Forwarding a text means sending someone else's message to another person

When you forward a text, you take a message someone sent you and send it to someone else. The forwarded message includes the original text, and on most phones it shows who wrote it and when. You are not creating a new message — you are passing along an existing one.

Forwarding is useful when you want to share information quickly without retyping it, or when you need to show someone else what another person said. It takes a few taps and works the same way on iPhone and Android, though the exact steps differ slightly between the two.

Key Takeaways

  • Forwarding a text sends the original message to a new person, showing who wrote it and when it arrived.
  • On iPhone, you hold down the message, tap "More", select additional messages if you want, then tap "Forward".
  • On Android, you long-press the message, tap the forward arrow or menu icon, and choose who to send it to.
  • You can forward a single message or select multiple messages from the same conversation to send together.
  • The person who receives a forwarded message sees the original sender's name and the original send time.

How to forward a text on iPhone

Open the Messages app and find the conversation containing the text you want to forward. Press and hold on the specific message until a menu appears with options. Tap "More" to enter selection mode.

Once you are in selection mode, you can tap other messages in the same conversation if you want to forward multiple texts at once. When you have selected all the messages you want, tap "Forward" at the bottom right of the screen. Choose the contact or conversation you want to send them to, then tap "Send".

How to forward a text on Android

Open the Messages app (or your default texting app) and open the conversation with the message you want to forward. Long-press on the message until it highlights and a menu appears at the top of the screen. Look for a forward arrow icon or a three-dot menu icon.

Tap the forward icon or menu, then select "Forward" from the options. You can select multiple messages by tapping them while the menu is open. Choose the contact or group you want to send the message to, then tap "Send".

What the person receiving the forwarded message sees

When someone receives a forwarded text, they see the original message along with the name of the person who originally sent it. The timestamp shows when the original message was sent, not when you forwarded it. This makes it clear that you are sharing something someone else wrote, not sending your own new message.

If you forward multiple messages, they appear as a group in the order they were originally sent. The recipient can read the full conversation thread you forwarded without having to ask you for context.

Forwarding group messages and media

You can forward text messages from group conversations the same way you forward individual ones. The process is identical — hold or long-press, select the message, and choose forward. The recipient will see it came from the original sender, not from the group.

You can also forward messages that contain photos, videos, or links. The media forwards along with the text. If the original message included an attachment that did not send properly, the forwarded version may not include it either.

When forwarding does not work the way you expect

Some older phones or non-standard texting apps may not have a forward button. If you cannot find the forward option, try long-pressing the message for a longer time, or check the app's menu (usually three dots) for a forward or share option. If your app does not support forwarding, you can copy the message text and paste it into a new message instead.

Forwarding only works within the same texting app. If you use iMessage on iPhone, you cannot forward an iMessage to someone using a different messaging platform — you would need to copy and paste the text instead. The same applies if you use WhatsApp, Signal, or another third-party app.

The difference between forwarding and sharing

Forwarding sends a message through your texting app to another contact. Sharing usually means sending the message through a different app — for example, sharing a text screenshot to email or social media. When you forward, the recipient gets the message in their text app. When you share, they get it through whatever app you chose.

Forwarding is faster and cleaner because it preserves the original formatting and timestamp. Sharing a screenshot can blur text or cut off parts of the message. Use forward when you are sending to someone in your contacts, and use share when you want to post something publicly or send it through a different platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the original sender know when I forward their message?

No. Forwarding a message does not notify the person who sent it. They have no way to know you forwarded their text to someone else unless you tell them. The forward happens between you and the recipient only.

Can I forward a message to multiple people at once?

You can forward to one contact or one group conversation at a time. If you want to send the same message to multiple individual people, you will need to forward it separately to each person. Forwarding to a group chat sends it to everyone in that group in a single action.

What happens if I forward a message with a broken link or attachment?

The text of the message forwards normally, but broken links stay broken and missing attachments stay missing. The recipient sees the same content you see — if something did not load for you, it will not load for them either. You cannot fix a broken attachment by forwarding.

Can I edit a message before I forward it?

No. When you forward, the message goes exactly as it was originally sent. You cannot change the text, remove parts of it, or add notes before forwarding. If you need to edit the content, copy the text instead and paste it into a new message where you can make changes.