Text Message Forwarding activation code

Question

Text Message Forwarding activation code

I am trying to setup Text Message Forwarding from my iPhone (OS8.3) to my MacBook Air (Yosemite). I am signed into iCloud on both and I've gone to the Messages Settings on my phone to turn on forwarding for my Air and it asks for an activation code. I then go to my Air and turn on Messages, but it doesn't seem to have a code displayed anywhere and I don't know how to prompt it to give me a code. I do have iMessages as an account with my Apple ID in the Messages program on my Air. One odd thing is that it doesn't show my iPhone phone number in the list under "You can be reached for messages at", although it does have my gmail and my iCloud mail addresses there. The only thing that can be added there are email addresses. I am thinking I need to do something to get my phone number to show up on this list so it can prompt Messages on my Air to give me a code. I can't seem to find how to do this. Or is there some other way to get the code from Messages on my Air to enter into my phone to approve message forwarding?

Thanks in advance!

iPhone 6, iOS 8.3

Posted on May 7, 2015 9:01 AM

Reply

Answer 1

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 9:12 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

Thank you for using the Apple Support Communities

I would suggest in Settings --> Messages --> Turn off Messages on your iPhone. Then reboot the iPhone. Once it comes back up, turn iMessage back on and attempt to turn SMS forwarding back on.

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 2

May 7, 2015 9:18 AM in response to QuickPost

Thanks!

It appears to be working and my friend's texts are now visible on both my phone and my Air.

Except that my husband's texts don't appear to be showing up past the middle of March, but we texted each other just this morning by phone. Could he have changed something on his phone that would have somehow stopped the messages from being seen on my Air even though I see them on my phone?

Reply

Answer 3

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 9:21 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

I belive iOS automatically deletes messages that are a month old (or however long you set it to). You can change that Messages settings as well.

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 4

May 7, 2015 9:26 AM in response to QuickPost

It is the reverse problem. Messages from Mar and older are visible on Messages on my Air, but newer messages are missing. The newer messages are on my iPhone, but don't seem to be converting over into the Messages program on my Air.

Reply

Answer 5

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 9:37 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

That is quite interesting. Are the new messages from today coming through?

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 6

May 7, 2015 9:38 AM in response to QuickPost

Nope

Reply

Answer 7

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 9:42 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

Are they appearing on any device or just on select devices. SMS or iMessage?

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 8

May 7, 2015 9:42 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

Although my husband is on a privacy kick right now and made some changes in Mar. that he hasn't shared with me what he did.

Is it even possible that he could have it set in a way that prevents me from seeing it on my Messages program on my computer but still allow me to see it on iMessages on the phone? That just seems so remote.

Reply

Answer 9

May 7, 2015 9:45 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

I can see them all of them on my phone in Messages. My Messages in SMS/MMS has MMS Messaging turned on and Message History to keep 'Forever' on my phone.

I don't know how to tell if they are SMS or iMessage. Tell me how to tell that apart.

Reply

Answer 10

May 7, 2015 9:59 AM in response to QuickPost

It looks like the texts labelled "iMessage" are visible on both my phone and my computer. The texts labelled "Text Message" are only visible on my phone. It looks like he switched to "Text Message" sometime in March. Is there a way I can get both on my computer or do I need to ask him to switch to iMessage?

Reply

Answer 11

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 11:16 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

SMS messages will be green bubbles and iMessages will be blue bubbles. While it will be easier for you to receive you messages on your other devices if you both are on iMessage, SMS forwarding on the iPhone should make it pretty painless to get your SMS message on your other devices. Were you able to get SMS forwarding turned on?

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 12

May 7, 2015 11:46 AM in response to QuickPost

Sure enough, they are green bubbles, so it must be that I don't have SMS forwarding turned on. I can't find a place to do that in my Settings. Since I rebooted my phone, the choices under Settings->Messages does not have the same options. I do not see 'message forwarding' only 'send & receive' which doesn't give me choice to forward SMS. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.

Thanks so much for helping me figure this out!

Reply

Answer 13

QuickPost

Level 10

103,535 points

May 7, 2015 11:58 AM in response to Sam the Scientist

You should see a menu like this is Settings --> Messages

Toggle on the switch next to your Mac's name

-Zeph

Reply

Answer 14

May 14, 2015 5:11 PM in response to QuickPost

Hey man,

I'm having the same problem. And my menu doesn't have the text message forwarding option in my messages settings. It used to and I have no idea why its gone. I had to reset it a week ago because of this but now its not even an option. Any thoughts?

Thanks

sjw

Reply

Answer 15

May 14, 2015 5:22 PM in response to QuickPost

disregard. I had to do a hard reset on my iphone. Ironic because I had done it a couple times before with no success. The forward button is back. All is well. This shouldn't be happening though. Disappointed in the unstable nature of the latest updates.

sjw

Reply