When a text doesn’t arrive
Troubleshooting
If you forward to Slack, Discord, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, or a webhook, start by opening Activity in Fwrd. If the text isn’t listed there, the automation never ran, so the fix is in Shortcuts. If it’s listed as Failed, the destination turned it down, so the fix is in that service. Email, Another Phone, and WhatsApp are sent by their own apps, so they don’t appear in Activity.
Every destination
- A test from Fwrd works, but real texts don’t forward
- The test proves the destination, not the automation. Check that the automation is turned on, that the text contains its keyword, and that Fwrd’s Message is set to the incoming Message of Shortcut Input.
- A notification asks me to run the shortcut
- The automation is set to ask first. On iOS 26, choose Run Immediately and turn Notify When Run off. On iOS 27, change the automation to run without asking; Apple lists Message among the triggers that can.
- Nothing forwards after the iPhone restarted
- Unlock the iPhone once after every restart. Until then, iOS keeps Fwrd’s saved destination details locked away, even from Fwrd.
- Texts from a short code or unknown number don’t trigger it
- Match on Message Contains instead of Sender. The Sender picker only offers your Contacts, so it misses short codes.
- Some texts forward and others don’t
- Only texts that contain your keyword run the automation. Pick a broader word, or add a second automation with another keyword.
- Each text arrives twice
- Two automations match the same text, or one automation has Fwrd’s action in it twice. Keep one.
- Activity shows a forward as Failed
- The destination turned the message down. Open it in Fwrd, check the saved URL or token, and tap Send Test Message. If the test fails too, create a new webhook or token at the service.
- Forwarding stopped part way through the month
- The free plan includes 15 forwards per calendar month, and Fwrd can notify you when they’re used. Upgrade to Fwrd Pro in the app, or wait for the 1st.
- Email, Another Phone, or WhatsApp says Not Tested
- That’s expected. Those apps do the sending, so Fwrd can’t see whether a message arrived. Check with the person who should have received it.
- The steps don’t match my screen
- Apple changed automations in iOS 27. The automation guide shows both the iOS 26 and iOS 27 screens.
Setting up the automation for the first time? Follow the automation guide.
By destination
Each guide ends with the problems specific to that service.
Still stuck? Tell us what you see. Please don’t paste real message text or webhook URLs.