The perfect first text to a guy does three things: identifies you (if he might not have your number saved), references how you met, and ends with something easy to respond to. Example: “Hey, it's [name] from Saturday. You never finished your story about the kayak. I need the ending.”
12 first texts to send a guy
- Hey, it's [name] from [place]. Figured I'd text you before you assumed I wouldn't.
- Hi, it's [name] — the one with the [detail he'd remember]. No pressure, but you owe me the rest of that story.
- So this is me, texting you first. Bold, I know. How's your Monday?
- Hey! [Name] here. I was promised you have the best [thing he claimed]. Prove it.
- It's [name]. I laughed about [shared moment] the whole way home, so, thanks for that.
- Hey stranger — [name] from [event]. What's the verdict on the rest of your weekend?
- You said to text you. I'm nothing if not obedient. Hi, it's [name].
- Hi! It's [name]. My friends want to know if you're as funny over text. Don't let me down.
- Hey, it's [name]. Adding “texts first” to my list of green flags. Your turn to show one.
- [Name] here. I have exactly one question: [fun question tied to how you met]?
- Hey, it's [name] from the app — figured we should upgrade from double texts in a dying chat to real ones.
- Hi, it's [name]. I was going to wait three days to text you but that seemed like a waste of three days.
The rules of a great first text
Send it within 24–48 hours while you're still fresh in his memory. Keep it under two sentences plus a question. Don't apologize for texting (“sorry to bother you!”) — you're a gift, not an interruption. And skip the pre-text anxiety spiral: a first text is low stakes. The worst case is silence, and silence is information.
What not to send as a first text
- Just “Hey it's [name]” — technically fine, but it hands him all the work.
- A paragraph explaining why you're texting. Confidence is brief.
- Anything sexual. Way too early to calibrate that.
- “You probably don't remember me but…” — never open by shrinking.
- Open What2Text and choose First Text.
- Tell it how you met and one detail about him — “met at Jess's party, he's a chef, we joked about oat milk.”
- Pick a tone (confident, playful, casual) and get three openers built from your actual meeting — not generic lines. Send the one that sounds most like you.
How to use What2Text for a first text
Nail the first text, every time
What2Text turns “how we met” into a first message he'll want to answer — written in seconds.
Download What2Text FreeFrequently asked questions
How long should I wait to text a guy for the first time?
Within a day or two of getting his number. Waiting longer doesn't create mystery — it creates the risk he forgets the spark that made him give you his number.
Should I text a guy first?
Absolutely. Most guys read a first text as confidence, and confidence is attractive. The “never text first” rule mostly produces conversations that never happen.
What if my first text gets no reply?
Wait at least 3–4 days, then you get exactly one casual follow-up. If that goes unanswered too, he’s answered you — quietly. See what to text someone who ghosted you.