Q: Android number to Mac iMessage
Hello, I currently use an Android phone and a MacBook Pro at home. I am the only person on my team at work with an Android, so my co-workers use iMessage for their group chats. I get the messages without a problem (just that they're all over the place, but I can piece them together), but sometimes I would need to send them back a message and it would be completely out of context as a separate individual text message. Since I have iMessage on my MacBook Pro at home, would it be possible to receive the iMessage messages on my computer from my Android phone number so I can reply in the chain? Thanks.
iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)
Posted on Jan 24, 2016 2:34 PM
Hi,
This bit:-
I get the messages without a problem (just that they're all over the place, but I can piece them together), ...
Are you getting the messages on the Andriod at this point ?
I.e. they are actually sending SMS to you which probably means they are all sending as SMS and not iMessages.
The App is Messages. The account is iMessages.
The iPhone version can send SMS "automatically" if the Contact is not an iMessages user. (I have not tried this in Groups chats myself but it does work this way for 1-1 contacts at least).
If you are already in a SMS groups chat I am not sure why you are unable to respond to the group.
As to the Macbook Pro
It can be set up to do SMS but this needs an iPhone.
Set up the iPhone to do iMessages/SMS (It decides which to send)
Set up the Mac with and Apple ID
Add the Apple ID to the iPhone (links the Number and the Apple ID to "Sync" as Apple Calls it.
On the iPhone make sure it joins your LAN
IN the Messages settings Enable Text Forwarding - which prompts a code number to appear on the Mac - which in turn needs to be entered back on the iPhone to "pair" them
Until this is done the Mac cannot receive SMS items linked to the iPhone Number.
Basically the iPhone gets the SMS on it's carrier service and sends it on to the Mac via the WiFi link to the LAN and therefore the Mac.
In the United States and on certain Carriers the AIM service will let you send SMS from within Messages (with an AIM account).
See the Drop down (the + icon listed lines) https://help.aol.com/articles/aim-mobile-im-forwarding
Basically once you have an AIM Account set up in Messages it can send SMS by entering the phone number as a Buddy.
Obviously you an go a step further and add the phone number to a Contacts details as the AIM Name.
To state again. It only works with +1 Country Code services on certain Carriers.
I have not seen it used fro group chats either.
9:07 pm Monday; January 25, 2016
G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
Couple of iPhones and an iPad
Posted on Jan 25, 2016 1:08 PM


