my Message app doesn't work on my MacBook pro. Why?

Forgive me. I’m having problems with “Message” on my MacBook Pro (2016) but the problem may be my ignorance. Keep in mind, when I purchased it (a couple months ago) I hadn’t used any Apple/Macintosh computer since Apple’s newest OS was 8.0 (if memory serves) and on a Macintosh desktop computer (an SE I think & this was post iMac - I had switched to and used Windows machines from ‘09 to Feb 2013) and I’d never owned nor used an iPhone…at all. Ok, ok, you can stop laughing now.

Incidentally, this reply will have taken me over an hour to type and get just right due to my OCD and perfectionism (can you say Aspy?) so if I miss something, it was unintentional.

So, that MacBook Pro and this iPhone Xr is/are what I’m using now. Yes, I know I’m well behind the times, but I’m relatively poor, so plz don’t hate on me, at least all my OS software is up to date 😬.

So ok, I came back to Apple in 2018 and will never leave home again - I learned my lesson. I’ve used my iPhone exclusively since then up until purchasing the laptop, which brings you [all] current and to my dilemma. Using iMessage on the iPhone isn’t quite the same as on the laptop - or is it? It seems I can’t “Message” anyone with an Android from the laptop like I can from my iPhone - or so it seems. Unless I’m doing something incorrectly, and I’m still not sure if I am…yet, so I came here for help. I should stop here as I’m sensing there will be questions I need to answer before I can proceed. So now you know everything I can think of so far and my brain hurts, so I’m going to take a break while you respond. And thank you for helping me and not laughing at me too much. Oh yeah, I’m also an OG but I’m not stupid, just a little behind and a bit slower than I used to be when I was your age.

Thanks for that. I’m just trying to send a message to someone in my contact list, but from my laptop instead of my iPhone. I’m not trying to auto-forward messages from my iPhone to my laptop tho. Apparently I can do it to other Apple devices but not androids? When I send to known iPhone users they go thru, when they’re android users they won’t go.

No I can’t confirm the forwarding part because it’s not where you indicated it was and no, I leave cellular data off and use Wi-Fi calling when I’m at home, which is 99% of the time since I work from home.

However, you’re correct about the android/iPhone disparity. I figured that out earlier today and you just confirmed it!

Thank you.

Also, I get a pop up saying something like “can’t send because your devices aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network, but they are.