

Love these pranks? Check out more of our go-to text pranks at "How to Prank Someone Over Text"!