Do you use iMessage to stay in touch with your friends, family, and colleagues? If you’re an iPhone or iPad user, you might not necessarily be aware of the fact that you can use an email address with iMessage instead of your phone number.

Apple’s iMessage service that’s baked into the stock Messages app is extremely popular among Apple users, as it offers a free and convenient way to text other iPhone, iPad, and Mac owners. If you’re on an iPhone, your phone number is used to activate iMessage by default. However, you can manually add the Apple ID…