How do I get imessage to send SMS texts to non iphone users?

Marshall's response is more relevant to me; I do not use AIM. I have also been unable to get the method he references to work as advertised: properly configured, I read the doc Marshall is talking about to say that SMS through your phone should be supported by iMessage on your Mac. It does not indicate that that the number you are trying to SMS must be registered to iMessage, which is identical to the pre iOS 8 behavior. I wonder if it's a carrier related issue?

Hi,

On the iPhone > Settings > Messages Enable the Text Forwarding option. (iOS 8.1)

It will then put up a Dialogue Box waiting for a number

The App on the Mac will start if closed but slide should also appear from the top of the Main Messages window with the Number to "Pair" the apps. (Yosemite)

Add the number shown to the iPhone.

You should now be good to go.

9:04 pm Friday; October 24, 2014

That did it. I needed to update to iOS 8.1

Glad to help.

7:40 pm Saturday; October 25, 2014

I updated all my devices to iOS 8.1 and my iMac to OS X Yosemite 10.10. After I did this, I started receiving Calls (they came in as Face Time Audio) and text (SMS) messages on my iMac. I was thrilled about the text (not so much the calls).

However, as of a couple of days ago this all stopped. I followed the above directions but when I get to text message forwarding, turn it on and the window comes up asking for a number, my iMac doesn't generate a number. Can you assist?

Update:

This information from PlutoPrime solved my problem.

I "De-selected" iMessage. Selected it again, it asked me if I wanted to use my Cell # with iMessage and Face Time. I then selected text forwarding and my iMac generated a number. Problem solved.

PlutoPrime

Posted: 3 weeks ago

I think this article is inaccurate and it simply states a workaround that happens to work...

I had the same problem described in the article, and all I had to do was sign out of iMessages app on my iPhone and sign back in. After signing in, I still had a checkbox next to my phone number and I was able to receive the verification number on my Mac.

Rating: 2 Votes

Thanks for the extra info.

8:36 pm Monday; November 10, 2014

The better way to do this is to go into your phone settings on your iPhone, go do messages, then go to Text Message Forwarding, then select your computer and it should work. You also have to make sure that you're logged into the same iCloud account for iMessage on both your iPhone and your Mac.

It worked for me!

Hi,

You will have noticed that this Thread started in Oct 2012 long before Yosemite And iOS 8 ever saw the light of day let alone the market place.
It even pre-dates iCloud as an option.

This means that in relation to the Original Question the answer is useless.

Secondly the Question has also been Marked as Solved/Correct to one of the replies at a point not long after the Original Post.

It does appear that others have spotted the title and added further responses that are much later and also miss the point (The AIM Account can do SMS to US based Phones on some carriers).

Please take more care when responding.

8:10 p.m. Friday; June 12, 2015

1- Go to your iPhone

2- Go to: Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding

3- Make sure that you are signed into both your iPhone and your Mac using the same apple ID

4- Your Mac should appear under "Text Message Forwarding"

5- Enter the authorization code from your Mac into your iPhone

This should resolve the issue of sending SMS through iMessage on your Mac.

Good luck!

Hi,

I will point out the things again.

This Thread was started in 2012.

It is also posted in Mountain Lion which Means iChat 6

At the time only the iPhone could send SMS.

Therefore the question is in the wrong forum/Community (technically) and has been answered anyway.

Info (even incorrect info that misses the linking of the Mac and iPhone for Handoff and Continuity needed before the other setting and being on the same LAN) is not helpful (to THIS question).

Your info (if correct will only answer a similar Question On a Mac in 4 (THAT'S FOUR) OS versions ahead (or after depending on your viewpoint) of this Community.

9:27 p.m. Saturday; August 22, 2015

This helped! Thanks!

Good to hear.

8:47 pm Saturday; December 19, 2015