You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Does an iPad accepts iMessages on a cellular?

can anyone advise if an iPad accepts IMessgee on a cellular, only I recently purchase just The Wi-Fi and it was only excepting messages via an email address message, so I still had to use my phone to get messages? Tia


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Nov 14, 2021 5:23 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 14, 2021 7:59 PM

An iPad Wi-Fi only model can use iMessage to any Apple devices.

If you also have an iPhone using the same Apple ID, you can also use your iPad Wi-Fi model to send SMS/MMS to any phone (Android or otherwise) via Continuity, read here => How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


@brbo

iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular model cannot send SMS without an iPhone, see above

FYI: SMS piggy back on a voice line which the iPad Cellular lacks.

The iPad cellular part is for cellular data only.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 14, 2021 7:59 PM in response to Wardts

An iPad Wi-Fi only model can use iMessage to any Apple devices.

If you also have an iPhone using the same Apple ID, you can also use your iPad Wi-Fi model to send SMS/MMS to any phone (Android or otherwise) via Continuity, read here => How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


@brbo

iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular model cannot send SMS without an iPhone, see above

FYI: SMS piggy back on a voice line which the iPad Cellular lacks.

The iPad cellular part is for cellular data only.

Nov 14, 2021 7:40 PM in response to Wardts

Hi Wardts,

welcome to the Apple Community.


It seems only iPad models with Wi-Fi + Cellular can use Cellular text messaging.

However, you should be able to send text messages with Wi-Fi only in iMessage app..

Wondering:

which iPad model you are using,

which iOS is installed,


This article: "Set up Messages on iPad"

Says:

"In the Messages app, 

"iMessage texts appear in blue bubbles, and SMS/MMS texts appear in green bubbles."

Complete article: https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/ipad/ipad70482978/ipados


For more, try this article:

What is the difference between iMessage and SMS/MMS?

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT207006


Hope this helps you :-)

Does an iPad accepts iMessages on a cellular?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.