# Can You Auto-Forward iMessages From an iPhone?

> Yes, with a Shortcuts automation, not a setting. Apple’s own ways keep iMessages on your devices; here’s how to send new ones to a phone, inbox or chat.

Last updated: 2026-10-23
Canonical HTML page: https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/auto-forward-imessages-iphone
Published: 2026-10-17

Yes, but not from a setting: Apple’s own features keep iMessages on your own Apple devices, or let you forward them one at a time. To send new iMessages to someone else automatically, use a Shortcuts Message automation, which runs for messages that arrive in the Messages app, iMessages included. Fwrd adds one action to it that passes each matching message on to any of eight destinations.

**What you need:** the iPhone that receives the iMessages, the Shortcuts app (it’s already on your phone), and somewhere to send them, such as another phone, an email address or a chat. Fwrd needs iOS 26 or later.

## What can Apple do with iMessages on its own?

Apple can sync your iMessages to your own Apple devices, and you can forward any message by hand. Neither sends new messages to another person on its own.

- **Messages in iCloud.** Apple says it keeps “your entire message history” up to date on every device signed in to the same Apple Account, including messages sent with SMS, MMS, RCS or iMessage ([Apple](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-messages-iph3d039b67/ios), iPhone User Guide for iOS 27, checked October 17, 2026). Turn it on in Settings: tap your name, then iCloud, then Messages (or See All), then Use on this iPhone.
- **Text Message Forwarding.** This one is for SMS, MMS and RCS texts: it shows them on your Mac, iPad or Apple Vision Pro, and every device has to use the same Apple Account ([Apple](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102545), published July 2, 2026). [Text Message Forwarding missing?](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/text-message-forwarding-missing-iphone) helps if it isn’t there.
- **Forward by hand.** Touch and hold a message, tap More, select the messages, then tap the Share button and enter who gets it ([Apple](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/forward-and-share-messages-iph125628311/27/ios/27), iOS 27, checked October 17, 2026). On iOS 26 the button is called Forward. [How to forward a text message on iPhone](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/how-to-forward-a-text-on-iphone) has every step.

| Method | What it does | Automatic? |
|---|---|---|
| Messages in iCloud | Syncs your whole history to your own Apple devices | Yes, same Apple Account only |
| Text Message Forwarding | Shows SMS, MMS and RCS texts on your Mac, iPad or Vision Pro | Yes, same Apple Account only |
| Share (Forward on iOS 26) | Sends the messages you pick to anyone | No, by hand each time |
| Shortcuts Message automation | Sends new matching messages to anyone, or to a chat | Yes |

## Why is there no auto-forward setting for iMessage?

Because Apple’s Messages settings are built to share your messages across your own devices, not with other people. Apple’s guide to setting up Messages covers iMessage, Messages in iCloud and Text Message Forwarding, and both sharing features stay inside one Apple Account ([Apple](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-messages-iph3d039b67/ios), checked October 17, 2026). There’s no rule there that sends messages to another number, an inbox or a chat.

Don’t share an Apple Account to get around it. That syncs far more than messages, and [getting your spouse’s texts](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/getting-spouses-texts-iphone) shows what goes wrong. An automation sends only the messages you choose.

## How to auto-forward iMessages, step by step

These steps send new iMessages and texts to a Telegram, Slack or Discord chat with Fwrd. The automation is the same wherever they go.

1. **Add a destination in [Fwrd](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6759069713?pt=128544281&ct=blog-imessage&mt=8).** Open Fwrd, tap +, and choose Telegram, Slack or Discord. Paste your bot token and chat ID for Telegram, or the channel’s webhook URL for Slack or Discord. Tap Send Test Message, then save with the tick.

2. **Create a Message automation.** On iOS 27, open Shortcuts, tap Library, then Automation, then +. If you see Describe a shortcut, tap Edit. Tap Automation, then Message. On iOS 26, open the Automation tab, tap +, and choose Message.

   ![Shortcuts on iOS 27: the list of automation triggers, with Message marked under Communication](https://www.fwrdsms.com/guides/steps/sc-message-trigger-ee0e41db.jpg)

3. **Choose which messages to forward.** Choose Message Contains (on iOS 27, change Sender to Message), then type a word your messages share, such as code. To forward any message with a space in it, type a single space instead.

4. **Make it run without asking.** On iOS 27, tap the arrow beside the trigger and check that Confirm Before Run is off. Under ⓘ, then Privacy, check that Allow Running When Locked is on. On iOS 26, choose Run Immediately, then tap Next and Create New Shortcut.

5. **Add Fwrd’s action.** Search for Forward (on iOS 26, tap Add Action first) and add Forward Message to All Destinations. Set its Message to Shortcut Input (on iOS 26, Shortcut Input, then Message). Tap back to save (Done on iOS 26).

6. **That’s it.** New iMessages and texts with your word now reach your chat on their own, with the iPhone unlocked or locked.

Fwrd posts to Slack, Discord, Telegram, Microsoft Teams and webhooks itself. For another phone, email or WhatsApp, add that destination in Fwrd, then Apple’s Send Message, Apple’s Send Email or WhatsApp’s own Send Message below Fwrd’s action, with Fwrd’s output as the message; that action does the sending. The [phone guide](https://www.fwrdsms.com/guides/phone-imessage) and the [automation guide](https://www.fwrdsms.com/guides/automation) show every tap on iOS 26 and 27.

## Which messages does the automation forward?

New messages that arrive in the Messages app and match your word, iMessages included, just like SMS texts. Only the words travel: photos and attachments stay on the iPhone.

Fwrd is the best fit when you want messages in a chat, or in several places at once:

- **No account, and no Fwrd servers.** Messages go straight from your iPhone to the places you pick.
- **Eight destinations.** Email, another phone or iMessage, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, and your own webhook.
- **Filters on every destination.** Each one can keep only messages with your words, ones that look like a verification code, or ones at certain hours. Email, another phone and WhatsApp need one extra step: put their send action inside an If set to “Forward Message to All Destinations has any value”, then turn on “I Added the If” in that destination’s Which Texts. Until then they get every message the automation passes on.
- **Who sent it, if you want it.** Turn on Include Who Sent It in Fwrd’s Settings and choose Sender on Fwrd’s action, and each forward starts with a From: line.

## What auto-forwarding iMessages can’t do

- **No old messages.** Only new messages that match the automation are forwarded, from the day you set it up.
- **Text only, and one way.** Pictures don’t forward, and a reply to the forward doesn’t reach the original sender. Reply from the iPhone itself.
- **Shortcuts needs a rule.** A single space misses messages with no spaces, like a one-word reply.
- **The iPhone stays on and online.** After a restart, unlock it once before Fwrd can forward again.
- **The free plan covers 15 forwards a month.** A single space as the rule can pass that quickly; Fwrd Pro removes the limit.

## Questions people ask next

### Can I auto-forward iMessages to another iPhone?

Yes. Add an Another Phone destination in Fwrd, then Apple’s Send Message action below Fwrd’s, set to the other iPhone’s number with Show Compose Sheet off, and each matching message arrives from your number. [Forwarding to a different Apple ID](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/iphone-text-forwarding-different-apple-id) has the steps.

### Can I auto-forward iMessages to email?

Yes. Add an Email destination in Fwrd, then Apple’s Send Email action below Fwrd’s, with a subject typed in and Show Compose Sheet turned off. The [email guide](https://www.fwrdsms.com/guides/email) shows each step.

### Can I auto-forward iMessages to Android or WhatsApp?

Yes. Add an Another Phone destination in Fwrd, and Apple’s Send Message action below it sends each matching message to an Android phone’s number. For WhatsApp, add a WhatsApp destination in Fwrd and WhatsApp’s own Send Message action after Fwrd’s, set to one fixed contact.

### Does it cost anything?

Fwrd is free for 15 forwards a month, and a message counts once however many places it goes. Fwrd Pro removes the limit for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year in the US.

## Keep reading

- [Can an iPhone automatically forward texts?](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/can-iphone-automatically-forward-texts)
- [Can you read your iPhone texts online?](https://www.fwrdsms.com/blog/read-iphone-texts-online)