Coming soon for iPhone
Fwrd FAQ: iPhone message forwarding
Answers about SMS and iMessage forwarding, Shortcuts setup, privacy, and pricing. No Fwrd account required. Your messages go directly from your iPhone to your chosen service.
How do I forward iMessages to another device without a second phone?
Use Fwrd on your existing iPhone with a Shortcuts Message Personal Automation to forward incoming message text to Slack, Discord, or Telegram. Open that service on your computer, tablet, or another device to read the forwarded text. You do not need a second phone or a new phone number, but your iPhone must receive the message and have internet access.
Does Fwrd require an account?
No Fwrd account is required, and you do not need to give Fwrd an email address or phone number to use the app. You use your own accounts with the destination services you choose, and Apple handles paid subscriptions through your Apple Account. The optional website waitlist collects an email address to send launch news and the offer link; it does not create an app account.
Which destinations can Fwrd forward to?
Fwrd's supported launch destinations are Slack, Discord, and Telegram. Messages go to a Slack or Discord channel through a webhook you configure, or to a Telegram chat through your own bot. Email, another phone number or iMessage recipient, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, and custom HTTPS webhooks are planned destinations and are not supported in this release.
How do I set up automatic message forwarding with Fwrd?
Add a supported destination in Fwrd, then create a Message Personal Automation in Apple's Shortcuts app. Choose a Message Contains keyword, add Fwrd's Forward Message action, and pass the incoming message text to it. Select Run Immediately and turn Notify When Run off. You must create and enable the automation yourself; Fwrd cannot create it for you.
Can I choose which messages Fwrd forwards?
Yes, set the Message Contains field in your Shortcuts Message automation to a keyword such as code, verification, or delivery. Only messages that match the automation's criteria are passed to Fwrd. Fwrd does not read your message history or messages that your automation does not pass to it.
Does my iPhone need to stay on, and can it forward while locked?
Your iPhone must stay powered on, receive the incoming message, and have internet access to forward it. The Slack, Discord, and Telegram routes have passed locked-iPhone SMS tests with a Shortcuts automation set to Run Immediately. After a restart, unlock the iPhone once so Fwrd can access its saved destination credentials. Delivery still depends on iOS allowing the automation to run and the destination service being available.
Does Fwrd work without cellular service or while traveling?
Fwrd can send a received message to a supported destination over Wi-Fi, including while you travel. iMessage uses Wi-Fi or cellular data, but SMS reception still depends on your carrier service and whether your carrier supports SMS over Wi-Fi Calling. Fwrd cannot receive messages for an inactive phone line or bypass carrier restrictions. The receiving iPhone must remain on and connected to the internet.
Do my messages go through Fwrd's servers?
No, messages never route through Fwrd's servers. Fwrd processes the message text on your iPhone and sends it directly to the destination you configure. The destination service receives the forwarded text under its own privacy and retention policies, and Fwrd keeps a local forwarding log on your iPhone.
What does the free tier include?
Fwrd's free tier includes 15 forwards per calendar month to supported destinations. The allowance is tracked on your iPhone and resets at the start of each calendar month. You can use the free tier without a paid subscription or a Fwrd account.
How much does Fwrd Pro cost?
Fwrd Pro costs $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year in USD. Pro removes Fwrd's monthly free-tier limit, while carrier and destination-service limits still apply. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled and are managed through your Apple Account.
How does the $19.99 first-year waitlist offer work?
Eligible waitlist members receive an Apple subscription offer-code link at the email address they used to join the waitlist. The offer costs $19.99 for the first year and then renews automatically at $34.99 per year unless canceled. Redeem the link through Apple; joining the waitlist does not create a Fwrd account or start a paid subscription.
Why use Fwrd instead of iCloud Messages sync?
Messages in iCloud keeps your message history in sync across Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account. Fwrd forwards selected incoming message text to Slack, Discord, or Telegram, so you can read it wherever that service is available. Use iCloud Messages for Apple-device conversation sync and Fwrd when you need message text in a separate service. Fwrd does not sync your message history or send replies back through your iPhone.