Privacy check
How to check if your iPhone texts are being forwarded
Check whether your iPhone texts are being forwarded: Shortcuts automations, Text Message Forwarding and your Apple Account devices, and how to stop each one.
By Fwrd · Last reviewed
1. Look at your Shortcuts automations
Apps can’t read your texts on their own. Forwarding every new text needs a Message automation in Shortcuts, which someone has to set up on the unlocked iPhone.
On iOS 27, open Shortcuts, tap Library, then Automation. On iOS 26, open the Automation tab. Look for any automation that starts with “When I receive a message” or “When a message arrives”, and check what it does next: Send Message, Send Email, an app’s forwarding action, or anything that sends to a web address.
If you didn’t make it, switch it off or delete it.
2. Check Text Message Forwarding
Text Message Forwarding lets your Mac or iPad on the same Apple Account show your iPhone’s texts. Open Settings, then Apps, then Messages, then Text Message Forwarding, and turn off any device that isn’t yours.
3. Check the devices on your Apple Account
With Messages in iCloud, any device signed in to your Apple Account can show your messages. Open Settings, tap your name, and scroll to the device list. Remove anything you don’t recognise, then change your Apple Account password.
If you think someone has access
- Run Safety Check in Settings, Privacy & Security. It shows who you share with and which devices are signed in, and can stop sharing in one go.
- Change your iPhone passcode, since setting up an automation needs the phone unlocked.
- If you’re worried about your safety, Apple’s Personal Safety User Guide explains each step, and local support organisations can help.
How Fwrd fits in
Fwrd is an app for forwarding your own texts to places you choose, like Slack or your email. It only runs from a Shortcuts automation on the iPhone itself, so it shows up in the check above. It has no account and no website login, so nobody can switch it on or read texts through Fwrd from somewhere else.
To stop Fwrd forwarding, delete its automation in Shortcuts and remove the destinations in the Fwrd app.
Free for 15 forwards a month
No account, no new number, and no Fwrd server in the middle. Pro removes the monthly limit for $3.99/month or $29.99/year, with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan for eligible customers. iPhone · iOS 26.2 or later.
iPhone · iOS 26.2 or later
Free plan: 15 forwards each month. No subscription required.
Questions about texts being forwarded
Can someone forward my texts without touching my iPhone?
Not with a Shortcuts automation: that has to be set up on the unlocked iPhone. But anyone signed in to your Apple Account on another device may see your messages through Messages in iCloud, which is why checking the device list and changing your password matter.
Would I notice if my texts were being forwarded?
Not always. An automation can be set to run without asking, so it may not show anything when a text arrives. Checking your automations and devices is the reliable way to know.
Can my phone carrier forward my texts?
Carrier forwarding is usually for calls, not texts, and it’s set in your carrier account or phone settings. If you’re unsure, ask your carrier what forwarding is on for your line.
Can Fwrd be used to read someone’s texts remotely?
No. Fwrd has no account, no server and no remote access. It forwards texts only from the iPhone it’s installed on, through an automation made on that iPhone, to destinations set up on that iPhone.
How do I stop all forwarding on my iPhone?
Delete any Message automations in Shortcuts, turn off Text Message Forwarding for every device in Settings, Apps, Messages, and remove devices you don’t recognise from your Apple Account. Then change your Apple Account password.