What forwarding a text actually means
Forwarding a text means taking a message someone sent you and sending it to a different person. You are not copying the words by hand — you are sending the original message itself, usually with a note that says you forwarded it. The person who receives it will see who originally wrote it and when.
On most phones, forwarding takes two or three taps. The exact steps depend on whether you use an iPhone or Android, and which messaging app you use. The most common setup — the built-in Messages app on each phone type — is what we will cover here.
Key Takeaways
- Forwarding a text on iPhone means opening the conversation, pressing and holding the message, tapping "More", selecting other messages if you want, then tapping the forward arrow and choosing a contact.
- On Android, open the conversation, press and hold the message, tap the forward icon (usually an arrow), and select the person you want to send it to.
- When you forward a message, the recipient sees it came from the original sender, not from you, so they know you are passing along something someone else wrote.
- You can forward one message at a time, or on some phones you can select multiple messages and forward them together in a single action.
Forwarding a text on iPhone
Open the Messages app and find the conversation that holds the text you want to forward. Press and hold on the specific message — not on the contact name, but on the message itself. A menu will pop up with several options.
Tap More at the bottom of this menu. The message will now have a small circle next to it. If you want to forward multiple messages from the same conversation, tap the circles next to the other messages too. Then tap the forward arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
A new screen will open showing your contacts. Search for or scroll to find the person you want to send the message to, then tap their name. The message will be sent with a line at the top saying "Forwarded from [original sender's name]" so the recipient knows where it came from.
Forwarding a text on Android
Open the Messages app (or whatever texting app you use — Google Messages, Samsung Messages, or another) and find the conversation with the message you want to forward. Press and hold on that message until it is highlighted or a menu appears.
Look for a forward icon, usually an arrow pointing to the right or a curved arrow. Tap it. A list of your contacts will appear. Find the person you want to send it to and tap their name. The message will be sent with a note that it was forwarded.
If your phone does not show a forward option after you press and hold, try tapping the three dots or menu icon at the top of the screen instead. Some Android phones put the forward button in different places depending on the messaging app.
What the person who receives it will see
When someone receives a forwarded text, they will see the original message with a label saying it was forwarded. They will see the name of whoever originally wrote it, not your name. This is different from copying the text and sending it as a new message — forwarding preserves the original sender's identity.
If the original message included a photo or emoji, those come through in the forward too. The timestamp of the original message usually appears as well, so the recipient knows when it was first sent.
Forwarding multiple messages at once
On iPhone, you can forward several messages from the same conversation together. After you tap More, tap the circles next to each message you want to include. Then tap the forward arrow. All of them will be sent as a group to the person you choose.
On Android, this depends on your messaging app. Some apps let you select multiple messages the same way — press and hold one, then tap others to add them to the selection. Others only let you forward one message at a time. If you do not see a way to select multiple messages, forward them one by one instead.
When forwarding does not work the way you expect
If you press and hold a message and do not see a forward option, your messaging app may not support forwarding. This is rare with the built-in Messages apps on iPhone and Android, but some third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram have their own forwarding rules or may not offer it at all.
If the message is very old, some phones may not let you forward it. Try closing the Messages app completely and opening it again. If the forward button still does not appear, the message may have been deleted from the server side, or your phone's software may need an update.
Another common issue: forwarding a message to a contact who is not in your phone's address book. Most phones will let you type in a phone number or email address instead of selecting from contacts, but the exact steps vary. Look for a text field at the top of the contact list where you can type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person I forward a message to see my name, or just the original sender's name?
They see the original sender's name and the message itself. The forwarded label shows that you sent it to them, but the message is attributed to whoever wrote it first. If you want to add your own comment, send a separate message before or after the forward.
What if I want to forward a text but change what it says?
Forwarding sends the original message unchanged. If you want to edit it, copy the text instead: press and hold the message, tap Copy, then open a new message to the person you want to send it to and paste it in. They will see it as a message from you, not a forward.
Can I forward a text to multiple people at the same time?
No. You forward to one person at a time. If you want to send the same message to several people, forward it once, then repeat the process for each additional person. It takes a few extra seconds but ensures everyone gets it.
Does the original sender know when I forward their message?
No. Forwarding a text does not notify the person who sent it to you. They will not see any record that you passed their message along to someone else.
What if I accidentally forward a message to the wrong person?
Once a message is sent, you cannot unsend it on most phones. Your best option is to send a follow-up message to the person who received it by mistake, explaining the error. On iPhone, if you act very quickly, you may be able to use the Undo Send feature if it is turned on in your settings, but this only works within a few seconds.