How to forward text messages and calls to another phone

It’s better to show than it is to tell. That’s why sometimes it’s better to resend an SMS message. Perhaps you need to let others know that a friend is coming over for dinner, or you need to inform others of a change in your schedule? Want to know how to forward a text message?

The good news is that, for Android devices, it’s pretty simple to forward text messages to others, and we will let you know precisely how to do it. This method works for the stock Android Messages, but manufacturer-specific apps should work similarly.

Related: These are the best SMS apps available

QUICK ANSWER

To forward a text message on Android, launch the Messages app, open the SMS you want to forward, tap and hold on to the message, tap on the three-dot menu button, and hit Forward. Select who you want to forward the message to and hit Send SMS.

Editor’s note: The instructions in this post were put together using a Pixel 4a with 5G running Android 13. Keep in mind steps may vary, depending on your hardware and software.

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

How to forward a text message

1. Turn on and unlock your Android smartphone.
2. Open the Messages app.
3. Open the thread that includes the message you want to forward.
4. Tap and hold on to the exact SMS you want to resend.
5. Once the message is selected, tap on the three-dot icon at the top right.
6. Select Forward.
7. A list of everyone you have recently received or sent a message to appears on a list. Tap on a name, and you can forward the message to them.
8. If you want to forward the message to a new number or another contact, tap on New Message. Select or search for a contact.
9. If you want, you can also add some text of your own to the original message you wish to send out.
10. When ready to forward the message, tap on the Send (right arrow icon) SMS button.

That’s all there is to it. Technically, the method is just as good as copying and pasting. Were you successful in forwarding a text message with this method?

Next: How to set up call forwarding on Android

FAQs

No. Forwarding a message is pretty much like copying and pasting text. Unless an involved party tells him, there is no way for the original sender to know you did this.

Yes. Simply add more people to the thread after you pick the first contact you want to forward a message to.

No. Once an SMS message is sent, there is no way to retract it.

There are many texting apps to choose from but none are as indispensable as the humble SMS. Even if you don’t have your phone near you, you might still need access to these text messages to complete online transactions, for OTP verification, or to receive delivery notifications. Fortunately, it is possible to check your SMS messages from remote locations. We will show you how to auto-forward texts to email or cloud so you can check new incoming messages on another device.

Content

There are many uses of forwarding SMS to email/cloud automatically. Maybe you’re at work and you can’t have your phone near you. Or, for whatever reason, you wish to give people the impression that a phone number is active even though you’re not using it temporarily? Now you can.

In order to forward messages from an Android phone, you need access to a secondary smartphone or a desktop browser. We have covered the most useful methods for this which feature a couple of Google Play apps, IFTTT, and an advanced solution for users who require bulk SMS transfer. For each of these solutions, follow the guided instructions.

1. With Auto Forward SMS to PC/Phone App

If you want a no-frills, easy to use app that automatically forwards text messages to another phone number or email, consider installing “Auto Forward SMS to PC/Phone” from the Google Play Store (and not unofficial sources).

1. Launch the app and enter your email address or secondary phone number where you want the text messages to be sent to. You also have to give the app your consent to forward OTP from banks (it’s a secure Google Play app so there’s nothing to worry!).
2. Click “Detailed Settings” to manage more options.

1. In the “General Settings,” you can name your setup (which is called a filter) which is optional.

1. After this, enable the sort of messages you want forwarded to your email. You can forward SMS while roaming, forward all incoming SMS, have access to your entire message history, and even set a filter schedule for a given time of day.

1. The app needs access to your address book. Once done, you will have to confirm the email address where you want the messages to be sent. You may use multiple email addresses. Click “Next” to proceed.

1. In the following step, the app requires phone permissions so that all incoming messages are automatically forwarded to the email address. You may also customize the rules to direct auto-forwarded messages from specific saved contacts only.

1. There is an option to get notifications for messages containing a certain “Rule for text” in body of the message. This means you can choose to receive SMS alerts for specific words such as “OTP.”

1. After creating your filter for auto-forwarded texts, send a test message to check if it’s working with your email address.

1. The email you receive gives the entire details of the SMS.

With over 1 million downloads on Google Play, the app remains free to use for 14 days and no credit card is required. Beyond that, the service stops and you will have to upgrade to a premium plan, which is still quite affordable on a monthly basis.

2. Using Forward SMS to Email or Cloud App

While it’s useful to receive SMS on email, it is way cooler to identify the senders, analyze text data, remotely send replies, and delete the message from another device. An app by DimonVideo called “Forward SMS to Email or Cloud” does that, and it can be downloaded from this link.

1. After installing the app, go to its homescreen and click “Enable SMS to email forward.”
2. Set an email address where you want the email to be forwarded to (Gmail won’t work, so you can use any other provider.)
3. Also, an SMS cloud storage link will be generated which is unique to you. You may also integrate the app with your Telegram channel on another phone.

1. As soon as you finalize the settings, you will see the counter of “Total SMS forwarded” increase with each new incoming messages. You can check those messages on your email.

1. It is far more useful, though, to check the incoming SMS alert on your unique cloud storage webpage, which you can now access on a browser on any other phone or desktop device. You can do so tapping on “Visit Cloud”.
2. Click “Actions” for other tasks such as sending a reply to the sender, ignoring them, or to delete the messages.

1. Sending a reply is easy but you may want to call the sender later or use other texting apps to communicate. They would never know you aren’t using your phone.

3. Give IFTTT a Try

IFTTT is an open source platform that integrates various apps, devices, and online services. The heart of IFTTT are the applets which enable different outcomes. Forwarding texts to email happens to be just one of its myriad uses.

Connect Your Android to PC

1. To use IFTTT for SMS forwarding, first download and install the IFTTT app from Google Play.
2. While you can use IFTTT to enable text message forwarding on Apple devices, we will demonstrate the steps for Android here. Use your phone Google account to sign in to the IFTTT app.
3. When it says “Allow website to open IFTTT,” don’t click “OK” but wait a few seconds.

1. On a desktop browser, go to IFTTT’s SMS forwarding applet page.
2. Even if you’re not signed in, click “Tap to Connect.”

1. Use your Google account to log in into IFTTT on your desktop browser. It should be the same as the Android phone IFTTT app.

1. Go back to the initial applet screen. Click “Tap to Connect” one more time. The applet will display a status “Connecting Android SMS” which will change very fast.

Set Up Text Message Forwarding

1. Once the applet shows “Connected,” you’re ready to move on to the next step of SMS forwarding.

1. Click “View Activity” to check message forwarding activity on any desktop screen at your convenience.

1. Usually the applet checks for new SMS every 10 seconds. Click “Check Now” for further status updates.

1. Select “Settings” on top right to access a segment where you can modify the IFTTT applet based on your needs.

1. For SMS forwarding, IFTTT follows an “if/then” algorithm. If an message is received, an email is sent to the associated account. You can make personal modifications to the applet by clicking “Edit.”

1. Click on “Convert” to proceed.

1. In the next stage, you can edit the “Action fields” by “adding another ingredient.” This will allow you to edit the overall applet.

1. You can modify the incoming forwarded SMS based on any other criteria you want such as “Contact name,” “From number,” “Text,” or “Occurred at.”

1. Don’t forget to save the applet which will ensure that all your personal changes will be received at your email.

4. With Zapier and ClickSend

If your text forwarding needs are temporary or infrequent, all the above methods will suffice. However, if you’re an advanced user with the need for professional access to your SMS on the cloud, you can use a combined offering called Zapier with ClickSend, an email and SMS forwarding solution. While Zapier is free to use for this core feature, ClickSend requires a Premium subscription.

1. Zapier already offers a template which links your texts to your Gmail account via ClickSend. You can access it here.
2. Sign in with your Zapier account (it can be done via Google, Facebook or Microsoft too).

1. In the next screen, you’ll have to choose the personalized apps with which you want to work. Use the search bar at the top and look for “SMS”.
2. Select “ClickSend SMS.”

1. Click “Create Zap” to begin the process of creating a new protocol.

1. At this point, you need to generate a trigger for your zap which is defined as an event that sends instant notifications whenever there is new data in the overall system. In this case, SMS is the trigger, so we will search for relevant apps in a “Search apps” field.

1. When a trigger is generated, you need to select and include “ClickSend SMS” apps as an app event.

1. You need to sign in to ClickSend account to complete the integration. Make sure you have a subscription or free trial ready.

1. Once the Zapier-ClickSend integration is complete, you will be able to forward the incoming texts to Gmail.

5. Linking Your Android Phone to Windows

If you have a Windows 10/11 laptop or PC, you can easily receive all your texts and phone calls from your Android on your computer. This way your PC practically becomes your phone and you don’t need to carry your smartphone with you all the time.

For this, you need to install a Google Play app on your Android phone called “Link to Windows“. Similarly, on your Windows device, you will find a built-in app called “Phone Link.” Connecting the apps on your phone and PC is very easy and we have covered the detailed steps here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Image credit: Pixabay | All screenshots by Sayak Boral

Sayak Boral

Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

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