What To Reply When Someone Texts You After A Long Time: 29 Text Examples (2023)

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Wondering what to reply when someone texts you after a long time? It can be difficult to know how to respond when it’s been a while since you’ve talked to someone. You might feel angry, hurt, or even confused about why they are reaching out now.

However, it’s important to remember that how you respond can set the tone for the rest of your conversation, and even your relationship with this person going forward.

Whether you’re looking to rekindle a friendship, explore a new connection, or simply clear the air with someone from your past, it’s important to approach the conversation with openness and honesty.

Tips on how to reply when someone texts you after a long time:

Communication is key in any relationship, and responding to a message after a long time can be an opportunity to open up lines of dialogue that may have been closed in the past.

Here are some tips on how to respond in a way that is respectful, honest, and true to your feelings.

Acknowledge the Absence

The first thing to do when someone texts you after a long time is to acknowledge the absence. You can say something like, “It’s been a while since we last talked!” This shows that you recognize that there has been a gap in communication and that you are aware of it.

Acknowledge Why You’re Communicating with the Person

Next, it’s important to acknowledge why you’re communicating with the person. Are you trying to rekindle a relationship? Catch up on old times? Simply say hello? Be honest about your intentions so that the other person knows where you’re coming from.

Express Your Feelings

When someone texts you after a long time, it’s likely that you have some feelings about it. Maybe you’re happy to hear from them, or maybe you’re hurt that they didn’t reach out sooner. Whatever your feelings are, it’s important to express them in a respectful way. You can say something like, “I’m glad to hear from you, but I have to admit that I was hurt that we lost touch for so long.”

What to reply when someone texts you after a long time: 29 text examples

Unsure what to say? It can be different based on if you left off on good terms or bad terms, so here are 29+ responses when someone texts you first:

16 Examples of What to Say When Someone Texts You After A Long Time (on good terms)

(if you’re happy to hear from them and you’re on good terms)

Here are a few examples of what you can say when someone texts you after a long time:

“What a nice surprise to get a text from you! How are you?”
“Well, hello! Look at you, reaching out after all this time lol! How are you?” (sometimes humor works really well!)
“It’s great to hear from you after all this time!”
“I have to admit, I was surprised to hear from you after so long, but I’m glad you reached out.”
“I can’t believe it’s been so long since we talked! How have you been?”
“I’ve missed you! Let’s catch up soon over coffee.”
“I have so many great memories of us together. It’s good to hear from you again.”
“It’s so nice to hear from you again! Let’s keep in touch this time.”
“It’s been too long since we talked. What have you been up to?”
“I’m glad you reached out after all these years. How have you been?”
“It’s really nice to hear from you again. I’ve thought about you often over the years.”
“Long time no see! How have things been going for you?”
“Hey there, it’s been a while! What’s new with you? Wow, I can’t believe it’s been so long since we talked. How are things?”
“It’s been ages since we last spoke – what have you been up to?”
“It’s nice to hear from you after all this time – what have you been up to lately?”
“Hey there, it feels like forever since we last talked. How are things going for you?”

13 Examples of What to Say When Someone Texts You After A Long Time (on bad terms)

If the person who is reaching out to you is no longer a friend (perhaps you both had a fight, they mistreated you, or you ended on bad terms), you do NOT have to sound eager that they have reached out to you.

You can absolutely express in a respectful way if you’re disappointed in how things ended the last time you communicated. Here are a few ways to word it:

“I’m glad to hear from you, but I have to admit that I was hurt that we lost touch for so long.”
“Hey, It’s been a long time. I have to admit I was really hurt by how things ended between us”
“I’m glad you reached out after all these years. Honestly, I was really hurt by the way xyz went down between us”
It’s nice to hear from you after all this time – but I must admit it was pretty painful how we ended”
“I appreciate you reaching out, but I was really hurt when things went wrong between us. We can talk it out if you like.”
“This is a surprise! It’s been a while – and I have to be honest, the way things went down left me feeling pretty brokenhearted.”
“Hello there. It’s nice to hear from you, but I hope you understand why it was so hard for me when we split up.”
“Good to hear from you. Even though I’m still feeling the pain of how things ended between us, I’m grateful that you’re reaching out after all this time.”
“Hey! I’m glad you got in touch, but it was really upsetting when things ended between us. Maybe we can start fresh and talk it out.”
“Hey there. It’s been a while since we last talked – and I won’t lie, the way we parted left me feeling devastated.”
“Good to hear from you again. I’m still healing from our breakup/fall-out, but I’m open to seeing if we can start over and make things better between us.”
“Hello! It’s been a long time since we spoke – I was hurt when it ended, so it’ll take some effort on both of our parts to move past it.”
“Hi there. It’s been a while, and I understand it takes courage to reach out and I’m willing to try to rebuild our friendship/relationship from the ground up.”

Remember to be honest, respectful, and true to your feelings when responding to someone who texts you after a long time.

With the right tone and approach, you can reconnect with old friends or even start a new chapter in a relationship.

3 Factors to Consider Before Responding

When someone texts you after a long time, it can be challenging to know how to respond. Before you reply, there are a few factors to consider that will help you craft an appropriate message.

Response Time

One of the first things to consider is how long it took the person to respond to your message. If they took a long time to reply, you may not want to respond immediately.

Taking a little bit of time to respond can help you avoid seeming too eager or desperate. However, you also don’t want to wait too long to respond, as this can come across as disinterested or rude.

Excuses to Avoid

When crafting your response, it’s important to avoid making excuses for why you didn’t respond sooner. While it’s tempting to explain why you were slow to reply, doing so can make you seem defensive or uninterested.

Instead, focus on the present and the future. Acknowledge that you received their message, and move the conversation forward.

Trust

Trust is another important factor to consider when responding to someone who has texted you after a long time. If you don’t trust the person or have a history of unreliable communication, you may want to be cautious in your response.

What to do when You’re Uncomfortable with Responding

Deal with the Discomfort

Sometimes, you may feel uncomfortable responding to a text from someone you haven’t talked to in a long time. This discomfort can stem from a variety of reasons, such as feeling awkward, not wanting to rekindle a past relationship, or simply not having anything to say.

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate your feelings. Ask yourself why you feel uncomfortable and what you want to achieve by responding. If you’re not sure, it’s okay to take some time to think about it.

Know it’s okay not to respond if you don’t want to communicate with that person

If you decide that you don’t want to communicate with that person, it’s perfectly acceptable not to respond. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for why you choose not to engage in a conversation. However, if you feel like you should respond, there are a few things you can do to make the process less uncomfortable.

No communication is still communication.

First, be honest with yourself and the other person. If you don’t want to talk, politely let them know that you’re not interested in continuing the conversation. You can say something like, “Thanks for reaching out, but I don’t think I’m ready to talk yet.”

Second, set boundaries. If you do decide to respond, make it clear what you’re comfortable discussing and what you’re not. For example, if the other person wants to catch up on old times, but you don’t want to go down that road, let them know that you’re only interested in talking about current events.

Finally, remember that you’re in control of the situation. If you start to feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, it’s okay to end the conversation. You can say something like, “I’m sorry, but I have to go now. Let’s catch up another time.”

Responding to a text from someone you haven’t talked to in a long time can be uncomfortable, but it’s important to be honest with yourself and the other person about your feelings.

Having boundaries is a form of self-care. Remember that you’re in control of the situation, and it’s okay not to respond if you don’t want to. You don’t have to have people in your life that mistreat you or make you unhappy.

Frequently Asked Questions: What to Reply When Someone Texts You After a Long Time

What do you say in response when someone you’ve been dating stops texting for a week and then texts again as if nothing is wrong?

It’s understandable to feel frustrated or confused when someone you’ve been dating suddenly stops texting and then picks up as if nothing happened. However, it’s important to respond in a way that sets clear boundaries and communicates your expectations.

You might say something like, “Hey, it’s good to hear from you again. I noticed you didn’t respond to my last message. Is everything okay?” This way, you’re acknowledging the lack of communication while also giving the other person a chance to explain themselves.

What are some reasons to ignore a text from someone?

Ignoring a text from someone can be a way to set boundaries and protect your mental health. While I personally don’t believe in ghosting people, here are some reasons you might choose to ignore a text include:

The person has been consistently disrespectful or rude to you.
The text is demanding or manipulative.
You need time and space to process your feelings before responding.
The person has a history of ghosting or flaking on plans.

Remember, it’s always okay to prioritize your own well-being and respond in a way that feels authentic to you.

There have been instances where I didn’t respond to a person’s text intentionally because they were disrespectful towards me (and you don’t owe ANYTHING to ANYTHING to someone who constantly and consistently disrespects you!)

Read: 14 signs it’s time to stop reaching out to a friend

Is it okay to just respond “okay” after someone texts you an entire paragraph?

While responding with a simple “okay” might seem dismissive, it’s important to consider the context of the conversation. If the other person is sharing important information or expressing their feelings, a more thoughtful response might be appropriate.

However, if the message is simply confirming plans or relaying basic information, a brief response like “okay” is acceptable.

Conclusion

Whether you take the time to reply or not is completely up to you. Always remember that you are in charge of your communication. You have a right to make your choices based on how comfortable you feel in responding. Just because someone reaches out after a long period of time doesn’t mean that it has to be an uncomfortable conversation.

Prioritizing yourself and taking control of the communication really helps in letting people know where your boundaries lie without totally cutting contact. Rather than responding out of obligation, respond out of love, understanding and genuine interest in adding value to another person’s life, no matter how delayed it may be.

A delayed response can also be filled with kindness, appreciation, and care – making sure both (or all parties) feel heard and respected is key!

What to read next: How to text someone after a long time (11 text examples to use!)