How To Forward a Text Message on iPhone (SMS, iMessage, and More)

Forwarding a text message on an iPhone sounds simple, but there are a few hidden options and small icons that make it easy to miss. Once you know where to tap, it becomes a quick way to share important info—like a code, address, or photo—without retyping anything.

This guide walks through how forwarding works on iPhone, what changes based on your settings and iOS version, and where things can behave differently from one person to another.

What “Forwarding a Text Message” Means on iPhone

On an iPhone, you can forward:

• SMS texts (green bubbles)
• iMessages (blue bubbles)
• Photos, videos, and files sent in Messages
• Full conversations (in a limited way, via copy/paste or email)

Forwarding doesn’t move the original message; it creates a new message that includes the content of the old one and sends it to someone else.

A few important points:

• The original sender is not notified that you forwarded their message.
• The forwarded message does not show the original sender’s name or number automatically; it looks like you sent that text, unless you add context.
• The message is editable before you send it, so you can remove sensitive parts.

How To Forward a Single Text Message on iPhone

These steps apply to most modern iPhones running recent versions of iOS.

Step-by-step: Forward a text or iMessage

1. Open Messages

   • Tap the Messages app (green speech bubble icon).

2. Open the conversation

   • Tap the chat that contains the message you want to forward.

3. Press and hold the message

   • Find the specific bubble (text, photo, or video).
   • Press and hold on that bubble until a small menu appears.

4. Tap “More…”

   • In the menu that appears (with options like Reply, Copy, Translate, etc.), tap More….
   • You’ll now see a small blue checkmark circle next to that message bubble.

5. (Optional) Select more messages

   • Tap other bubbles to select them too.
   • Each selected bubble gets a blue checkmark.
   • This lets you forward multiple messages at once.

6. Tap the Forward icon

   • Look at the bottom right of the screen.
   • Tap the forward arrow icon (it looks like a curved arrow pointing right).
   • A new message screen opens, with the selected content pasted into the text field.

7. Choose the recipient

   • In the To: field, start typing a contact name, number, or email.
   • Tap the contact when it appears.

8. Edit if needed, then send

   • You can add extra text or delete parts of the forwarded content.
   • Tap the Send button (blue upward arrow or blue circle with arrow).

That’s it—the content is now forwarded as a new message.

How To Forward Multiple Messages at Once

Forwarding several messages can be useful when you want to share a short “mini conversation” or instructions.

1. Open Messages → conversation
2. Press and hold one message → tap More…
3. Tap additional bubbles to select more messages (each gets a blue checkmark).
4. Tap the Forward arrow at the bottom-right.
5. Choose the recipient, edit if needed, and send.

All selected messages appear in one long text field. On the other side, they arrive as a single message from you, not as individual bubbles from the original chat.

Forwarding Messages Between iPhone and Other Apple Devices

Apple also uses the term Text Message Forwarding for something slightly different: sending and receiving SMS (green bubble) messages on your iPad or Mac using your iPhone’s phone number.

This is about forwarding SMS service, not a specific message, but it’s closely related.

Turn on Text Message Forwarding (iPhone → iPad/Mac)

1. On your iPhone, open Settings.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Text Message Forwarding.
4. You’ll see a list of devices signed into your Apple ID (Macs, iPads).
5. Turn on the switch for the device(s) where you want to send/receive SMS.
6. A code may appear on that device.
7. Enter the code on your iPhone to confirm.

After this, when you send or receive a regular SMS on your Mac or iPad, it’s actually being routed through your iPhone. It’s a background kind of forwarding that makes all your devices feel like they share one inbox.

How To Forward a Text Message via Email or Another App

Sometimes you don’t want to send a text as a text; you want it in email, notes, or a messaging app like WhatsApp or Slack.

Messages doesn’t have a direct “forward to email” button, but you have a couple of options.

Option 1: Copy and paste

For text-only messages:

1. Open Messages → conversation.
2. Press and hold the message bubble.
3. Tap Copy.
4. Open Mail, Notes, or another app.
5. Tap in the text field → Paste.

This preserves the text but not timestamps or sender info unless you add them manually.

Option 2: Use the Share sheet (for images, videos, and some content)

1. Find the photo, video, or file in the Messages conversation.
2. Press and hold the image or attachment.
3. Tap Share (square with upward arrow), if available.
4. Choose an app like Mail, Notes, or another messaging app.
5. Adjust the message and send or save.

Depending on the type of message and iOS version, you might not see a Share option for plain text bubbles; in that case, copy/paste is the fallback.

Privacy and Security Considerations When Forwarding

Forwarding a message is easy; forwarding safely takes a bit more thought.

Key points to keep in mind:

• Sensitive info travels with the message
  • Codes, addresses, phone numbers, and links are all forwarded unless you delete them.
• Forwarded content looks like it’s from you
  • The recipient might assume you wrote it. If context matters, add something like:
    • “Forwarded from a friend:”
    • or “Here’s what the bank sent me:”
• Photos may contain hidden data
  • Images can contain location info in their metadata (EXIF). Some apps strip this, some don’t.
• Group chats and screenshots
  • If you screenshot and forward a conversation, people’s names, photos, and messages may be visible.

Forwarding is powerful, but it’s also a way for information to spread quickly. Pausing for a moment before hitting send can prevent accidental overshares.

What Changes Based on Your iPhone, iOS Version, and Settings

Not everyone sees exactly the same options. Several variables affect how forwarding works and what buttons you see.

1. iOS version

Newer iOS versions add or rearrange features:

• The “More…” option after a long press is common, but:
  • Some older versions might hide options behind different menus.
  • Newer versions may show extra actions like Reply, Edit, or Translate.
• Context menus (the little bubble of options when you long-press) can look slightly different from screenshots you see online.

2. Device type (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

• On iPhone and iPad, the steps are very similar: long-press → More… → Forward.
• On Mac (Messages app), you typically:
  • Right-click or Control-click a message.
  • Look for Copy, or use Edit → Forward if available, or copy/paste into a new message.

3. Message type (SMS vs iMessage)

• iMessage (blue bubbles):
  • Uses your Apple ID and Apple’s servers.
  • Can sync across your devices via iCloud.
  • Sometimes supports richer actions and sharing options.
• SMS/MMS (green bubbles):
  • Go through your mobile carrier.
  • Don’t always sync across devices unless Text Message Forwarding is enabled.
  • Might have size limits for videos and photos; forwarding large MMS can compress them.

Forwarding works for both types, but the delivery behavior and media quality may differ.

4. Your Apple ID and iCloud settings

• If you’ve turned on Messages in iCloud:
  • Conversations can appear on all Apple devices signed into your account.
  • You can start a forward on one device and continue related chats on another.
• If it’s off:
  • Messages may live mostly on your iPhone.
  • Text Message Forwarding (for SMS) becomes more important if you also want them on iPad or Mac.

5. Carrier and region limits

Your mobile provider can affect:

• Whether MMS (picture/video messages) can be sent/forwarded.
• Size limits for attachments sent via SMS/MMS.
• Whether certain features are restricted or behave differently in your region.

When forwarding fails, especially with media, carrier limits are often part of the story.

Different Ways People Use Message Forwarding

Forwarding is a simple feature, but it shows up differently depending on what you’re trying to do.

Here are a few common “profiles” that highlight how varied the experience can be:

All of them are technically “forwarding,” but what feels smooth or clumsy depends on the mix of devices, apps, and habits in play.

Where Your Own Situation Makes a Difference

The basic action—press and hold, tap More…, tap the forward arrow—is nearly the same on every iPhone. The real differences show up in:

• Your iOS version
  • Changes how menus look and which options appear on long-press.
• How many Apple devices you use
  • iPhone only, or iPhone + iPad + Mac with Text Message Forwarding and iCloud Messages.
• Who you’re forwarding to
  • People on iMessage, SMS-only contacts, work email, or other messaging apps.
• What you’re forwarding most often
  • Codes, long instructions, photos/videos, or full conversation fragments.
• Your comfort with editing and privacy
  • Whether you tend to forward “as is” or trim messages before sending.

Once you know the core steps and the different paths (direct forward, copy/paste, Text Message Forwarding, Share sheet), the best way to handle forwarding on an iPhone depends on that specific mix of devices, contacts, and privacy preferences in your own setup.