Apple Shortcuts
How to set up the Shortcuts message automation
Updated
Fwrd runs when Apple Shortcuts hands it a text: one Message automation passes each matching text to Fwrd, which forwards it to every active destination, unless that destination’s filter skips it. Fwrd’s setup hands you a ready-made shortcut. On iOS 27 it brings this automation with it, so there’s nothing to build; on iOS 26 you make the automation in one short step.
Let Fwrd set it up
Open Fwrd and tap Set Up Forwarding at the end of the intro.
Choose where your texts go, and fill in that destination’s form.
Choose which texts to forward. You can change this later in Fwrd’s Settings.
Tap Get Shortcut. In Shortcuts, tap Add Shortcut, then ◀ Fwrd at the top left.
On iOS 27, tap Open Shortcut. In Shortcuts, tap Edit, then the small › at the end of the first line, “When I receive a message where” (not the ×), and turn on Automation, as in the picture. On iOS 26, Fwrd calls this step Make it automatic: tap Open Shortcuts, then New Automation or +, then Message. Type one space in Message Contains and tap Done. Choose Run Immediately, tap Next, and tap the shortcut you just added, under My Shortcuts.
Fwrd runs the shortcut once with a sample text. Shortcuts asks twice the first time: tap Allow, then Always Allow.
For Email, another phone or WhatsApp, the shortcut is Fwrd to Email, Fwrd to Phone or Fwrd to WhatsApp. It already holds Apple’s or WhatsApp’s own send action, which sends to the address or number you typed in Fwrd.
Tapped Later? The Get Started card on Fwrd’s dashboard picks up where you left off.
Build it yourself
Rather build the automation yourself? Follow these steps instead.
Choose which texts to forward
Use Message Contains with a word that appears in the texts you want, such as code, verification, or delivery. It catches texts from short codes and unknown numbers, which the Sender option can’t, because Sender only offers your Contacts. If you set both, a text has to match both.
To forward any text with a space in it, type a single space “ ” in Message Contains. One-word replies like “Ok”, a lone emoji, or a bare link have no space, so they won’t match. Only do that on purpose: every matching text goes to every active destination, unless you give that destination a filter in Fwrd, by words, verification codes, or time of day.
On iOS 26
Open Shortcuts and tap Automation at the bottom.
Tap +, or New Automation if this is your first one, and choose Message.
Tap Message Contains, type your keyword, and tap Done.
Choose Run Immediately. If you see Notify When Run, turn it off. Tap Next.
Tap Create New Shortcut, then search for Fwrd and choose Forward Message to All Destinations.
Set Fwrd’s Message to Shortcut Input, then tap Done.
On iOS 27
iOS 27 folded automations into shortcuts, so there’s no Automation tab and no Run Immediately screen. The pieces are the same; they just live in a different place. These pictures come from iOS 27.0.
Open Shortcuts and go to Library, then Automation. Automations are saved as shortcuts on iOS 27, and this is where they’re listed.
Tap + to make a new automation.
If it opens on Describe a shortcut, tap Edit to see the steps instead.
Tap Automation, then Message.
Change Sender to Message and type your keyword. The trigger is the first step of the shortcut: “When I receive a message where Message contains …”.
Tap the arrow beside the trigger. Leave Automation on and Confirm Before Run off, so it runs without asking. If a notification ever asks you to run it, Confirm Before Run has been switched on.
Tap ⓘ at the bottom, then Privacy, and check that Allow Running When Locked is on. It’s on to begin with.
Search for Forward and add Fwrd’s Forward Message to All Destinations below the trigger.
Tap Message in Fwrd’s action, tap Select Variable, and choose Shortcut Input. Shortcuts adds a Receive block at the top when you do; leave it as it is.
Tap back to save. The automation appears under Automation, switched on.
For Email, Another Phone, and WhatsApp
These three need one more step. After Fwrd’s action, add Apple’s Send Email or Send Message, or WhatsApp’s own Send Message. Tap its Message field and pick Forward Message to All Destinations, the output of Fwrd’s action, from the bar above the keyboard. That action does the sending. Each guide has the exact fields, with pictures: Email, Phone / iMessage, and WhatsApp.
To let Fwrd’s filter skip texts for one of these three, put its 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 it gets every text the automation passes on.
You’re all set
That’s it. New matching texts now go to every active destination on their own. Keep the iPhone on and online. After a restart, unlock it once: until then, iOS keeps Fwrd’s saved destination details locked away.
Turn it off
On iOS 26, open Automation, tap the automation, and choose Don’t Run. On iOS 27, find it under Library → Automation and turn it off there, or remove the trigger from the shortcut. Turning a destination off in Fwrd is separate: the automation still runs, and Fwrd skips that destination.