How to automatically forward text messages to another phone

Tired of manually forwarding texts or missing messages when you’re off the clock?

If you’re trying to stay looped in on a second device or share customer messages with a teammate, there are a few ways to set up automatic text forwarding. These step-by-step instructions walk you through the most common options for iPhone and Android.

Just keep in mind that if you’re running a growing business, auto-forwarding might not be the best long-term solution.

It works fine for personal use, but if you’re looking for an option that gives you visibility into texting and lets you easily respond as a team, forwarding apps can fall short. We’ll also show you a better option built for teams.

2 ways to auto-forward text messages to another phone

Here’s how to forward messages to another iPhone or Android phone. Jump to whichever method you want to check out:

1. Forward texts on iPhone

2. Forward texts on Android

Forward text messages from your iPhone

iOS devices have a built-in feature to help you automatically forward text messages on an iPhone and other Apple devices like your Mac and iPad.

Here’s how it works:

1. Under Settings, select Messages.

2. Tap Text Message Forwarding.

3. You should see a list of currently owned devices linked by your Apple ID. Toggle on the devices you wish to send and receive text messages.

Now any SMS messages sent to your device will be automatically forwarded to the devices on your list.

Just know that this auto-forward feature only works with devices logged into the same Apple ID.

You can’t automatically forward messages to your colleagues or any other iPhone users unless you want to share your Apple ID with them (and who wants that?) Otherwise, you have to manually forward those texts.

Forward text messages from your Android phone

Android devices don’t have a built-in auto-forwarding feature, so you’ll have to install an SMS forwarding app instead. Just keep in mind that, depending on your subscription plan, some apps might charge an additional fee (like a data or carrier fee) when sending messages.

Here’s how to use SMS Forwarder to forward texts on an Android:

1. Download the SMS Forwarder app from the Google Play Store.

2. Tap the + button to set up a filter for who should receive forwarded messages.

3. Follow the app’s instructions to add additional customization options for forwarding conditions, word replacement, and more.

4. Click Done to confirm your changes.

5. Toggle the on switch for your specific filter.

Your device will now auto-forward SMS messages to the recipients you selected.

Keep in mind most forwarding apps come with a relatively steep learning curve. Also, not all features are free — and premium features (like auto-replies) require in-app purchases. 

If you want to save time sending repeat text messages, you might want to go with more than a simple text forwarding solution. 

3 key scenarios when you need more than basic text forwarding

Forwarding messages might be a quick fix, but it doesn’t solve the bigger obstacles that come with business texting. As your team grows, it gets harder to stay organized, know who’s handling what, or respond before customers get frustrated (or move on to a competitor).

A VoIP app with a dedicated virtual phone number makes more sense than text forwarding if:

1. You want your conversation history centralized 

Forwarding apps only send messages from one place to another — they don’t keep a complete view of your customer interactions. That makes it tough to pick up where someone else left off or see the full context of a conversation.

A VoIP system keeps all your texts, calls, and voicemails in one shared thread, so your whole team can stay aligned and respond more confidently, with anyone who’s on shift.

2. You need to split responsibility for incoming texts

Delegating one person to manage text conversations can put a significant bottleneck on your team. A single team member can only keep up with so much, and as your business grows, they can easily get overwhelmed.

With a VoIP phone system and shared inbox, your whole team can view and respond to customer texts from one place (and take calls from the same number). 

No need to forward messages to different phones — everyone sees the same thread, knows what’s been answered, and can jump in when needed. You’re also effectively BCCed on texts and calls and can check in on conversations anytime — without needing someone to forward a message or bring you up to speed.

3. Your team collaborates on responses

Forwarding tools don’t give your team a way to work together. They just push messages from one device to another. So when multiple people are handling customer communication, it’s easy to double-reply or miss messages entirely.

With the best VoIP systems, your team can use one number on two phones (or more) and see who’s replying, leave internal notes, or tag each other for input, all in one thread. It’s faster, clearer, and keeps your responses consistent, no matter who’s jumping in.

Shared phone numbers: A better alternative to automatically forwarding texts

Automatic text forwarding may be helpful in the early days of your business, but as your team grows, it makes less sense.

This is where shared numbers come into play. They’re the easiest way to give everyone, on whatever device, visibility over texts. They also split responsibility for incoming messages and keep everyone on your team on the same page.

Here’s how: 

• With shared phone numbers, everyone on your team can see the same contacts, phone calls, and text messages in a convenient single view. They can also see who has responded to what so they don’t accidentally do the same work twice.
  
• Not sure how to answer an incoming message? With internal threads, you can tag teammates for help. You can also write notes on individual messages so you can delegate tasks and follow up on requests.
• Shared numbers make it easy to call and text from multiple devices, like your computer. As long as you have a WiFi connection, you can use your personal phone to make and receive calls. This lets you call and text from a different number without giving out your personal phone number.
  
• You can put more hours back into your day with time-saving features and automated workflows. Use auto-replies to set clear expectations when you’re away with an out-of-office message. Schedule texts to reach customers at the right time, and use snippets (templated messages) to answer common questions in just a few taps. 

Shared numbers with OpenPhone start at $15 per user per month. If you need more than 10 users on a specific shared number (or want advanced features like group calling and AI call summaries and transcripts), just upgrade to our Business plan (starting at $23 per user per month).

How to automatically forward text messages to Slack, email, or your CRM with OpenPhone

Shared phone numbers are the easiest way to manage conversations as a team.

But what if you need to share updates across teams, track conversations in your CRM, or keep a searchable record outside your inbox?

You can use OpenPhone’s Slack, email, and CRM integrations to fill in the gaps. Each time you receive a new (relevant) text message, OpenPhone automatically forwards it to the right channel or inbox.

Forward text messages to Slack

If you use Slack as a centralized internal communication tool, forwarding text messages to Slack makes it easy to get quick input from teammates, share context, and stay aligned on how to respond.

Here’s how:

1. Sign in to your OpenPhone account.
2. Go to Settings and Phone numbers in your OpenPhone workspace.
3. Select the number from which you want to forward your messages.

4. Scroll down to Integrations and click Connect to your Slack.

5. Follow the prompts to sign into your Slack account and give OpenPhone permission to post forwarded texts in a channel.

6. Select which events — incoming new messages, missed calls, or voicemails — you want automatically forwarded to Slack.

That’s it! Your forwarded text messages will look like this:

Forward text messages to email

Forwarding texts to email is a reliable way of gaining access to multiple phone numbers while on the go. If you need to leave one or more of your devices at home, for instance, you can still count on receiving text updates via email.

Here’s how you can forward text messages to your email using OpenPhone:

1. Go to Settings and Phone numbers in your OpenPhone workspace.
2. Select the number from which you want to forward your messages.
3. Scroll down to Integrations and Connect to your email.

4. Select which notifications you’d like to send to your email. These include:

• Messages: Send incoming messages to your email.
• Missed calls: Get notified every time you miss a call.
• Voicemails: Send voicemail transcriptions every time you receive a voicemail.

Note: If you don’t want to forward messages to the email on file with your OpenPhone account, click the three dots next to the email address and click Edit email.

Here’s what these notifications look like in Gmail:

Forward messages to HubSpot or Salesforce

Forwarding text messages to your CRM helps you keep a complete record of every customer interaction. It makes it easier to track deal progress, follow up at the right time, and give your team full context in one place.

Here’s how to set up the HubSpot SMS integration or Salesforce integration:

1. From your OpenPhone workspace, go to Settings and Integrations. 
2. Select HubSpot or Salesforce.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to connect your account. 

Once done, you’ll be brought back to OpenPhone. The integration setup is now complete.

Here’s what OpenPhone messages automatically logged in HubSpot look like:

You can also automatically log texts, call recordings, transcriptions, and summaries into other CRMs via the OpenPhone API.

Upgrade how your team handles texts with OpenPhone

Forwarding texts can work when you just need a simple workaround. But if you manage a small business and need to forward messages consistently, OpenPhone’s shared numbers will be a more future-proof solution.

OpenPhone makes it simple and easy to set up a shared inbox that works for your team. Add as many users as you need, connect with the tools you already use, and save time texting with features like auto-replies, snippets, and scheduled messages.

You can set up a business number and start automatically forwarding texts by signing up for a seven-day free trial of OpenPhone.

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