How to force OS X Messages to send as SMS?

Question

Level 1

34 points

How to force OS X Messages to send as SMS?

I need to force Messages to send a message as an SMS, not as an iMessage (or to make it send it by both routes simultaneously). Is there a way to do that?

Here's the reason: my wife and I both have Macs and iPhones. We routinely communicate by iMessage. Recently my wife was on a long trip and she had data roaming disabled on her iPhone. I had expected her still to be able to receive messages I send to her from the Mac because I assumed she would receive them over the cell network by SMS. However, I discovered that is not the case. It seems (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that if Messages on Mac is sending to someone who is registered with iMessage, it will preferentially send the message to them over the data network (i.e. not SMS). This means that they won't receive the message unless/until they connect to the data network.

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Dec 20, 2015 12:26 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Dec 20, 2015 1:59 PM in response to polarbreeze1

If SMS message forwarding to your iPhone is set up on the Mac, then, in theory at least, sending should fall back to SMS automatically if the recipient can't be reached via iMessage. I can't guarantee that it always works that way. If the recipient has another device signed in to iMessage, such as his own Mac at home, then it certainly won't work, because the iMessage will be delivered successfully to the other device and will never be seen on the phone.

The only way you can be sure of delivery via SMS is to sign out of iMessage before sending. Do the same with any other IM services you use with Messages that the recipient might also use.

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Answer 2

polarbreeze1 Author

Level 1

34 points

Dec 20, 2015 2:07 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for the insights Linc. So what happens if the recipient is unavailable by either iMessage or SMS (in flight for example) and later comes into range of SMS (with data disabled)? Is the SMS then received or has it been lost at that point? Thanks for your help.

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Answer 3

Dec 21, 2015 12:45 AM in response to polarbreeze1

Hi,

On your Mac create an Address Card just for the iPhone number. (the name has to be different to the Original Card)

Make sure text Forwarding is set up on the iPhone and therefore the Mac (It sounds like it is)

Then Send to that Number.

When she send an SMS you should automatically send an SMS in return.

It is a little more difficult to make it think any number is not an iMessages potential when first accessing it.

It is easier if they send first.

Once you have a conversation running then it should always be SMS.

Edited by me.

10:22 pm Sunday; December 20, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Dec 20, 2015 2:44 PM in response to polarbreeze1

So what happens if the recipient is unavailable by either iMessage or SMS (in flight for example) and later comes into range of SMS (with data disabled)?

I'm no authority on this subject, but as I understand it, the carrier will store the message and try to deliver it when the device is available. Again, no guarantees.

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Answer 5

Dec 21, 2015 12:05 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

for the Points

8:05 pm Monday; December 21, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Reply