When will Apple finally allow me to text non-iPhones with the iMessage app on my laptop? It's a small dream, but it's mine.
Replies
Odd, I do that all the time. Been doing it for years, so I don't remember if there was anything special that needed to be done to enable it, but I sure don't think there was.
jun 26, 2025, 7:54 am • 1 0 • view
honestly. i want to 100% be able to do anything on my laptop that i do on my phone and yet…
jun 26, 2025, 2:27 pm • 0 0 • view
You absolutely can. I've been doing it for years.
jun 25, 2025, 10:20 pm • 0 0 • view
I share that dream
jun 25, 2025, 10:13 pm • 1 0 • view
What do you mean? I do it everyday.
jun 25, 2025, 10:14 pm • 1 0 • view
Most of my texting is done from the Messages app on my computer to both iPhone and non-iPhone users. I think your iPhone has to be nearby.
jun 25, 2025, 10:16 pm • 0 0 • view
Unless by nearby you mean in the same building, that's not a requirement.
jun 25, 2025, 10:49 pm • 1 0 • view
I was just speculating, since my phone is always with me.
jun 25, 2025, 10:52 pm • 0 0 • view
Well, now you know you can leave it in the bedroom and text from the home office 😜
jun 25, 2025, 10:55 pm • 1 0 • view
I do that on my MacBook Pro with the message app. One of my BFFs has a Google phone and it works.
jun 26, 2025, 5:11 am • 1 0 • view
I literally just texted an Android user from my laptop?
jun 25, 2025, 10:47 pm • 2 0 • view
First World Problem… But I get it for sure…😎😂✌️
jun 25, 2025, 10:13 pm • 2 0 • view
Wait, I do this already...
jun 25, 2025, 10:30 pm • 0 0 • view
In two weeks
jun 26, 2025, 1:19 pm • 0 0 • view
Maybe I’m misunderstanding? I use Messages from my MacBook to non-iPhones. It can have hiccups across all devices, even though I’m using the same Apple ID. Group texts are an utter shitshow tho.
jun 25, 2025, 10:17 pm • 7 0 • view
I think I already do that? 🤔 Have just messaged a non-iPhone friend from my laptop to make plans. Knowing me, it’s because my MacBook Pro is long overdue for a system update.
jun 25, 2025, 10:17 pm • 1 0 • view
I do that every day. It's been that way for years now.
jun 25, 2025, 11:10 pm • 0 0 • view
It’s so stupid to have to shift to your phone for green texting.
jun 25, 2025, 10:13 pm • 1 0 • view
I text Android phones from my Mac all the time.
jun 25, 2025, 10:16 pm • 2 0 • view
I’m able to. I’m on a Mac.
jun 26, 2025, 5:10 am • 1 0 • view
iPhone screen mirroring gets closer. but not quite.
jun 25, 2025, 10:15 pm • 0 0 • view
I text from my Mac all the time.
jun 25, 2025, 10:17 pm • 1 0 • view
to Android users?
jun 25, 2025, 10:21 pm • 0 0 • view
You have to select the option to send from your phone number.
jun 25, 2025, 10:24 pm • 0 0 • view
Yes. I'm looking at the Settings and I don't see anything special.
jun 25, 2025, 10:22 pm • 0 0 • view
You just need to go to Text Forwarding on your iPhone and select your Mac. I've been using this for a long time and also have my (non-cellular) iPad selected.
jun 25, 2025, 10:23 pm • 0 0 • view
To be more clear, go to System Settings on your iPhone, then to the Messages app settings, and select Text Forwarding. I have read that iOS17 has a glitch and sometimes it disappears, but I've never seen it (and it seems to work fine in iOS18). Good luck!
jun 25, 2025, 10:33 pm • 3 0 • view
Yes, WhatsApp exists. Yes, Signal exists. I get that. It's the principle of the matter.
jun 25, 2025, 10:13 pm • 41 0 • view
How many times have I typed a message on my laptop only to have it fail. Then literally cut and pasted into the app on my phone. 🙄
jun 25, 2025, 10:16 pm • 2 0 • view
Also using third party apps like just for non-iPhones is annoying af
jun 25, 2025, 10:22 pm • 1 0 • view
That green highlight pops up, which basically means: "Switch to your phone for this one, ya disgusting pleb."
jun 25, 2025, 10:14 pm • 23 0 • view
It's very Slytherin-coded, honestly.
jun 25, 2025, 10:16 pm • 35 1 • view
“Slytherin-coded” will become the universal phrase for user experience that doesn’t do the one thing you need it to do.
jun 25, 2025, 11:26 pm • 2 1 • view
It's possible I'm also just tech-illiterate. In fact, that's probably the case. The problem is that I'm also too lazy to look up how to fix it.
jun 25, 2025, 10:18 pm • 22 0 • view
You can use what's app on both and achieve the same!
jun 25, 2025, 10:20 pm • 1 0 • view
Yeeeep, see above! <3
jun 25, 2025, 10:20 pm • 4 0 • view
The solution is so easy, don’t message non-apple users. I was surprised how many issues that solved 😜
jun 26, 2025, 3:26 am • 1 0 • view
Oh, duh. Readers are leaders! Hah!
jun 25, 2025, 11:29 pm • 3 0 • view
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 snort laughed.
jun 25, 2025, 10:17 pm • 1 0 • view
I green text from my computer all the time? 🤷🏼♂️
jun 25, 2025, 10:14 pm • 3 0 • view
You can already do it, assuming you have an iPhone. Go to "Settings" on your iPhone, choose "Apps", then choose "Text Message Forwarding." Assuming you are signed on to the same account on your iPhone and your Mac, your Mac will show up as an option. Switch the toggle to "on" (green). That's it!
jun 25, 2025, 10:58 pm • 3 0 • view
That sounds right. I looked it up and few years ago and it was life-changing.
jun 26, 2025, 5:17 am • 1 0 • view
@joshuatanzer.bsky.social It was so life-changing for me that I had to change it back. All I wanted was to get messages from friends with non-iOS phones, but I never realized how many texts I get! On my phone, I can ignore them. Not so much on my computer.
jun 27, 2025, 1:46 am • 0 0 • view
Seriously?! Running to my settings now, thank you!
jun 26, 2025, 2:16 am • 1 0 • view
My description was pretty abbreviated, so I hope you could follow it. Did it work for you?
jun 27, 2025, 1:41 am • 0 0 • view
And mine!
jun 25, 2025, 10:15 pm • 0 0 • view
They know how important it is to their word-of-mouth marketing. My kids had to switch to iPhones in school because they were getting shut out of meaningful communication with their friends. By the end of high school, all their peers were on iPhones.
jun 25, 2025, 10:20 pm • 0 0 • view
Never because it's part of their marketing strategy.
jun 25, 2025, 10:18 pm • 1 0 • view
Signal works well, except people you text need to be on signal also. Guess it is like I phone that way?
jun 25, 2025, 10:59 pm • 0 0 • view
I believe you can do it already! support.apple.com/guide/messag...
jun 25, 2025, 10:37 pm • 4 0 • view
Let me check. I haven’t installed the (former) employee beta yet but I have the release notes. Also, not sure why I am still enrolled in the employee beta when I left in 2021.
jun 25, 2025, 10:54 pm • 0 0 • view
Not in the initial beta, but it seems likely with the push to unify functionality across (device)OS 26. May your dream come true.
jun 25, 2025, 10:58 pm • 0 0 • view
You might need to update your Mac 🤓😃
jun 25, 2025, 10:19 pm • 0 0 • view
You can’t? Isn’t there an simple SMS option in there somewhere?
jun 25, 2025, 10:14 pm • 0 0 • view
there is support.apple.com/guide/messag...
jun 25, 2025, 10:20 pm • 3 0 • view
As an Android guy, I was shocked to learn recently that this wasn't possible
jun 25, 2025, 10:26 pm • 0 0 • view
It totally is, I do it multiple times a day.
jun 25, 2025, 10:49 pm • 0 0 • view
Sorry for not being clear: I do it! But I learned from my wife (who uses iPhone) that she can only SMS other iPhone users from her computer.
jun 25, 2025, 11:05 pm • 0 0 • view
I can. I text my Pixel loving son all the time from my laptop.
jun 25, 2025, 10:45 pm • 0 0 • view
There must be a preference somewhere you need to toggle because I definitely do this all the time.
jun 25, 2025, 10:18 pm • 4 0 • view
When they can profit from it
jun 25, 2025, 10:38 pm • 0 0 • view
jun 25, 2025, 10:19 pm • 2 0 • view