How to Forward Text Messages on iPhone: A Comprehensive Guide
Forwarding text messages on your iPhone is a simple process, but there are a few different ways to do it, depending on whether you're forwarding a single message, a conversation, or a selection of messages within a conversation. This guide will walk you through each method, ensuring you can efficiently share your texts with others.
Understanding the Basics of Text Message Forwarding on iPhone
Before diving into the specifics, it's important to understand that forwarding a text message essentially creates a copy of the original message and sends it to a new recipient. The original message remains untouched in your conversation history. This applies equally to individual messages, entire conversations, or selected portions of a thread.
How to Forward a Single Text Message on iPhone
This is the most common method for forwarding a single text or iMessage.
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Open the Messages app: Locate and tap the Messages app icon on your iPhone's home screen.
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Find the message: Navigate to the conversation containing the message you want to forward.
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Select the message: Tap and hold on the specific message you wish to forward. A menu will appear.
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Tap "More": In the menu, select "More." This allows you to select multiple messages if needed, but for now, just the one message will be selected.
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Tap the Forward Icon: A small upward-pointing arrow will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap this icon.
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Choose your recipient(s): Select the contact(s) you want to send the forwarded message to. You can search for contacts or select from your recent contacts list.
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Tap the Send Arrow: The familiar blue upward-pointing arrow will appear in the top-right corner. Tap to send the forwarded message.
How to Forward Multiple Text Messages on iPhone
Need to share a series of messages? This is how you select and forward several messages at once.
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Open the Messages app and locate the conversation.
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Select the messages: Tap and hold on the first message you want to forward. Then, continue tapping individual messages to select them. You can also swipe across messages to select multiple messages in a row.
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Tap the Forward Icon: The upward-pointing arrow will appear at the bottom. Tap it.
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Choose your recipient(s) and tap the send arrow. The process is the same as forwarding a single message from step 6 onwards.
How to Forward an Entire Text Conversation on iPhone
While there isn't a direct "forward entire conversation" option, you can efficiently share the whole thread by taking a screenshot.
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Open the Messages app and navigate to the conversation.
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Take a Screenshot: Press and hold the side button and the volume up button simultaneously.
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Save or Share the Screenshot: Once the screenshot is taken, you can save it to your photos or share it directly through other apps like Messages, Mail, or AirDrop.
Can I Forward MMS Messages (Messages with Pictures or Videos)?
Yes, you can forward MMS messages containing photos, videos, and other media using the same methods described above. The recipient will receive the media along with the accompanying text.
What Happens if the Recipient Doesn't Have an iPhone?
Forwarding works seamlessly across different platforms. Even if the recipient uses an Android device, they'll receive the message, although the formatting might be slightly different.
This comprehensive guide covers the different scenarios you're likely to encounter when forwarding text messages on your iPhone. Remember, always respect privacy and only forward messages with the sender's consent.
