Forward iPhone Texts to Android

Yes. To send matching new iPhone texts to an Android number, use a Shortcuts Message automation with Apple’s Send Message action. Apple’s built-in Text Message Forwarding is for Apple devices; Fwrd instead sends matching text to Slack, Discord, or Telegram, not directly to an Android number.

What you need: The iPhone that receives the texts, Shortcuts, the Android phone number or a chat app on both phones, and a few minutes to test.

Choose the route that fits

Send to an Android number: Add Apple’s Send Message action to a Shortcuts Message automation. Set the recipient to the Android number and use the incoming message as the body. This route uses Apple’s Shortcuts app; Fwrd is not required.

Read texts in a chat app: Install Slack, Discord, or Telegram on both phones. Add the destination in Fwrd, then create the Shortcuts automation on the iPhone and add Fwrd’s action. The same chat account can receive the forwarded text on Android.

Apple’s Text Message Forwarding feature is different. It shows messages on eligible Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account. It does not send messages to Android. See Apple’s guide.

Send matching texts to an Android number

1. Open Shortcuts on the iPhone that receives the texts.
2. Create a Message automation in Shortcuts and set the sender or message-content rule. The screen names differ between iOS versions; follow our current setup guide.
3. Choose a sender from Contacts or set a Message Contains rule.
4. Add Apple’s Send Message action.
5. Set the Android number as the recipient and use the incoming message as the body.
6. Set the action and automation to run without another tap, using the controls shown for your iOS version in our current setup guide.
7. Send a test message from another phone and check that it arrives on Android.

The exact labels can change between iOS versions. See our Shortcuts message automation guide for current steps and screenshots.

Use Fwrd to read texts in an Android chat app

If you prefer a chat app, add your Slack, Discord, or Telegram destination in Fwrd. Follow the matching Slack setup video, Discord setup video, or Telegram setup video. Then create a Message automation on the iPhone and add Fwrd’s Forward Message action. The same chat account can receive the text on an Android phone, tablet, or computer.

Fwrd sends the text of new messages that match the rule you choose in Shortcuts. It does not send directly to Android Messages, copy old conversations, or forward photos. A reply from Android comes from the Android number or chat account, not the original iPhone number.

Limits of iPhone-to-Android forwarding

The iPhone that receives the original text must be on. Chat destinations also need an internet connection. The automation acts only on new messages that meet its sender or message-content rule. If the text does not match, it will not be sent.

A keyword rule can miss messages when the wording changes. Read a few sample messages before choosing a word. The sender rule only offers contacts, so a message from a short code may need a content rule. Test with a non-sensitive message and check what appears on the receiving phone.

Check what the automation matches

The Message trigger can match a sender or words in the message. Sender matching is useful for people in Contacts. Many automated texts come from short codes that are not in Contacts, so a content rule can work better for bank alerts, delivery updates, or verification texts. Choose a phrase that is specific enough to avoid sending unrelated messages.

Test before you rely on it

Send the source iPhone a test message from a different device. Use a message that should match the rule, then check the Android phone. If you use a chat app, check the intended chat on Android and confirm no other destination receives the message unexpectedly.

If nothing arrives, confirm that the automation is enabled and set to run without asking. Then check the recipient number or the Fwrd destination, and make sure the matching text contains the keyword you chose. Repeat the test after any change. Avoid using private codes or sensitive messages as test content.