How to Forward a Text Message on iPhone

Forward text messages, photos, and videos to others on an iOS device

by
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Sam Costello
Updated on January 18, 2021
reviewed by
Christine Baker
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design.
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Article reviewed on Feb 15, 2020
Christine Baker

What to Know

  • Tap and hold the message you want to forward, tap More in the pop-up menu, then tap Share (the curved arrow).
  • Tap the plus (+) on the right side of the To field and choose a recipient, then tap Send.
  • Follow the same steps to forward photos and videos from the Messages app.

This article explains how to forward text messages on an iPhone with iOS 12 or later. The process is similar for iOS 7 and up, but the specific steps may be different on earlier versions of iOS.

How to Forward Text Messages on iPhone

To forward a text message on iPhone using the Messages app that comes with iPhones and iPads, follow these steps:

  1. Tap Messages.

  2. Select the conversation that includes the message you want to forward.

    Screenshots of forwarding text messages on iPhone

  3. Tap and hold the message you want to forward until a pop-up menu appears. the menu offers choices including Copy and More, plus reaction options above the text message.

  4. Tap More.

  5. The message you selected has a blue checkmark next to it. That means it's ready to be forwarded. Tap other empty circles to forward those messages at the same time, if you want

  6. Tap Share (the curved arrow). A new text message screen appears with the message or messages you're forwarding copied in the text area.

  7. In the To field, type the name or phone number of the person you want to forward the message to. Include more than one person to send a group message.

    To use your address book, tap the + on the right side of the To field and browse for the recipient to whom you want to forward the message.

  8. Tap Send.

You're not limited to forwarding text from messages. If someone texts you a photo or video, you can forward that, too. Follow the steps above and select the photo or video.

If the messages won't forward, learn how to fix an iPhone that won't send text messages. You can also forward text messages on Android phones.

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