With Text Message Forwarding, the SMS/MMS messages that you send and receive on your iPhone can appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch. Then you can continue the conversation from the device you want.
When someone sends you an SMS or MMS message on your iPhone, it appears as a green bubble. iMessages appear as blue bubbles. When you set up Text Message Forwarding, you can send and receive the SMS and MMS messages from your iPhone on any Mac, iPad, or iPod touch that meets the Continuity system requirements.
Set up text message forwarding
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you’re signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*
- Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you’re not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.
iCloud now keeps your entire messages history updated and available on all your devices — even when you set up a new device. Learn how to keep all your messages in iCloud.
* Don’t see the Text Message Forwarding setting on your iPhone? Go to Settings > Messages, turn off iMessage, turn it back on, tap Send & Receive, tap Use Your Apple ID for iMessage, then sign in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.
Source: iMore
With iMessage’s ability to keep all of your messages in sync across your iOS and Mac devices, it may well be the best iPhone tool for communication. However, not everyone uses Apple devices so texting with some folks still requires SMS.
We all have a few green bubble contacts, but those conversations don’t have to be excluded from the auto-syncing magic across your Apple gear. Not only can you read your SMS messages on your iPad or Mac, but you can even compose and send them. We’ll show you how.
How to get SMS messages on iPad and Mac
Using SMS via your iPad or Mac relies on a feature called Text Message Forwarding, though you’ll need to make sure all of the devices you want to link up are signed in to iMessage using the same Apple ID first.
Setting up iMessage on iPad is similar to how you’d do it on your iPhone and you can check out our guide to setting up iMessage on Mac for more advice there.
Once that’s set up, you can turn on Text Message Forwarding as follows:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap Messages.
Source: iMore
Toggle the ON/OFF switches on the iPad or Mac devices you want to get text messages on.
Source: iMore
Now, as long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, any new SMS or MMS text messages (green text bubbles) you receive on your iPhone are forwarded to your selected devices. You can also reply to these text and multimedia messages using your iPad or Mac too.
It may take a little while for everything to sync up when you first turn on the feature, but if it isn’t working or you can’t find the Text Message Forwarding setting, try turning off iMessage on all of your devices and turning it back on again.
Beyond that, make sure your devices all meet the minimum Continuity requirements. For SMS messaging, that’s any Mac running OS X Yosemite or newer and it’s any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 8 or newer.
How to Enable Messages in iCloud
Apple can keep all of your messages history in iCloud so it’s always updated and available on all of your Apple devices, even brand new ones. Here’s how to turn that on.
- Make sure you’re logged in to the correct Apple ID on your iPhone, iPad, and Macs that you want to be synced up.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings.
Tap on your Apple ID account, which is shown at the top.
Source: iMore
Toggle the ON/OFF switch for Messages.
Source: iMore
Click Messages in the menu bar.
Source: iMore
Click the iMessage tab.
Source: iMore
Click the checkbox next to Enable Messages in iCloud so all of your messages, SMS and iCloud, will sync to and from your Mac.
Source: iMore
Never miss a message
With your SMS and MMS messages now showing on your iPad and Mac, you’ll never have to worry about missing an important message. Plus, you don’t have to pull out your iPhone every time you want to text someone — even your green bubble friends — which is super convenient!
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Matt Klein has nearly two decades of technical writing experience. He’s covered Windows, Android, macOS, Microsoft Office, and everything in between. He’s even written a book, The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 8. Read more.
We love Apple’s Continuity features, including the ability to receive calls and text message from your iPhone on your Mac or iPad. If you want to automatically forward text messages to your Mac or iPad however, you first need to set it up.
Text message forwarding works great because you don’t have to actually be on your iPhone to communicate via text. Any text messages that arrives on your iPhone will automatically be forwarded to your Mac or iPad via the Messages app.
At this point, it’s akin to using instant messaging, you simply type and talk as if you’re using the phone and messages will continue to be sent and received via text.
To set up text message forwarding, first open the “Settings” on your iPhone, then tap on “Messages”. Next, tap on “Text Message Forwarding” to allow text messages to “be sent and received on other devices signed in to your iMessage account.”
In this example, there are two other devices available for text message forwarding. We tap on our Mac to turn it on and we’ll next need to verify to allow this device.
Each device you enable text message forwarding will need to be verified on your iPhone.
On our Mac, the Messages app will display a dialog telling you that in order to send and receive iPhone text messages, you need to enter a code on your iPhone.
Enter the code the Messages app gives you on your iPhone.
Similarly, a message will appear on you iPhone urging you to enter the code shown on your Mac. In this case, upon entering the code and tapping the “Allow” button, any text messages that arrive on our iPhone will also be routed to our Mac as well.
Enter the code shown on your Mac or iPad to complete the setup process.
So, if we’re working on something using our Macbook, and our iPhone is in the other room, not only will be not miss any important texts that arrive, but we’ll be able to reply to them without actually using the iPhone!
If you have other devices to which you want to forward text messages, simply repeat this process for each one. On the other hand, if you want to turn off text message forwarding, then simply return to the Message settings on your iPhone and disable each or all the devices you previously allowed.
We hope you found this article helpful and will soon be taking full advantage of all the wonderful features Continuity offers. Should you have any comments or questions you would like to contribute, please leave your feedback in our discussion forum.
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Something New
In addition to iMessages, you can respond to SMS text messages on your iPad or Mac. Learn how to enable this feature for all of your devices.
By default, SMS text messages aren’t synced across all of a user’s iPad or Mac. Only iMessages are synced . Infamously, iPhone users refer to iMessages as blue bubbles and SMS text messages as green bubbles. iMessage is only available on Apple devices. Thus communication through iMessage can only be done on Apple devices.
iMessage has several features that make it a much better option than SMS. The most apparent difference is being able to send full-quality photos and videos. SMS messaging has a hard limit of about 1-2MB, depending on the carrier. That means gifs, videos, and high-quality photos will be compressed and don’t look great. iMessage doesn’t have a notable limit on media, so they typically get sent uncompressed. Other iMessage-only features include Tap Back, the ability to enter or leave a group chat in progress, and in-line replies.
But not everyone has an iPhone, so not everyone can use iMessage. SMS is the next best thing for those wanting to stay within the Messages app. Fortunately, SMS messages can be forwarded from an iPhone to an iPad or a Mac for those who have multiple Apple devices. To do so, first, make sure the iPad or Mac are signed in to the same Apple ID as the iPhone. From there, on the iPhone, head to Settings, scroll down to Messages, and tap on Text Message Forwarding. iOS will then present a list of compatible devices from a user’s iCloud account. Switching the toggle on will enable SMS to be received on those devices.
Text Till The Crack Of Dawn
Text message forwarding is excellent for those who don’t have their iPhones readily available to them. Or, sometimes, an iPad or a Mac is the better option, especially for longer messages. Either way, it’s a fantastic tool that enables users to send and receive SMS notifications on all of their Apple devices.
Of course, other options include using a different messaging platform such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram. These services also support more than just one device, and users can also send, receive, and get notified of messages across multiple devices. Unfortunately, though, messaging services can get a bit messy. Individual users might not have a say in which messaging service to use, as everyone else is using iMessage or WhatsApp. Not everyone has or wants an iPhone. So at the very least, iPhone users have an option to forward those messages to an iPad or Mac, in addition to iMessages.
With Text Message Forwarding, the SMS/MMS messages that you send and receive on your iPhone can appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch. Then you can continue the conversation from the device you want.
When someone sends you an SMS or MMS message on your iPhone, it appears as a green bubble. iMessages appear as blue bubbles. When you set up Text Message Forwarding, you can send and receive the SMS and MMS messages from your iPhone on any Mac, iPad, or iPod touch that meets the Continuity system requirements.
Set up text message forwarding
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you’re signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*
- Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you’re not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.
iCloud now keeps your entire messages history updated and available on all your devices — even when you set up a new device. Learn how to keep all your messages in iCloud.
* Don’t see the Text Message Forwarding setting on your iPhone? Go to Settings > Messages, turn off iMessage, turn it back on, tap Send & Receive, tap Use Your Apple ID for iMessage, then sign in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.
We love Apple’s continuity features, including the ability to receive calls and texts from your iPhone on your Mac or iPad. However, if you want to automatically forward text messages to your Mac or iPad, you need to set it up first.
Text message forwarding works great because you don’t need to be on your iPhone to communicate via text message. All text messages that arrive on your iPhone will automatically be transferred to your Mac or iPad through the Messages app.
At this point it is akin to using instant messaging, you just type and speak as if you were using the phone and messages will continue to be sent and received via SMS.
To set up text message forwarding, first open “Settings” on your iPhone, then tap “Messages”. Next, tap “Text Message Forwarding” to allow sending and receiving text messages on other devices logged into your iMessage account.
In this example, two other devices are available for transferring text messages. We tap on our Mac to turn it on and then we will have to verify to authorize this device.
Each device on which you enable text message forwarding will need to be verified on your iPhone.
On our Mac, the Messages app will display a dialog box telling you that in order to send and receive iPhone text messages, you need to enter a passcode on your iPhone.
Enter the passcode that the Messages app gives you on your iPhone.
Likewise, a message will appear on your iPhone asking you to enter the code displayed on your Mac. In this case, when you enter the code and press the “Allow” button, all text messages that arrive on our iPhone will also be routed to our Mac.
Enter the code displayed on your Mac or iPad to complete the setup process.
So if we are working on something using our Macbook and our iPhone is in the other room, not only will we not miss any important text that comes up, but we will be able to respond to it without actually using the iPhone!
If you have other devices that you want to forward text messages to, just repeat this process for each. On the other hand, if you want to turn off text message forwarding, just go back to the message settings on your iPhone and turn off each or all of the devices that you previously allowed.
We hope you have found this article useful and that you will soon be taking full advantage of all the wonderful features Continuity has to offer. If you have any comments or questions that you would like to contribute, please leave your comments in our discussion forum.
With the release of OS X Yosemite, Apple has included a new set of “Continuity” features that connect iOS devices and the Mac in a number of ways. Most notably, Continuity allows users to place and answer calls with their Macs and iPads that are forwarded through the iPhone.
Similarly, Macs and iPads can now receive SMS messages, even ones sent from non-Apple devices. Before the launch of iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite, Macs and iPads could only receive iMessages, as SMS messages were limited to the iPhone via traditional delivery. iMessages are a part of Apple’s proprietary messaging service made for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, while SMS messages are usually intended for communications between mobile phones. Users can now also send SMS messages to any kind of device from the Mac and iPad. Apple previously referred to this feature as “SMS Relay” before the debut of iOS 8.1, but officially refers to it as “Text Message Forwarding” in the Settings app.
Before You Start
You need iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite in order to forward phone calls and SMS messages from your iPhone to your Mac or iPad. You also need to make sure that both your Mac and iPhone are logged into the same iCloud account. Phone calls and SMS routing are compatible with any iPhone and iPad running iOS 8.1 and any Mac that supports OS X Yosemite. Also, the Wi-Fi calling feature needs to be off to enable call forwarding, so ensure it is disabled by going to by going to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calls.
Steps to Enable Text Message Forwarding
1. Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone (Settings -> Wi-Fi) and Mac (Menu Bar -> Wi-Fi -> Turn Wi-Fi On. SMS forwarding will still work between the Mac and an iOS device even if both are using different Wi-Fi networks.
2. On your Mac, open the Messages app and navigate to Menu Bar -> Messages -> Preferences -> Accounts -> Click on iMessage account -> Check the boxes next to your phone number and email. If your email is not listed, click Add Email and enter your email.
3. On your iPhone, add your email address to your iMessage by going to Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive. A registered email for iMessage is required in order to enable text message forwarding.
4. Turn on Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone by going to Settings -> Messages -> Text Message Forwarding -> Turn Text Message Forwarding On. A prompt will appear asking you to enter an activation code. The activation code will appear in your Mac’s Messages app. Enter the activation code from your Mac in the prompt shown on your iPhone. An activation code is required for every device that you want to include in text message forwarding.
5. You will now be able to answer any incoming text message on your Mac. Text messages sent to your iPhone will also automatically appear as a push notification on your Mac in the upper-right corner. When a text message appears, you can answer it by clicking “Reply”. Text messages will also appear in the Messages app on your Mac.
Steps to Enable Phone Call Forwarding
1. Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone (Settings -> Wi-Fi) and Mac (Menu Bar -> Wi-Fi -> Turn Wi-Fi On. Call forwarding requires both of your devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Turn on iPhone Cellular Calls on your Mac (FaceTime -> Preferences -> Turn On iPhone Cellular Calls) and iPhone (Settings -> FaceTime -> iPhone Cellular Calls).
3. You may now begin placing and answering phone calls on your Mac. Incoming calls to your iPhone will appear as a push notification on your Mac in the upper-right corner. When a call appears, you have the option to answer it by clicking “Accept” or ignore it by clicking “Decline”. You can also click on the arrow to the right of the Decline option and can then choose to send a text message or create a reminder to return the call later.
When you’re on a call, you can silence yourself by clicking “Mute” or switch to a FaceTime video call by clicking “Video”. If another person calls during your current phone call, you will also have the option to click “Hold & Accept” and can even switch between calls by clicking the connected arrows. You can also click “Merge” to merge both calls. If you want to transfer the call from your Mac back to your iPhone, unlock your iPhone tap the “Touch to return to Call” banner.
You can also make phone calls from a number of apps on the Mac, including Contacts, Safari, Mail, Maps and Spotlight. For example, you can call a business after searching for its information in Maps, and can highlight and call a phone number when one is displayed in Safari.
Troubleshooting
A number of users have had difficulty with trying to enable text message and phone call forwarding for their Macs. For text message forwarding, users on our forums have reported that a combination of logging out and back into iCloud on their devices, turning iMessage off and on in the iPhone’s Settings app, disabling and enabling Wi-Fi, and restarting both devices fixed their problems. If the activation code to set up text message forwarding is not showing up on your Mac, ensure that an email address is activated for iMessage on your iPhone. Once again, you can activate an email for iMessage on your iPhone by going to Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive.
Meanwhile, users attempting to fix problems with call forwarding have found that the most common solutions include rebooting both devices, logging out and back into iCloud on their devices, and turning FaceTime off and back on in the iPhone’s Settings app. Other users have found that having Wi-Fi Calling enabled on the iPhone has caused call forwarding to not work, so once again ensure that setting is off by going to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calls.
Even a few short years ago, the idea of getting text messages on your computer or tablet might have seemed a bit odd. Texts were for phones, and were usually for casual chats with friends and family, while computers were more often used for work or for school.
Today, it’s entirely acceptable for colleagues to use texts to discuss business matters, for a contractor and homeowner to work out the details of a project via text, and for liaising with anyone from a hairdresser to a doctor’s office.
Thus the ability to send and receive text messages from a computer or tablet is more than novelty; it’s quite convenient and can even ensure you don’t miss an important text. And should you ever lose your iPhone, or if your phone is out of battery when you’re expecting a critical message, you’ll be happy you had the foresight to set up text message forwarding on your iPhone.
However, any device you want to forward texts to needs to share an Apple ID with you. So you can’t forward texts to any random phone or iPad — you’ll need to log into your Apple ID account first.
How to set up text message forwarding on an iPhone
1. Open the Messages app on the device (computer or iPad, e.g.) you want to link to your phone.
2. Sign into your Apple ID account, and wait for a text message with a confirmation code.
3. On your iPhone, open the Settings app and go to the “Messages” tab.
4. Tap the words “Text Message Forwarding.”
5. On the next screen, tap the button beside the device where you set up Messages (“Your Name’s MacBook Pro,” for example) so it toggles to green.
Texts sent to your phone will now also be shared with the device(s) you have allowed. You can send and receive texts there, and can disable the forwarding by simply toggling that button under “Text Message Forwarding” off again.
And note that if you don’t see a “Text Message Forwarding” tab, you need to complete two quick steps. First, at the top of the Messages screen, toggle “iMessage” off then on again. Then hit the tab that says “Send & Receive” and tap your Apple ID, making sure it is signed in.
What’s up! Happy New Year everyone.
Today I want to talk about Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone and some problems you might have experienced with it.
So, I don’t know if you knew this or not but when Apple dropped iOS 8.1 on us it included a pretty awesome feature known as SMS Sharing (or Text Message Forwarding with Continuity). When you turn this thing on you’ll never miss a text message because all your texts will show up on all your Apple devices.
How Text Message Forwarding Works
First you need to make sure both your iPhone and any devices you want to forward your text messages to are joined to the same Wi-Fi network. It won’t work if they’re not connected to the same Wi-Fi network while you do this – so do that first.
Next, on your iPhone, hit the Settings app and then flick down until you see the green Messages App icon.
Flip the little on/off button to on so that iMessage is enabled then hit Text Message Forwarding.
All of your iCloud devices should show up with an on/off knob next to each one. When you flip the knob to ON two things will happen:
- A short code will popup on the screen of that Apple device.
- Your iPhone will prompt you to enter the code that is currently displayed on that Apple device
After you enter the code, any text messages sent to your iPhone will also get automatically forwarded the device you selected.
Why Text Message Forwarding Fails
Alright, so what should you do if it just doesn’t work for you or the code never shows up?
If you check your logs you might see something like this:
Here’s my list of five tricks to make Text Message forwarding work on your iPhone.
- Make sure you have your iCloud email address enabled in your iMessage settings when you do this setup process or else you’ll never get the code. You can turn it off after forwarding is established but it needs to be on during the setup attempt.
- If you’re waiting for the code to pop up on your Mac, flip iMessage off and then on again. Then do the same thing on your Mac and that should kickstart the process.
- Your mobile number needs to be checked off in iMessages. When you go to Settings and tap Messages
There you have it!
I hope this helps – leave a comment if you have any questions
Did you know you can enable SMS and MSS correspondence on your Mac with Messages? You can.
But first, a little background.
SMS vs. MMS vs. iMessage
SMS is an abbreviation for Short Message Service. Basically, it’s a text message. However, an SMS message contains only text (no pictures or videos) and is limited to 160 characters.
MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. With an MMS, you can send a message including pictures, video, or audio content to another device. It also requires a data package.
This is different than iMessage (or Messages) on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
iMessage is Apple’s own instant messaging service that sends messages over the Internet, using your data. You must have an Internet connection to use the service. To send iMessages, you need a data plan, or you can send them over WiFi. If you use WiFi, there’s no cost, but if you use your cellphone’s data, it’s deducted from your data plan.
iMessage also syncs with your iCloud account, so if you lose your iPhone or get a new one, you can take your messages with you. Plus, if you have more than one Apple device, you can get your messages on your Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch.
However, SMS messages may not sync across your devices. But you can set up your iPhone and Mac so that the latter can send/receive SMS messages.
Receive and Send SMS and MMS Messages on Your Mac
To receive and send SMS and MMS messages on your Mac, your iPhone must have iOS 8.1 or later, and your iPhone and Mac must be signed in to Messages using the same Apple ID. If you’ve got this set up, then:
1) On your iPhone, go to “Settings > Messages.”
2) Tap Text Message Forwarding. If you don’t see Text Message Forwarding, make sure you’re signed in to Messages using the same Apple ID on both your iPhone and your Mac.
3) Enable your Mac in the list of devices. In the graphic below, you can see that I’ve enabled both my iMac and my MacBook Pro.
4) On your Mac, open the Messages app. A six-digit activation code appears.
5) Enter this code on your iPhone, then tap Allow.
If you have an iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone X , iPhone XS, XR and XS Max or and iPad here is how to activate text message forwarding on any one of them. Often times, we receive texts from friends, love ones and acquaintances and as such might want to forward such information to someone else. Instead of getting to retype these messages as they are, we could probably forward them as they come to our preferred individual.
In summary, we can say that Text message forwarding is a phone feature that allows you to send an exact duplicate of text messages sent to you. In an ordinary phone, text forwarding can be as easy as it can be, as virtually every phone follows the same procedure but it is quite different on the iPhone, Mac or iPad.
How to Fix Text forwarding on iPhone devices
First of all, it is overly important that you have messages enabled on your iPhone. This will give rise to enabling text message forwarding. Also, you need to have a functional email address enabled in imessage setting, during the setup process, to enable you to receive the messaging activation code.
Presently, the latest version of the newly released iPhone Xs, XS Max and iPad come with new features changes and improvement. Consequently, the makers of the device, Apple has fixed some of the common problems users experience in the previous IOS version.
Fortunately, one of the newly improved features included the text message forwarding feature on the iPhone. This newly developed feature allows users to send messages exactly as it was sent to them in the text Message app to another device.
However, to confidently utilize the test message forwarding feature, you need to make sure that you have the same Apple ID logged in, on both devices involved, . This has to bolster the functionality of the all process.
Also, you will need to make sure that your device is signed in the iPhone face time feature using your Apple ID.
To use the text message forwarding features on your Mac or an iPad, you need to put your email address in message and also use the Face time with the Apple ID or iCloud. And on the off chance that you are still having problems activating text message forwarding on your iPhone or iPad devices, then the following given simple steps below will lead you in activating the text message forwarding on your iPhone or iPad running iOS without much troubles.
Steps to activate text Message forwarding on iPhone and iPad Running IOS 11
- Switch your iPhone on and off and go to the Settings folder.
- Tap on message
- Next, tap on Send & Receive and then tap on Use your Apple ID for iMessage.
- Tap on your Apple ID for iMessage
- Type in your Apple ID and password into the required fields. IOS will let you enable iMessage using an email associated with your Apple ID. The email should also be associated with your phone number.
- Click on the NEXT option
- Next, go to the iMessage settings and select Text Message Forwarding. Messages on the Mac will automatically open up. It will also create a one-time verification code.
- Enter this code on your iPhone, after, all your devices are set up and everything will remain working.
Once you have done this, your device text forwarding feature should start working immediately. If not retry the steps again and if the situation persists, try the steps belo
- Check the time and date on your device
- Turn off and restart iMessage
- Update your version of IOS
- Talk to your cellular service provider
- Toggle airplane mode on and off
- Remove any restrictions for iMessage in your settings
- Sign out of iMessage and re sign in.
Once you have successfully followed the steps highlighted, you should get your Text Message Forwarding feature working as swiftly as it can be without the need for any internet connection.
Connect to your iPhone or use an app to chat with friends and family
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/DanNations-b3e3901c63b544bf8588ac2fc6231f60.jpg "How to set up text message forwarding on your mac or ipad")
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What to Know
- On your iPhone, tap Settings >Messages and enable text message forwarding for your iPad.
- No iPhone? Use the iPad Messages app and an email address. Tap Settings >Messages >Send & Receive and then select an email.
- Or, try a messaging service like Skype, Messenger, or Viber, or a free texting app like FreeTone.
This article explains how to route texts from your iPad through an iPhone using the Continuity feature. If you don’t have an iPhone, there are a few workarounds for sending texts from your iPad.
How to Set Up Text Forwarding
When you set up text forwarding between your iPad and iPhone, you can text people from your iPad even if they have an Android device or a phone without smart features. The iPad uses a feature called Continuity to route the message through the cloud to your iPhone and then to the recipient.
Here’s how to set up the text forwarding feature on an iPhone.
On the iPhone, go to Settings > Messages.
Tap Text Message Forwarding.
This screen lists the Apple devices you own that can use the Continuity feature. Tap the toggle switch beside your iPad to enable Text Message Forwarding for it.
You are prompted to type a code on the iPad to activate the feature. After you type the code, your iPad can send text messages to both iPhone users and non-iPhone users.
The iPad uses the same stickers, animations, and drawings that are included with the iPhone text messaging app. Upgrade to the latest operating system to ensure you have the recent features.
How to Text on Your iPad if You Don’t Own an iPhone
If you don’t own an iPhone, there are several ways to use your iPad to send text messages. Use Apple’s service, alternatives to text messaging, or one of the apps that provide free SMS messaging on the iPad.
Messages App
The Messages app can send text messages to anyone who owns an iPhone or iPad, even if you don’t own an iPhone. The iPad uses your Apple ID to route the message based on the email address associated with your Apple ID account. If the recipient doesn’t own an iPhone but owns an iPad, they need to turn on this feature.
To turn on this feature, tap Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. The iPad lists the email accounts associated with your Apple ID. Tap to put a check mark next to the email addresses you want to use.
Facebook Messenger
If you have friends or family that use Android or a Windows Phone, send them messages using the Facebook Messenger app. Anyone who has a Facebook account can be reached via Facebook Messenger.
Skype
Skype allows you to use your iPad as a phone. In addition to sending text messages, you can send video messages, place phone calls, and video conference. If you want to stay in touch with someone and can’t use Messages because they don’t own an iOS device, Skype is a great alternative.
Snapchat
Snapchat works on the iPad. However, you’ll jump through a hoop to install it. Because there isn’t an official iPad version, when you search for Snapchat in the app store, tap iPad Only at the top of the search screen in the App Store and choose iPhone to search for iPhone-only apps.
Snapchat isn’t true text messaging because you can only message people who signed up for the service, but it offers a fun alternative to traditional text messaging.
Viber
If you want to know what one of those messaging services would have looked like if it came out today, look no further than Viber. It has all the bells and whistles you would expect in a social messaging service, including Viber Wink, which deletes the message after it is viewed. You can also place phone calls and video calls and get involved in public chats. Viber also supports split-view multitasking.
This article explains how you can stop your iPhone text messages and iMessages from going to your iPad, so when you get a message, it won’t appear on your iPad.
If you are using an iPad with Wi-Fi only, you can still use the Messages app on your iPad to send or receive messages through your iPhone’s cellular service, or with iMessage. This can occur if you are using the same Apple ID on your iPhone and iPad.
A lot of users own multiple Apple devices. And if all of your devices are using the same Apple ID, you may think that this is a privacy issue for you. The good news is that you can disable this feature. There are two options you can try:
- Disable SMS Relay.
- Sign out of iMessage entirely.
1. Turn off SMS/MMS text message forwarding
You can automatically forward your email messages by turning on this feature so that you can read and respond to messages when you are using your iPad. Although it is a useful feature, a lot of users may want to disable this. Here is how you can turn this off:
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
- You will see the Text Message Forwarding screen saying “Allow these devices to send and receive text messages from this iPhone”.
- Find your iPad and turn it off.
Now your iPhone will not forward text messages and you cannot use your iPad to send or receive SMS/MMS texts.
2. Turn off iMessage
However, this will not stop iMessages. The iMessages you receive will continue appearing on your iPad. If you do not want your iPad to receive any messages from your iPhone, then you may want to turn off iMessage on your iPad. Here is how:
- On your iPad, go to Settings > Messages.
- Turn off iMessage.
Serhat Kurt
Dr. Serhat Kurt worked as a Senior Technology Director. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University. Here is his LinkedIn profile.
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With yesterday’s release of iOS 8.1, it finally brought with it the core features of Continuity in OS X Yosemite, with one major feature being able to send and receive text messages from your Mac, known as Text Message Forwarding. It’s disabled by default in iOS 8.1, but setting it up is quite simple.
Here’s how to set it up if you haven’t already…
Requirements: A Mac running OS X Yosemite and an iPhone running iOS 8.1.
1. Ensure your iPhone and Mac have the same iCloud account logged in for Messages, and you have at least ONE EMAIL address registered to receive messages.
2. On iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding > toggle on your Mac in the list.
Your Mac will then be sent a code to confirm its identity and allow texts to be sent there. Enter that code shown on your Mac into your iPhone:
3. Once that’s done, you’re all ready to go. Try sending a text message to a recipient (most likely that lonely friend with a sad BlackBerry Bold) from your Mac, then wait patiently for a reply. Text messages are indicated by green bubbles while iMessages are blue (you knew that already of course).
If all is setup property, you’ll now be sending and receiving texts via your Mac! No more running to your iPhone to respond to text messages from non-iPhone users!
Let us know if you’re enjoying Text Messaging Forwarding in OS X Yosemite.
By: Waseem Patwegar
Just like an iPhone, your iPad too can be configured to send and receive traditional SMS text messages, even though it has no SIM card. Let us take a look at how to send SMS Text Messages on iPad.
Send SMS Text Messages On iPad
As you must be aware, the Messaging App on your iPad can be used to send and receive an unlimited number of free iMessages to any of your Contacts using iPhone, iPad or Mac.
In case of an iPhone, the Messages App automatically sends iMessages to Apple Device users and traditional SMS Messages to non-Apple device users.
Since, iPad does not have a SIM card, the Messages App on iPad will only be able to send iMessages to Apple device users and it won’t be able to send SMS Messages to non Apple device users.
Luckily, there is a workaround to send and receive SMS Text Messages on iPad using the Continuity Feature in Apple devices.
Pre-requisites For Sending SMS Text Messages From iPad
In order to send SMS Text Messages from an iPad you will need the following.
1. iPhone with a Cellular Plan.
2. Both iPhone and iPad need to be connected to the internet.
3. You need to be logged into your iCloud Account, both on iPhone and iPad using the same Apple ID.
Note: iPhone and iPad can be on the same or separate WiFi networks; they just need to be able to connect to Apple’s servers.
Setup iPad to Send and Receive SMS Text Messages
Once you have fulfilled the above pre-requisites, you can follow the steps below to set up your iPad to send and receive SMS Text Messages.
1. From the Home screen of your iPad, tap on Settings .
2. On the Settings screen, scroll down and tap on Messages .
3. On the Messages screen, make sure that iMessage is set to ON position.
Note: You may be prompted to enter your iCloud Email Address and Password.
Now open your iPhone and follow the steps below.
1. Open the Settings App on your iPhone.
2. On the Settings screen, tap on Messages.
3. On the Messages screen, tap on Text Message Forwarding.
4. On the next Screen, move the slider next to iPad to ON position (See image below).
5. Next, you will see a popup asking you to Enter a Security Code from your iPad.
6. Get the security code from your iPad, Enter that Security Code on your iPhone and tap on Allow (See image below)
After this, you are all setup to Send and Receive SMS Text Messages on your iPad.
Note: SMS Text Messages sent from iPad will be using your Messaging plan on iPhone (They are not free).
1. Send SMS/MMS From iPad
Once your iPad is configured to send and receive SMS Text Messages, you will be able to send both iMessages and SMS Text Messages on your iPad.
1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
2. Next, tap on the Compose Message icon.
3. On the New Message screen, enter the Phone Number or the Name of your Contact that you want to send the SMS to.
4. Type your Message and tap on the Send button (See above image).
2. Reply to SMS Text Messages on iPad
Receiving and replying to SMS and MMS on iPad is the same as replying to Messages on iPhone.
1. Tap on the Message Notification , this will take you to the Messages app where you can reply to the SMS/MMS.
2. Alternatively, you can open the Messages App at any time on your iPad to view or reply to an SMS or MMS received on your iPad.
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Home > Backup & Restore iPhone > How to Enable Text Message Forwarding on iOS 15?
October 13, 2017 (Updated: September 17, 2021)
Are you having trouble getting text messages forwarding enabled on iOS 15? Does it seem like this simple function just doesn’t work for you, even though it was one of the promising new features for the new iOS? Being able to view text messages across devices can be really convenient, so you don’t want to miss out. Luckily, there are a few simple solutions toВ fix SMSВ forwarding iPhoneВ problem that may help you out:
- Steps to Enable Text Message Forwarding on iOS 15
- What If I Cannot Activate iMessage & There Is No Text Message Forwarding Option?
- TIP: Easily Transfer Old iPhone Messages toВ NewВ iPhone 13/iPhone 12
Steps to Enable Text Message Forwarding on iOS 15
Here is how to enable text message forwarding on iOS 15:
(1) On your iPhone running iOS 15 or earlier versions, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive.
(2) Tap where it says “Use your Apple ID for iMessage” and then put in your Apple ID and password.
(3) Now you can choose an e-mail address to associate with your Apple ID. After you have chosen the one that you want to use, click Next.
(4) Go to Settings > Messages again, then tap Text Message Forwarding.
(5) Your iPad or Mac will receive a verification code in Messages. You will need to enter this code into your iPhone to verify.
Can’t Activate iMessageВ & No Text Message Forwarding Option?
If you can’t seem to activate iMessage, then try a few things:
- Check the time and data on your iPhone.
- Turn off and restart iMessage.
- Update your version of iOS.
- Talk to your cellular service provider.
- Toggle airplane mode on and off.
- Remove any restrictions for iMessage in your settings.
- Sign out of iMessage and sign back in.
You can read about these troubleshooting methods in more detail here:В How to Fix Error Occurred during iMessage Activation?
TIP: Transfer Old iPhone Messages to Your iPhone 13/12
You can use a tool called iMyFoneВ iTransor to easily transfer messages from your old iPhone to your new one, if that’s what you’re trying to achieve through forwarding.В iMyFone iTransorВ lets you back up and restore all kinds of data from your iOS devices. Here are some of this application’s great features which help you transfer data, even if you use iOS 15:
Key Features (iOS 15 Supported):
- Transfer messages from iPhone to iPhone,В Windows orВ Mac.
- Besides messages, it supports other 17 types of data, such asВ WhatsApp,В notes,В voice memosВ and much more.
- Back up your data on device completely or selectively without overwriting old backups, and FREE of charge.
- Similarly, restore your device partially (such as byВ restoring only your messages) or completely, depending on your needs.
How to Transfer Messages/iMessages from Old iPhone to iPhone iPhone 13/12
First, you will need to back up the messages on your old iPhone:
(1) InstallВ and launch iTransorВ on your computer and plug your old iPhone in. Please notice that the program supports not only iOS 15, but the earlier versions such as iOS 14/13/12/11.
(2) Click where it says Back Up Device on the mainВ screen after choosing Acquire Backup from Device & iCloud.
(3) Check Messages option which is under Select One or More Data Type(s). You can choose other data if you need. Click Back Up to proceed.
(4) Wait until the messages on the old iPhone are backed up before unplugging your iPhone.
Now, you will restore the messages to your new iPhone:
(5) Unplug your old iPhone and plug your new one into your computer and click where it says Restore Backup to Device on the left sidebar. Choose the message backup from the list provided, then click Next.
(6) Click Directly Restore after you make sure that the option of Messages is checked and the new phone is connected. Then you can merge the messages in backup with the ones on new iPhone by click Merge, or replace the messages on iPhone by clicking Replace.
(7) Then you just wait for the process to be completed. Do not unplug your device until the restoring is done.
Once iMyFone iTransor has transferred the messages successfully, you can view them on your new iPhone.
Text message forwarding can be very useful for iOS users, but if you can’t get it to work or you are simply looking to transfer your messages to a new phone, thenВ iMyFone iTransorВ can be a good tool to use instead. In just a few minutes, you can transfer all of your messages conveniently to your new iPhone 13, even if iOS 15 is running on it.
Many iPhone users have been complaining they couldn’t able to forward text messages from iPhone to Mac or iPad to iPhone. I have also had this same issue. When I was trying to send text messages from my iPad to my iPhone, I couldn’t. Finally, I have solved this issue. In this article, I am going to tell you some solutions to solve this problem. If you have this same issue, then try it.
Solution 1: Force Restart
- Press the Volume Up button and release it.
- Then press the Volume Down button and release it.
- Press and hold the Side button until the Apple Logo appears.
- Now check whether your message forwarding is working or not.
Solution 2: Sign in to iMessage your Same Apple ID
Make sure that you have signed in with the same Apple ID for iMessage. If not, you will not forward the text message to any devices. so you have to sign in to the same Apple ID for iMessage. Then try to forward a text message to iPhone or Mac.
Solution 3: Reset All Settings
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Then select General->Reset.
- Now tap on Reset All Settings option.
- Enter your iPhone password.
- Again tap on Reset All Settings to confirm the action.
Solution 4: Turn Off and On iMessage
- Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap “Messages”.
- Turn off iMessage and turn on it back.
Solution 5: Sign Out of iCloud and Sign In Back
- Launch Settings ->Apple ID (your name).
- Tap “Sign Out”.
- Enter the Apple ID Password and then Tap “Turn Off”.
- Tap “Sign Out”.
- Again tap “Sign Out” in the pop-up box to confirm it.
- Restart your phone and Sign-in back.
Solution 6: Reset Network Settings
- Go to Settings ->General ->Reset.
- Tap “Reset Network Settings”.
- Enter your iPhone passcode.
- Then tap on “Reset Network Settings” in the pop-up box.
We hope this article has solved your problem. If you have any doubt or idea regarding this article, tell us through your comments.
With iMessage’s ability to keep all your messages in sync across your iOS and Mac devices, it may very well be the best iPhone communication tool. However, not everyone uses Apple devices, so texting with some people still requires texting.
We all have a few green bubble switches, but these conversations do not have to be excluded from the automatic sync magic across your Apple device. Not only can you read your text messages on your iPad or Mac, but you can even write and send them. We’ll show you how.
How to get text messages on iPad and Mac
Using SMS via your iPad or Mac depends on a feature called text messaging, though you first need to make sure all the devices you want to connect are signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID.
Setting up iMessage on iPad is similar to how you would do it on your iPhone, and you can check out our iMessage setup guide on Mac for more advice there.
Once configured, you can enable text message forwarding as follows:
- open Settings app on your iPhone.
Press Messages.
Source: iMore
Press Forwarding text messages.
Switch to ON / OFF contacts on the iPad or Mac devices you want to receive text messages on.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile network, all new text messages or multimedia messages (green text bubbles) that you receive on your iPhone are forwarded to your selected devices. You can also reply to these text and multimedia messages using your iPad or Mac.
It may take a while for everything to sync when you turn on the feature for the first time, but if it does not work or you can not find the text message forwarding setting, try turning off iMessage on all your devices and turning it off to back again.
In addition, make sure all your devices meet the minimum continuity requirements. For text messages, any Mac running OS X Yosemite or later, and any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 8 or later.
How to enable notifications in iCloud
Apple can store all your messaging history in iCloud so it’s always up to date and available on all your Apple devices, even brand new ones. How to turn it on.
- Make sure you are logged in to the correct one Apple ID on your iPhone, iPad and Mac that you want to sync.
- Go to on your iPhone Settings.
Press your Apple ID account, which is shown at the top.
Source: iMore
Press iCloud.
Switch to ON OFF change to Messages.
Source: iMore
Open Messages on your Mac.
click Messages in the menu bar.
Source: iMore
click Preferences.
click on iMessage fanen.
click on check box next to Enable messaging in iCloud so all your messages, SMS and iCloud, sync to and from your Mac.
Never miss a message
With your SMS and MMS messages now displayed on your iPad and Mac, you never have to worry about missing an important message. Plus, you do not have to pull out your iPhone every time you want to send a text to someone – even your green bubble friends – which is super convenient!
Paper Mario would not have existed if not for an SNES classic
Paper Mario is a popular series, and now that the first game has found its way to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, everyone should play it. Although I love this game, it always makes me sad about the SNES game that inspired it. legendcam
Amro writes: Is there a way to forward text messages and send an entire iMessage thread via email? Essentially I am trying to get an entire chat thread from my phone and forward it to a colleague. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Amro! Yes, there is a way to forward text messages or iMessages from your iPhone or iPad to an email address, but I warn you: it’s a bit clunky.
The method I’m about to explain will only forward the actual text in your message thread—meaning no date or time stamps, nor will there be any labels telling you who was “speaking” at any given time.
Oh, and if you want to forward a lengthy thread, prepare for a lot of tapping.
All set? Here we go…
- Open the Messages app, then open the thread with messages you’d like to forward.
- Tap and hold a message until a black bubble with “Copy” and “More…” buttons pops up, then tap “More.”
- A row a circles will appear on the left side of the screen, with each circle sitting next to an individual text or iMessage. Tap a circle to select a specific message, or tap them all to select the entire thread. (Sorry, folks—there’s no “Select All” button. Yep, I know.)
- Done selecting messages? Tap the little curly arrow in the bottom corner of the screen, then type in an email address into the “To:” form at the top. If you type in the email address for a contact in your iPhone’s or iPad’s address book, their address should appear as an auto-fill option as you type. Finished? Tap Send.
- The forwarded message should appear in the recipient’s email inbox as a “plain-text” email attachment. Also, keep in mind that the message itself will come from your carrier’s text-messaging service (complete with an email address like “[email protected]”) rather than from your regular email account. Just double-click the attachment to open it.
So no, not a perfect solution, Armo, but better than nothing. And if anyone else out there has a better idea, I’m all ears.
Note: You can only forward text messages to an email account with an iPhone or iPad with a cellular connection. If you try to forward text messages from, say, a Wi-Fi-only iPad, you’ll get an error message.
Apple sure knows how to connect your iPhone, iPad and Mac in new ways! Via the so-called “Continuity” feature, we can now send and receive regular SMS messages with our iPads and Macs. Here’s how it works!
New generations of users will probably consider the fact that you can now make and take regular calls using your desktop computer as normal, thanks to Apple. This is a guide on how to send/receive regular SMS from your Mac or iPad, effectively forwarding the cellular (GSM) data from your iPhone to the rest of your devices. Some people also call this feature “SMS Relay” or “SMS Forwarding”.
SMS forwarding from iPhone to Mac or iPad
Prerequisites and System Requirements
When done correctly, no additional costs will be incurred by forwarding all SMS from your iPhone to a Mac or iPad. Apple uses your regular Bluetooth and WiFi connections to link the cellular network of your iPhone to the rest of your local network. See this article on the Apple website for an updated list of supported devices for the Continuity feature.
Make sure that all of your iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch) are on the latest version of iOS. Also check if there are any pending system updates for your Mac and install them as needed, before proceeding with this guide. This will ensure the best results. Note that all of your devices have to be connected to the same WiFi or Local Area Network (LAN) for Continuity to work to the full extent.
Setting up Continuity on your iPhone
Once you’ve made sure that all of the prerequisites are met, open up your Settings app on your iPhone. From here we’ll go to “Messages” and then “Text Message Forwarding” to see the list of available devices. Make sure that your iPhone’s WiFi is switched on and you should see your Mac or other iOS devices. Enable the toggle for the desired recipients of Text Message Forwarding.
Confirming the forwarding prompt on iOS and Mac OS X
On your Mac, open up the Messages app, if you haven’t done so already. A special kind of popup will appear, prompting you to enter a six digit code on your iPhone. This is required for establishing the link between the devices.
On an iPad or another iOS device, you’ll see a similar prompt that instructs you to enter a six digit code on your iPhone. Simply read the code off the display of your secondary device, then enter it in the corresponding field on the Phone. That’s it! Enjoy the borderless freedom of SMS texting across all of your Apple devices!
The new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus comes with a lot of great features, one of them is the Text Message Forwarding feature. The job of the Text Message Forwarding feature is that it copies text messages that have been sent to your iPhone device in the Messages app on your other iOS devices.
However, it’s important to point out that for you to use this feature, you must be using the same Apple ID details on both devices for the feature to work correctly. Also, your FaceTime service must be logged in with your Apple ID.
To be able to use the Text Message Forwarding on the Mac or iPad, you will need to provide an email account to your iMessage, and your FaceTime must be connected with your Apple ID/iCloud service. You can make use of the tips below if you are interested in knowing how you can enable the Text Message Forwarding feature on your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.
Activating Text Message Forwarding on iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus:
- You will need to locate your device Settings and then click on Messages, click on Send & Receive and tap on “Use your Apple ID for iMessage.”
- You will need to provide your Apple ID details. Then your iOS will activate iMessage with your email that you have provided and the Apple ID in connection with your phone number.
- Click on an email address to activate it and then select Next.
- Go back to the iMessage settings, and click on Text Message Forwarding
- Messages that have been stored on your iOS device (Mac or IPad) will open automatically, and a one-time verification code will be created.
- You can now type in the generated code on your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus as shown below.
Make use of the steps above to activate the Text Message Forwarding feature on your Apple smartphones. You should know that you do not need to activate your Bluetooth and your device do not need to be on the same wireless network for you to use the Text Message feature on iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.
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Forget about relying on your iPhone to text by learning how to send and receive messages with your iPad instead.
Are you tired of having to keep your iPhone by your side to ensure you don’t miss any important text messages? Luckily, there’s a simple way you can set up your iPad to send and receive text messages instead.
Using iCloud, Apple offers an easy option to synchronize your texts from your iPhone to your iPad, allowing you to send and receive messages from either device. The following steps will have you set up to do so in no time.
Before You Begin
You need to ensure that you have access to both of your devices, as you’ll need to adjust the settings to sync your iPhone and iPad together.
Also, your iPhone will need to be turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network. This is because texts you send from your iPad will route through the iPhone.
You also need to ensure that you’re signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on both devices. Do so with the following steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Sign in to your [Device].
- Enter your Apple ID username and password.
- If prompted, enter the six-digit verification code sent to your trusted device or phone number and complete sign in.
With Text Message Forwarding, the SMS/MMS messages that you send and receive on your iPhone can appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch. Then you can continue the conversation from the device you want.
Set up text message forwarding
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you’re signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*
Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you’re not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.
Android users now have two new ways to read and write their text messages on their larger screens – one from Google and the other from Microsoft.
That’s an option that iPhone users have enjoyed since 2012’s Mountain Lion release brought Apple’s iMessage system to Macs. But for years, Google’s smartphone operating system had no answer for that short of using a Google Voice number instead of your regular wireless digits.
Google began rolling out a better option this summer when it introduced a Web version of the Messages texting app it ships for Android 5.0 and newer releases. (If your Android phone includes a different texting app, such as Samsung’s, you’ll need to switch from that to Google’s.) To try that out, open Messages, tap its menu button, and select “Messages for web.”
In your computer’s copy of Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge, visit messages.android.com. Then pick up your phone and tap the “Scan QR code” button in the Messages app and point its camera at the code on that Web page; in a few moments, you should see your texts pop up on that page.
Photos, however, don’t appear with the same consistency as my correspondents’ words and emojis.
You can set up multiple computers for this access, but only one can be active at a time. Your phone also needs to be online for this messages-to-Web link to stay up.
Microsoft’s offering
Microsoft has been touting its own concept of phone-to-PC messages in Windows 10’s October 2018 update – but since it had the yank that release to quash some bugs before resuming that rollout in November, many Win 10 users have yet to see it.
In this setup, you install Microsoft’s Your Phone app on your PC – though built into the October update, you can download it for April’s Win 10 release – and on your Android device, provided it runs the 7.0 or newer release of Google’s operating system.
Open that Android app, sign in to your Microsoft account in it, and follow its prompts to pair it with your PC. They’ll include a request for permission to read and write your text messages; this Android app essentially acts as a remote control for your usual texting app.
Your Phone doesn’t show pictures attached to texts (although it does let you browse your mobile device’s own photos and screenshots), and it shows only your most recent messages. Like Google’s Messages, it also allows only one phone-to-computer pairing at a time.
But it’s easier than Microsoft’s earlier method for putting your texts on your PC, a complicated system that required many more steps to set up.
Things to consider
Both Google and Microsoft’s efforts fall short of the integration Apple offers with iMessage – not to mention Apple’s end-to-end encryption. But because they leave your wireless carrier in the loop instead of routing around it as Apple does, they also shouldn’t incur the risk that switching to the wrong phone will leave friends’ texts disappearing, a common complaint of iMessage users.
Note that all of these systems leave personal correspondence in more places. And if you use text messages as a two-step verification method, they raise the risk of a laptop theft leading to the compromise of your accounts.
But the bigger risk there is probably of an attacker persuading your carrier to port your number to them. The fix for that isn’t to confine your texts to your phone, but to switch to a Google Voice number or an app-based two-step system like Google Authenticator that can’t be hacked by somebody calling up your carrier’s customer service line and pretending to be you.
With iMessage’s ability to keep all your messages in sync across your iOS and Mac devices, it might be the best communication tool for iPhone. However, not everyone uses Apple devices, so texting some people still requires texting.
We all have some green bubble contacts, but those conversations are not to be left out of the auto sync magic across your Apple gear. Not only can you read your SMS messages on your iPad or Mac, but you can also compose and send them. We will show you how.
How to receive SMS on iPad and Mac
Using SMS via iPad or Mac relies on a feature called Text Message Forwarding, although you̵
Setting up iMessage on iPad is similar to how you would do it on your iPhone, and you can check out our guide to setting up iMessage on Mac for more advice there.
Once set up, you can enable text message forwarding as follows:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Faucet Messages.
Source: iMore
Activate / deactivate ON / OFF switches on the iPad or Mac devices on which you want to receive text messages.
Source: iMore
Now, as long as your iPhone is powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, any new SMS or MMS text messages (green text bubbles) you receive on your iPhone are forwarded to the selected devices. You can also reply to these text and multimedia messages using your iPad or Mac.
It may take a while for everything to sync when you first turn on the feature, but if it doesn’t work or you can’t find the text message forwarding setting, try turning off iMessage on all your devices and to turn it on again.
Beyond that, make sure all your devices meet the minimum Continuity requirements. For SMS messaging, any Mac with OS X Yosemite or later and any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8 or later.
How to enable messages in iCloud
Apple can keep all of your message history in iCloud so that it is always up to date and available on all your Apple devices, even on brand new ones. Here’s how to activate it.
- Make sure you are logged in to the correct one Apple ID on your iPhone, iPad and Mac that you want to sync.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings.
Tap yours Apple ID account, which is shown above.
Source: iMore
Activate / deactivate ON OFF pass through Messages.
Source: iMore
Click Messages in the menu bar.
Source: iMore
Click the iMessage form.
Source: iMore
Click the check box next to Enable Messages in iCloud so that all your messages, SMS and iCloud, are synced to and from your Mac.
Source: iMore
Never miss a message
With your SMS and MMS messages now displayed on your iPad and Mac, you never have to worry about missing an important message. Plus, you don’t have to pull out your iPhone every time you want to text someone, even your green bubble friends, which is super convenient!
Paper Mario wouldn’t have existed if it weren’t for an SNES classic
Paper Mario is a much loved series and now that the first game has arrived in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack everyone should play it. While I love this game, it always saddens me for the SNES game that inspired it. legendcam
