How to Forward a Text Message on an iPhone (Step-by-Step Guide)

Forwarding a text message on an iPhone is a simple way to share information someone sent you—like an address, code, photo, or important reminder—without retyping it yourself. The feature is built into the Messages app and works for both SMS texts (green bubbles) and iMessages (blue bubbles).

This guide walks through how it works, what can affect your experience, and how different iPhone setups change the process slightly.

What It Means to Forward a Text on an iPhone

When you forward a text message, you’re basically sending a copy of a message (or messages) from one conversation to another person or group.

Important things to know:

• The original sender is not notified you forwarded their message.
• The forwarded message does not show the original sender’s name automatically. It just looks like a new message you typed or pasted (though sometimes with “Sent from…” content inside, if it was part of the text).
• You can forward:
  • Plain text messages
  • Photos and videos
  • Links
  • Emojis and reactions (the reactions themselves don’t forward, just the content)
• You can select and forward multiple messages at once from the same conversation.

You’re not “sharing the whole chat.” You’re selecting specific messages and sending copies of those.

How to Forward a Text Message on iPhone (iOS 16 and iOS 17)

These steps apply to most recent iPhones (iPhone 8 and newer, plus many earlier ones updated to iOS 16 or 17).

Step 1: Open the Messages app

1. Tap the Messages app icon on your Home Screen.
2. Open the conversation that has the message you want to forward.

Step 2: Select the message you want to forward

1. Press and hold (long-press) on the specific message bubble (text, photo, or video).
2. A small menu will pop up with options like Reply, Copy, Translate, etc.
3. Tap More….

You’ll now see checkboxes (or blue check circles) next to messages in that chat.

Step 3: (Optional) Select multiple messages

• The message you long-pressed will already be selected.
• Tap other message bubbles to select additional messages if you want to forward several at once (for example, an address plus a follow-up note).

All selected messages will be grouped into one forwarded message.

Step 4: Tap the Forward icon

1. Look at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Tap the Forward icon – it looks like a curved arrow pointing to the right.

This creates a new message draft containing the selected content.

Step 5: Choose who to send it to

1. In the To: field at the top, start typing a name, phone number, or email address.
2. Select the contact or group you want to send the message to.
3. You can add more than one recipient if you’re sending to multiple people.

Step 6: Edit if needed, then send

• The selected messages will appear in the message field as editable text or attached media.
• You can:
  • Add extra context (e.g., “Here’s the info she sent me earlier”).
  • Delete parts of the forwarded text before sending.
• When you’re ready, tap the Send button (blue or green arrow, depending on iMessage/SMS).

That’s all it takes to forward a text on a modern iPhone.

Forwarding Texts on Older iOS Versions (iOS 15 and Earlier)

If you’re running an older version of iOS, the general idea is the same, but the interface may look slightly different:

• Long-press the message bubble.
• Tap More… from the pop-up menu.
• Select additional messages (if you want).
• Tap the Forward arrow at the bottom.
• Choose the recipient and send.

On some very old versions of iOS, the “More” and “Forward” screens may be styled differently, but the steps are nearly identical: long-press > More > select > forward arrow > choose contact > send.

If you don’t see “More…” at all, your device may be very outdated or have a software issue, and some features may be limited.

What You Can (and Can’t) Forward

Different types of content behave slightly differently when forwarded.

Forwarding doesn’t preserve every piece of “context” (like read receipts, timestamps, or reactions). It’s simply a copy of the selected content.

Forwarding Texts vs. Copy-Paste: What’s the Difference?

You might notice you can also Copy a message and then Paste it into a new conversation.

Forwarding:

• Slightly faster if you’re sharing multiple messages.
• Keeps each selected message separated and in order.
• Includes attachments automatically (photos, videos, etc.).

Copy-paste:

• Useful if you want to edit heavily before sending.
• Handy when you’re only sharing part of a long message.
• Works well across apps (e.g., copy from Messages, paste into Mail or Notes).

Which one you use often comes down to how much of the original message you want to keep and whether you’re staying inside the Messages app or not.

Key Variables That Affect How Forwarding Works

Forwarding is straightforward, but a few factors can change your experience or the result.

1. iOS Version

• Newer iOS versions (16/17):
  • Cleaner long-press menu.
  • More options (like Translate, Reply, etc.).
  • Better handling of media and group chats.
• Older iOS versions:
  • Slightly different layout.
  • May lack newer message features, but basic forwarding usually still works.

Your exact steps may have small visual differences depending on which version of iOS your iPhone is running.

2. SMS vs. iMessage

• iMessage (blue bubbles) uses data/Wi‑Fi and supports larger media, higher quality photos, and effects.
• SMS/MMS (green bubbles) uses your carrier network and may:
  • Compress images and videos more.
  • Have size limits for media.
  • Behave differently if your carrier has restrictions.

When you forward, the type of message depends on the recipient:

• If the other person has iMessage enabled: forwarded message typically sends as iMessage.
• If they don’t: forwarded message sends as SMS/MMS.

3. Your Carrier and Plan

For SMS/MMS messages:

• Some carrier plans limit MMS (multimedia messages like photos/videos).
• Large forwarded videos or multiple photos may:
  • Send at lower quality
  • Fail to send if they exceed size limits
• International SMS/MMS might count differently on your plan.

Forwarding pure text is usually unaffected, but media can be impacted by carrier rules.

4. Privacy and Content Sensitivity

Forwarding is technically easy, but privacy is a human factor you control:

• The original sender usually expects some privacy for their messages.
• Screenshots and forwarding can both share content beyond the original chat.
• It’s worth thinking carefully before forwarding:
  • Personal info
  • Private photos
  • Sensitive conversations

The Messages app won’t warn you; this part is entirely up to your judgment.

5. Device Storage and Media Size

If you’re forwarding large videos or many photos:

• Your iPhone may compress them.
• If your storage is nearly full, the device might struggle with large media.
• Older or lower-capacity iPhones can be more affected by storage limits.

Different User Scenarios: How Forwarding Fits Into Real Use

Forwarding a text can mean different things depending on how you use your iPhone.

Casual Everyday User

• Often forwards:
  • Addresses
  • Event details
  • Funny messages or memes
• Usually fine with the default behavior: select, forward, send to a friend or family group.

This user mostly needs to know how to select and forward, without worrying about technical details.

Work and Business Use

• Forwarding can be used to:
  • Share client messages with a colleague
  • Pass along important instructions
  • Send order details or codes
• Needs to think about:
  • Privacy and confidentiality
  • Whether messages should be forwarded via SMS or a more secure channel
  • Keeping some parts of a message private by editing before sending

Forwarding is convenient here, but also where content sensitivity matters the most.

Power User or Tech-Savvy Communicator

• Might combine forwarding with:
  • Copy-paste across apps
  • Screenshots or screen recording
  • Emailing instead of texting for longer messages
• More likely to be aware of:
  • iMessage vs SMS behavior
  • Compression/quality issues with media
  • Different apps and services that might be better for sharing certain content types

For this user, forwarding is one tool among many ways to move information around.

Where Your Own Situation Makes the Difference

The basic mechanics of forwarding a text message on an iPhone are the same for everyone: long-press, tap More, select, tap the forward arrow, choose the recipient, and send.

What changes from person to person is:

• Which iPhone and iOS version you’re using
• Whether your messages are mostly iMessage or SMS/MMS
• How often you send photos and videos versus plain text
• Your carrier limits and whether media size or international messaging matters
• How much you need to protect privacy or follow work-related communication rules
• Whether you prefer quick forwarding, heavy editing, or even switching apps entirely

Once you understand how forwarding works and what affects it, the remaining step is to look at your own device, your typical conversations, and how you like to share information—and decide how forwarding fits into that.