What forwarding a text message means
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", then tap the forward arrow icon, and pick a contact or group to send it to. The original message appears in a new conversation with that person, and they see it came from you — not from the person who originally sent it to you.
This is different from straightforward showing someone a message on your screen. When you forward, you create a new message thread that includes the text you selected. The person receiving the forward can then reply to it, screenshot it, or send it elsewhere themselves.
Key Takeaways
- Open the conversation containing the message you want to forward, press and hold the message until a menu appears, then tap "More".
- Select any additional messages you want to include in the same forward by tapping the circles next to them.
- Tap the forward arrow icon at the bottom right, then choose who to send the forwarded message to.
- The person who receives the forward sees your name as the sender, not the name of the person who originally texted you.
- You can forward text messages to individual contacts, group chats, or email addresses if you have iMessage turned on.
Step-by-step: forwarding a single message
Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the text you want to forward. Locate the specific message in that thread. Press and hold on that message — do not tap it once, but hold your finger on it for a moment until a menu pops up with options.
When the menu appears, you will see "Copy", "Define", and other choices. Tap "More" at the bottom of this menu. The message will now have a circle next to it, and the forward arrow icon will appear at the bottom right of your screen. Tap that forward arrow icon.
A new screen opens showing your contacts and recent conversations. Scroll through and tap the person or group chat you want to send the message to. The message will be sent to them when ready, and a new conversation thread will open showing that you sent it.
Forwarding multiple messages at once
If you want to forward several messages from the same conversation together, use the "More" menu to select them all before sending. After you tap "More" on the first message, additional circles appear next to other messages in that conversation. Tap the circle next to each message you want to include in the forward.
Once you have selected all the messages you want, tap the forward arrow at the bottom right. All selected messages will be grouped together and sent as one forward to the person you choose. They will see the messages in the same order they appeared in your original conversation.
Forwarding to group chats versus individual contacts
When you tap the forward arrow, you can send the message to a single person or to an existing group chat. If you choose a group chat, everyone in that group will see the forwarded message. If you choose an individual contact, only that person will see it.
You cannot create a brand new group chat directly from the forward menu — you can only forward to groups that already exist. If you want to send a forwarded message to multiple people who are not in an existing group, you will need to forward the message separately to each person, or create a new group chat first and then forward to it.
What the person receiving the forward sees
When someone receives a forwarded text from you, they see it as a message from you in their Messages app. They do not see the name of the person who originally sent you the message. The forwarded text appears in a new conversation thread with you, separate from any existing conversation you might have with that person.
If the original message included photos, videos, or links, those will be included in the forward as well. The person can then reply to the forwarded message, and their reply goes to you — not to the person who originally sent you the text.
Forwarding messages with photos or videos
Messages that include photos or videos can be forwarded the same way as text-only messages. Press and hold the message, tap "More", select any additional messages you want to include, and tap the forward arrow. The photo or video will travel with the message to the person you send it to.
If a message contains multiple photos or videos, they all forward together. The quality of the image or video remains the same as what you received — iPhone does not compress or reduce quality during a forward.
When forwarding does not work
Some messages cannot be forwarded. If a message was sent using SMS (regular text, not iMessage), and the sender has turned off message forwarding on their end, you may not be able to forward it. Additionally, if you are forwarding to someone who does not have an iPhone or does not use iMessage, the forward will be sent as a regular text message instead.
If the forward arrow does not appear after you tap "More", try closing the Messages app completely and reopening it. If the problem continues, restart your iPhone. In rare cases, a very old message may not forward if it was sent before a certain iOS update.
Privacy and security when forwarding
When you forward a message, you are sharing someone else's words with a new person. The original sender does not receive a notification that their message was forwarded. They have no way of knowing unless the person you forwarded it to tells them.
Be thoughtful about what you forward and to whom. A message that was meant for you alone may contain personal information, jokes, or context that the original sender did not intend to share with others. Forwarding without asking is legal, but it can damage trust if the person finds out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person who originally sent me the message see that I forwarded it?
No. The original sender receives no notification that you forwarded their message. They will not know unless someone tells them or they see it themselves in another conversation.
What happens if I forward a message to someone who has an Android phone?
The message will still be sent, but it will arrive as a regular text message (SMS) rather than through iMessage. The photo, video, or formatting may look slightly different on their Android device, but the text content will come through.
Can I forward a message to an email address?
If you have iMessage turned on and the person uses iMessage, you can forward to their iMessage account, which may be linked to an email address. However, you cannot forward directly to a standalone email address from the Messages app. You would need to copy the text and paste it into an email instead.
Is there a way to forward a message without the person knowing it came from me?
No. When you forward a message, your name appears as the sender. If you want to share a message anonymously, you would need to screenshot it, crop out identifying information, and send the image instead — though this is not the same as forwarding.
Can I unsend a message after I forward it?
If you are using iOS 16 or later, you can edit or unsend a message you just sent, including a forwarded message. Press and hold the message you sent, tap "Undo Send" or "Edit", and make your changes. You have a limited time window (usually a few minutes) before the option disappears.