Any way to link two iPhones (numbers) with iMessage and iOS6?

iOS6 unifies iMessage with your devices . . . but . . . what do you do to unify two iPhones for iMessage?? I have a work iPhone, and a personal iPhone, in the settings for iOS6 you can add multiple emails, but only ONE phone number. Any way to link more than one phone? Would using the same Apple ID work?

iPhone 4S, iOS 5

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 1:24 PM

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13 replies

Sep 20, 2012 12:19 PM in response to John Halkias

I'm actually doing that right now. The problem is I don't want it. We use the same Apple ID, and when I (and other phone) upgraded to IOS we used the same account and it added each phone number to the other iPhone (it asks permission) then in Settings, Messages, Send & Receive, check the phone(s) you want to link iMessages to.


But I need to find out how to UNLINK them.

Sep 21, 2012 12:59 AM in response to l33ted

l33ted,

Real curious about your setup. To be clear, you have two iPhones, both using the same Apple ID, correct?


Are your iMessage options for sending and receiving like this?

Phone 1: Phone 1's #, Phone 2's #, Apple ID

Phone 2: Phone 1's #, Phone 2's #, Apple ID


The reason I ask is because I'm the opposite of you and want both numbers to be accessible, as both phones are mine. Right now, my phones are set up like so:

Phone 1: Phone 1's #, Apple ID

Phone 2: Phone 1's #, Apple ID, Phone 2's # GREYED OUT


Phone 2's number fails to activate, and I'm wondering if other people have been successful in using two phone numbers under one Apple ID.

Sep 21, 2012 10:22 PM in response to John Halkias

I'm dealing with this issue as well. My wife and I use the same Apple ID on our seperate iPhones (I know we need to address this soon but I have to figure out this current problem first). I'll also note that we do not use the same carriers (that's a long story that isn't relevant).


Upon setup of iOS 6 it shows the one common Apple ID and each of our phone numbers. So under the send to addresses for iMessage, I have the option to check my phone number, her phone number, and the Apple ID. I have checked only my phone number on my iPhone and only her phone number on her iPhone. But the opposite phone number for each of us, as well as the Apple ID, remains as a selectable option. I do not want this to be the case.


I do not want to inadvertantly receive her iMessages and vice versa. Have I done enough to prevent this from happening?

Sep 25, 2012 5:43 AM in response to John Halkias

To those having the problem of un-linking your phone from your wife's phone, etc . . .


I am NOT linked with my wife's phone because she has a separate iCloud account, even though we use the same Apple ID for apps, music, etc. with iTunes. You can have a distinct and separate Apple ID for iTunes vs. the one you use for iCloud. Same setup on my daughter's phone.


My problem with my other personal phone may be that I have downgraded my phone to upgrade the rest of the family when I got my work 4s. My personal phone is now a 3G, and there is no iCloud or iOS6 for the 3G. I may have to wait until I upgrade to see if I can link them with the same iCloud account . . . and have iMessage relate to both.


On the same topic, I assume that this linking only works for iMessage, and NOT other text messages received from non-iOS phones/devices? Curious if I am correct on this.


When I had a work Blackberry, I had an app called txtforward on the Blackberry, that would send me an email to my iPhone (personal) when I got a text on my work phone. It made it much easier to not have to carry two phones. Have not found such an app in the app store to date.

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Any way to link two iPhones (numbers) with iMessage and iOS6?

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