Setting up text message forwarding in iOS 8.1 or later

By Unregistered User (not verified), 21 October, 2014

Hi all
I am here to proudly bring you instructions on how to set up text message forwarding under iOS 8.1 and later.
First, you must have an iPhone 4s or later running at least iOS 8.1. Second, you must have any iPad or iPod Touch, also running at least iOS 8.1. If you plan to enable your mac for text message forwarding, it must be running OS X Yosemite or later.
Now that's out the way let's get started.
1. On your iPhone, go to settings, double tap messages then double tap text message forwarding.
2. Double tap on a device to turn it on. The device displayed should look like this:
chris's macbook pro
or
iPad
3. You will be prompted to enter the six digit number displayed on the device you are setting up for text message forwarding. Please enter the number exactly as shown. Once done, double tap allow.
Note
The iPad or iPod Touch needs to be unlocked in order for the number to be shown. The mac needs to have the Messages app open and in the foreground before the number will be displayed.
4. If successful, your device will be enabled for text message forwarding!
5. (optional) Now do this for any other device(s) you wish to set up for text message forwarding.
To use it, simply compose or reply to a message on your iPad, iPod Touch or Mac, as if it was an iMessage, except now you can also compose and reply to SMS messages and, if enabled and supported by your carrier, MMS messages.
Note
Standard messaging rates may apply.
Hope you find this guide useful, and enjoy!
P.S. I appreciate any comments good or bad on this guide. Thank you!

Tags
iOS
iPad
iPhone
macOS

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Comments

By sockhopsinger on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 11:34

Might want to call it something like "Setting up Text Messaging Forwarding Under iOS 8.1" or something to that effect.

By Fleurppel on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 23:06

I'm trying to set this up for my Macbook, but no code shows up. Where do I go to find it?

By Fleurppel on Thursday, October 23, 2014 - 10:45

That's in the directions, and I made sure messages was open, but it didn't come up.

By Devin Prater on Saturday, December 27, 2014 - 14:11

All you have to do is make sure, in messages preferences, is that your phone number is checked in the table of possible was to send the iMessage from. Then do the steps in the guide and you'll be fine.

By Bill on Friday, December 8, 2017 - 22:31

I was trying to set up text forwarding from an activated iPhone X to an unactivated iPhone 6s. Nothing was working. Apple support was able to partially solve the problem. I finally took out the SIM card on the unactivated phone and now it works although I’m still getting the bogus “waiting for activation” message.

Wcressy,
I just set up my old iphone 6 and as ipod and have all of my settings correct, took out the sim card, and I still can't send text messages, but can receive them. Apple support could not help me and said it should be working. Any tips? Thanks