What forwarding a text means and why you might do it

Forwarding a text means sending someone else's message to a third person. On iPhone, you select a text in the Messages app, choose "More" or a forward option, pick who receives it, and send. The original message appears in their conversation thread, usually marked to show it came from someone else.

People forward texts for practical reasons: sharing information a friend sent you, passing along a time or address, or letting someone know what another person said. You might forward a restaurant recommendation, a joke, a meeting time, or a heads-up about something that affects multiple people.

Unlike copying and pasting the words yourself, forwarding preserves the original message exactly and makes clear where it came from. The person who receives the forward can see it was originally from someone else.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the conversation containing the text you want to forward, press and hold the message, then tap "More" to select it.
  • Tap the forward arrow button (looks like an arrow pointing right) at the bottom of the screen to forward the selected message.
  • Choose the contact or group you want to send it to, then tap "Send".
  • The forwarded message will show in the recipient's conversation thread with a note indicating it was forwarded from someone else.

Step-by-step: forwarding a single text message

Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the text you want to forward. Locate the specific message. Press and hold your finger on that message until a menu appears with options including "Copy," "Delete," and "More."

Tap "More." The message will be highlighted in gray or blue, and a forward arrow button will appear at the bottom right of the screen. Tap that forward arrow. A new compose window opens showing the message you selected.

Tap the "To:" field and type or select the name of the person or group you want to send it to. You can forward to one person or to a group conversation. Once you have chosen the recipient, tap "Send." The message goes to them with a note that it was forwarded.

Forwarding multiple texts at once

You can forward more than one message in the same conversation without sending them separately. Press and hold the first message you want to forward, then tap "More." While that message is still highlighted, tap other messages in the same conversation that you also want to forward. Each one will highlight as you tap it.

Once you have selected all the messages you want, tap the forward arrow at the bottom right. A compose window opens with all the selected messages stacked in order. Choose your recipient and tap "Send." All the messages forward together as a group.

This works only for messages in the same conversation thread. If you need to forward messages from different conversations, you will need to forward them separately.

What the recipient sees when they get a forwarded message

When someone receives a text you forwarded, they see the original message in their Messages app. Above or below the message text, they will see a note that says "Forwarded from [Original Sender's Name]" or similar wording, depending on your iPhone model and iOS version.

This makes it clear the message did not come directly from you — it came from someone else and you passed it along. If the original message included photos, links, or other attachments, those forward along with the text.

Forwarding texts that include photos or links

Messages with photos, videos, or web links forward the same way as plain text. Press and hold the message, tap "More," select any other messages you want to include, then tap the forward arrow and choose your recipient.

Photos and videos stay attached to the forwarded message. Links remain clickable. If the original message was very long or contained multiple attachments, all of it forwards together. The recipient receives everything exactly as it appeared in the original conversation.

When forwarding does not work or what to do instead

Forwarding works for regular text messages and iMessages (Apple's encrypted messaging service). If you are trying to forward a message and the forward arrow does not appear, the message may be too old, or you may be in a conversation type that does not support forwarding.

If forwarding is not working, you can copy the message text instead. Press and hold the message, tap "Copy," then open a new message to your recipient and paste the text. This takes a few more steps but works in almost every situation. You can also take a screenshot of the message and send that as a photo, though this is less common.

Privacy and security when forwarding texts

Forwarding a message means the person you send it to will see exactly what the original sender wrote. If the message contains personal information, passwords, account numbers, or sensitive details, think before forwarding. Once you send it, you cannot control what the recipient does with that information.

If someone asks you to forward a message that contains their private information, ask them first before you do. Similarly, if you send a message to someone, be aware they can forward it to others. Messages are not truly private once they leave your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the original sender see that I forwarded their message?

No. The original sender does not get a notification that you forwarded their message. They will not know unless you tell them or they see it in a group conversation where you forwarded it to multiple people.

What happens if I forward a message to a group chat?

The message appears in the group conversation just like any other message you send. Everyone in the group will see it and will see the note that it was forwarded from someone else. This is useful for sharing information with multiple people at once.

Can I forward a message to someone who does not have an iPhone?

Yes. If you forward an iMessage to someone with an Android phone, it converts to a regular text message. The forwarded note may not appear the same way, but the message content still goes through.

Is there a way to forward a message without the "forwarded from" label?

No. iPhone automatically adds the forwarded label when you use the forward feature. If you want to send the message without that label, you can copy and paste the text instead, but then the recipient will not know where it originally came from.

Can I unsend a message after I forward it?

On newer iPhones with iOS 16 or later, you can edit or unsend messages you sent yourself. However, you cannot unsend a message after it has been delivered to the recipient. If you forwarded something by mistake, you will need to send a follow-up message explaining the error.