diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/ChatModel.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/ChatModel.swift
index 3361c9b710..021110e997 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/ChatModel.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/ChatModel.swift
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ struct ChatItem: Identifiable, Decodable {
     
     var id: Int64 { get { meta.itemId } }
 
-    var timestampText: String { get { meta.timestampText } }
+    var timestampText: Text { get { meta.timestampText } }
 
     func isRcvNew() -> Bool {
         if case .rcvNew = meta.itemStatus { return true }
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ struct CIMeta: Decodable {
     var itemStatus: CIStatus
     var createdAt: Date
 
-    var timestampText: String { get { SimpleX.timestampText(itemTs) } }
+    var timestampText: Text { get { SimpleX.timestampText(itemTs) } }
 
     static func getSample(_ id: Int64, _ ts: Date, _ text: String, _ status: CIStatus = .sndNew) -> CIMeta {
         CIMeta(
@@ -583,13 +583,14 @@ struct CIMeta: Decodable {
     }
 }
 
+let msgTimeFormat = Date.FormatStyle.dateTime.hour().minute()
+let msgDateFormat = Date.FormatStyle.dateTime.day(.twoDigits).month(.twoDigits)
 
-func timestampText(_ date: Date) -> String {
+func timestampText(_ date: Date) -> Text {
     let now = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.day, .hour], from: .now)
     let dc = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.day, .hour], from: date)
-    return now.day == dc.day || ((now.day ?? 0) - (dc.day ?? 0) == 1 && (dc.hour ?? 0) >= 18 && (now.hour ?? 0) < 12)
-        ? date.formatted(date: .omitted, time: .shortened)
-        : String(date.formatted(date: .numeric, time: .omitted).prefix(5))
+    let recent = now.day == dc.day || ((now.day ?? 0) - (dc.day ?? 0) == 1 && (dc.hour ?? 0) >= 18 && (now.hour ?? 0) < 12)
+    return Text(date, format: recent ? msgTimeFormat : msgDateFormat)
 }
 
 enum CIStatus: Decodable {
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/CIMetaView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/CIMetaView.swift
index 5aa6b98eab..08112976fc 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/CIMetaView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/CIMetaView.swift
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ struct CIMetaView: View {
             default: EmptyView()
             }
 
-            Text(chatItem.timestampText)
+            chatItem.timestampText
                 .font(.caption)
                 .foregroundColor(.secondary)
         }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/TextItemView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/TextItemView.swift
index e8f9b5b551..4a79c1f423 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/TextItemView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/TextItemView.swift
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ struct TextItemView: View {
         }
     }
 
-    private func reserveSpaceForMeta(_ meta: String) -> Text {
-       Text("      \(meta)")
+    private func reserveSpaceForMeta(_ meta: Text) -> Text {
+       (Text("      ") + meta)
            .font(.caption)
            .foregroundColor(.clear)
     }
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatPreviewView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatPreviewView.swift
index 39f076b5b5..385c909dfd 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatPreviewView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatPreviewView.swift
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct ChatPreviewView: View {
                         .foregroundColor(chat.chatInfo.ready ? .primary : .secondary)
                         .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .topLeading)
                     Spacer()
-                    Text(cItem?.timestampText ?? timestampText(chat.chatInfo.createdAt))
+                    (cItem?.timestampText ?? timestampText(chat.chatInfo.createdAt))
                         .font(.subheadline)
                         .frame(minWidth: 60, alignment: .trailing)
                         .foregroundColor(.secondary)
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ContactRequestView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ContactRequestView.swift
index d66af40c6b..2eedbdeb49 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ContactRequestView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ContactRequestView.swift
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct ContactRequestView: View {
                         .padding(.top, 4)
                         .frame(maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .topLeading)
                     Spacer()
-                    Text(timestampText(contactRequest.createdAt))
+                    timestampText(contactRequest.createdAt)
                         .font(.subheadline)
                         .padding(.trailing, 8)
                         .padding(.top, 4)