Hold the + button to add photos in iMessage quickly, ZDNet shows

ZDNet says that tapping the "+" button once in the message field shows a menu with options such as Camera, Photos, Stickers, Apple Cash, Polls, Audio, Send Later, and various apps. Holding it down instead goes straight to recent photos and videos. From there, users can swipe up to access collections, the full photo library, and search.

The report also describes an alternative method through the Photos app: tap Select in the top right corner, choose photos or videos, tap the Share icon, then Messages, and enter a contact. The article notes that the shortcut is not the most intuitive but can save time when adding media to texts.