# Create a Mobile In-App Message

Create a Mobile In-App Message in Engage Studio to deliver a targeted experience when a customer reaches a tracked screen or performs a tracked action. This page covers the campaign workflow for Modal and Banner messages; use the dedicated [Hosted Pages](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/rich-landing) guide for URL-based full-screen experiences.

Beta
Mobile In-App Messaging is currently in beta. The available message types, editor settings, and delivery behavior may change before general availability.

## Before You Start

Complete the [Mobile In-App Messaging setup](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/setup-and-prerequisites) before creating a message. You need a Parent Segment, a Realtime Personalization entry, a Personalization Section, and the native Engage Mobile SDK configured to request and display the returned message.

## Step 1 — Configure the Target Audience

In Audience Studio, configure the decisioning objects that determine who can receive the message:

- **Parent Segment** — defines the eligible customer population.
- **Realtime Personalization** — defines the real-time delivery configuration.
- **Personalization Section** — carries the message payload returned to the app.


Engage Studio uses these objects when it publishes the message payload for the mobile app.

Mobile In-App Message Target Audience step with Parent Segment, Personalization, and Personalization Section fields
## Step 2 — Enter the Message Details

In Engage Studio, open **IN-PRODUCT EXPERIENCES > In-App Messages** and select **+ Create in-app message**.

When you start a message, the creation dialog asks for a name and lets you choose between the drag-and-drop editor and a hosted page.

Create In-App Message dialog with Drag and Drop Editor and Hosted Page options
After you create the message, the Message Content step shows the message ID, name, description, and preview area.

Mobile In-App Message Content step with message details and an empty preview
Enter the message details:

- **Message ID** — system-generated unique identifier.
- **Name** — campaign name shown in the In-App Messages list.
- **Description** — optional internal notes.


## Step 3 — Choose How to Create the Message

The creation dialog presents two methods. Choose the method that matches the content you want to deliver.

| UI option | Resulting experience | Choose it when |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| **Design with Drag and Drop Editor** | Modal or Banner | You want to create HTML content in Engage Studio and control its appearance and display settings. |
| **Show a Hosted Page** | Hosted Pages | You already host the page and want the mobile SDK to open its URL full-screen inside the app. |


**Show a Hosted Page** is the UI option for creating a **Hosted Pages**. See [Hosted Pages](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/rich-landing) for the URL, hosting, SDK context, security, and measurement requirements.

## Step 4 — Configure the Message Content

Use **Design with Drag and Drop Editor** for Modal or Banner content. Use **Show a Hosted Page** for Hosted Pages and continue with the [Hosted Pages](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/rich-landing) guide. The editor supports HTML, CSS, and JavaScript content within the preview contract.

For Modal and Banner messages, use the drag-and-drop editor to configure:

- Text and images.
- Buttons and action links.
- Rows and content-block layout.
- Global background and padding settings.


The editor's Preview mode shows the content before you return to the message settings.

In-App Message Content Editor with mobile preview and Appearance Settings panel
## Step 5 — Configure Appearance

Configure the display settings for the selected Modal or Banner. The available settings include:

- Close button behavior.
- Background color, padding, and border radius.
- Overlay color and outside-tap behavior.
- Background interaction.


See [Message Types and Appearance](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/message-types-and-appearance) for the complete setting reference.

Mobile In-App Message Appearance Settings panel showing Modal, overlay, dismiss, and background style controls
## Step 6 — Preview and Test

Before launching, verify the following:

Mobile In-App Message preview showing a phone frame and Appearance at a Glance summary
- The message content fits the target mobile screen.
- The close button and outside-tap behavior match the campaign intent.
- Links open the expected app screen or web destination.
- The message does not block app interaction unintentionally.
- The Engage Mobile SDK can render the response.
- A customer who does not match the target conditions sees no message.


Test on the iOS and Android devices that your campaign supports. For the preview native SDK flow, use the platform integration checklists in the [iOS SDK Integration](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/developer-guide-ios) and [Android SDK Integration](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/developer-guide-android) guides.

## Step 7 — Launch the Message

Click **Launch** to publish the message payload to the linked Personalization Section. The message becomes available after the Personalization configuration propagates to the Engage Mobile SDK.

A launched message cannot be edited until you pause it.

## Pause or Edit a Message

Click **Pause** to stop delivery. After the message is paused, edit the content or settings and launch it again when it is ready.

The lifecycle is:

```text
DRAFT ── Launch ──> LIVE ── Pause ──> PAUSED ── Launch ──> LIVE
```

For troubleshooting, see [Mobile In-App Troubleshooting](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/troubleshooting).

## Next Steps

- [Message Types and Appearance](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/message-types-and-appearance)
- [Hosted Pages](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/rich-landing)
- [iOS SDK Integration](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/developer-guide-ios)
- [Android SDK Integration](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/developer-guide-android)
- [Mobile In-App Events and Fields](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/mobile-inapp/supported-events-and-fields)