How to Enable Text Message Forwarding and Answer Phone Calls on Your Mac

[MacRumors]

With the release of OS X Yosemite, Apple has included a new set of "Continuity" features that connect iOS devices and the Mac in a number of ways. Most notably, Continuity allows users to place and answer calls with their Macs and iPads that are forwarded through the iPhone.

Similarly, Macs and iPads can now receive SMS messages, even ones sent from non-Apple devices. Before the launch of iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite, Macs and iPads could only receive iMessages, as SMS messages were limited to the iPhone via traditional delivery. iMessages are a part of Apple's proprietary messaging service made for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, while SMS messages are usually intended for communications between mobile phones. Users can now also send SMS messages to any kind of device from the Mac and iPad. Apple previously referred to this feature as "SMS Relay" before the debut of iOS 8.1, but officially refers to it as "Text Message Forwarding" in the Settings app.

The ability to answer calls and SMS messages on a Mac is especially useful when an iPhone is across the room charging or otherwise inaccessible. The iPhone being used to relay calls and texts can even be in sleep mode, meaning that users can manage all incoming calls and text messages entirely through their Mac and iPad.

Before You Start

You need iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite in order to forward phone calls and SMS messages from your iPhone to your Mac or iPad. You also need to make sure that both your Mac and iPhone are logged into the same iCloud account. Phone calls and SMS routing are compatible with any iPhone and iPad running iOS 8.1 and any Mac that supports OS X Yosemite. Also, the Wi-Fi calling feature needs to be off to enable call forwarding, so ensure it is disabled by going to by going to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calls.

Steps to Enable Text Message Forwarding

1. Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone (Settings -> Wi-Fi) and Mac (Menu Bar -> Wi-Fi -> Turn Wi-Fi On. SMS forwarding will still work between the Mac and an iOS device even if both are using different Wi-Fi networks.

2. On your Mac, open the Messages app and navigate to Menu Bar -> Messages -> Preferences -> Accounts -> Click on iMessage account -> Check the boxes next to your phone number and email. If your email is not listed, click Add Email and enter your email.

3. On your iPhone, add your email address to your iMessage by going to Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive. A registered email for iMessage is required in order to enable text message forwarding.

4. Turn on Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone by going to Settings -> Messages -> Text Message Forwarding -> Turn Text Message Forwarding On. A prompt will appear asking you to enter an activation code. The activation code will appear in your Mac's Messages app. Enter the activation code from your Mac in the prompt shown on your iPhone. An activation code is required for every device that you want to include in text message forwarding.

5. You will now be able to answer any incoming text message on your Mac. Text messages sent to your iPhone will also automatically appear as a push notification on your Mac in the upper-right corner. When a text message appears, you can answer it by clicking "Reply". Text messages will also appear in the Messages app on your Mac.

Steps to Enable Phone Call Forwarding

1. Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone (Settings -> Wi-Fi) and Mac (Menu Bar -> Wi-Fi -> Turn Wi-Fi On. Call forwarding requires both of your devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network.

2. Turn on iPhone Cellular Calls on your Mac (FaceTime -> Preferences -> Turn On iPhone Cellular Calls) and iPhone (Settings -> FaceTime -> iPhone Cellular Calls).

3. You may now begin placing and answering phone calls on your Mac. Incoming calls to your iPhone will appear as a push notification on your Mac in the upper-right corner. When a call appears, you have the option to answer it by clicking "Accept" or ignore it by clicking "Decline". You can also click on the arrow to the right of the Decline option and can then choose to send a text message or create a reminder to return the call later.

When you're on a call, you can silence yourself by clicking "Mute" or switch to a FaceTime video call by clicking "Video". If another person calls during your current phone call, you will also have the option to click "Hold & Accept" and can even switch between calls by clicking the connected arrows. You can also click "Merge" to merge both calls. If you want to transfer the call from your Mac back to your iPhone, unlock your iPhone tap the "Touch to return to Call" banner.

You can also make phone calls from a number of apps on the Mac, including Contacts, Safari, Mail, Maps and Spotlight. For example, you can call a business after searching for its information in Maps, and can highlight and call a phone number when one is displayed in Safari.

Troubleshooting

A number of users have had difficulty with trying to enable text message and phone call forwarding for their Macs. For text message forwarding, users on our forums have reported that a combination of logging out and back into iCloud on their devices, turning iMessage off and on in the iPhone's Settings app, disabling and enabling Wi-Fi, and restarting both devices fixed their problems. If the activation code to set up text message forwarding is not showing up on your Mac, ensure that an email address is activated for iMessage on your iPhone. Once again, you can activate an email for iMessage on your iPhone by going to Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive.

Meanwhile, users attempting to fix problems with call forwarding have found that the most common solutions include rebooting both devices, logging out and back into iCloud on their devices, and turning FaceTime off and back on in the iPhone's Settings app. Other users have found that having Wi-Fi Calling enabled on the iPhone has caused call forwarding to not work, so once again ensure that setting is off by going to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calls.

Article Link: How to Enable Text Message Forwarding and Answer Phone Calls on Your Mac

 

[OriginalMacRat]

Should have been an internet Service

I know Apple didn't want to upset the telco's which is why this is nothing more than extra tethering to the iPhone.

This really should have been an internet service like GoogleVoice (but better) that can be used with or without the phone.

 

[Traverse]

What I found interesting is that even though Apple states that all the devices must be on the same WiFi network, I still get messages on my iPad even when my iPhone is on LTE.

 

[cowcaster88]

Work with 2010 MacBook

I have a Mid-2010 MacBook Pro and this is a feature of Yosemite which I was wanting. Will this MacBook work with text message forwarding & answer phone calls in Yosemite?

 

[ouimetnick]

My MacBook Pro 13" (Mid 2010) isn't one of the fancy new computers supporting handoff, but it should support Text Message Forwarding... right? I can make and receive phone calls from my mac fine, but that code never appears when trying to setup Text Message Forwarding.

Oh well.. And supposedly I can link my no longer activated iPhone 4s with this Text Message Forwarding thing, but no activation code appears there either...

 

[2010mini]

I have. 2010 mini

Text forwarding works fine but making and receiving does not. All I get is a failed message. I have rebooted, turned off and on FaceTime, and logged out and in my iCloud account. After all that the mini still won't make/receive calls.

I do see when calls are incoming I just can't answer them.

Bummer

 

[imola.zhp]

Steps to keep iMessages-MAC from randomly creating new text streams would be helpful too. Both are set to initiate/start conversations from the same source. Interestingly on my Mac it's all one stream but on my phone (and recipients phones) it's two streams.

 

[blevins321]

Text forwarding is working really well for me. Calling too except that my computer keeps ringing for about 5 seconds after I answer the call. Other end of the call is confused why they're hearing my ringtone when I answer.

 

[ToomeyND]

It just works....

 

[BrentD]

What I found interesting is that even though Apple states that all the devices must be on the same WiFi network, I still get messages on my iPad even when my iPhone is on LTE.

Only the calling portion has to have both devices on the same wifi network. It doesn't matter for messaging.

 

[bbfc]

I love this feature. Works flawlessly for me.

 

[ReddestDream]

Bluetooth . . .

FYI, you do not need to have Bluetooth on to use either of these features . . .

SMS Forwarding works with NO local connection between the devices as long as they both have an Internet Connection.

Call Forwarding works so long as both devices are on the same Wifi network.

Neither of these features requires a Bluetooth connection . . .

I know this because I have done it . . .

Note: I'm not 100% sure if getting Call Notifications requires Bluetooth, but you can DEFINITELY MAKE calls from a Mac using your phone number (direct non-Facetime Audio calls) WITHOUT Bluetooth.

 

[NameUndecided]

I tried setting up Handoff between my iPhone and MacBook Air about a week ago using the instructions provided on this site. I couldn't get either the phone or Air to recognize that the other had Pages open. Didn't seem like a huge enough deal to try and get it working immediately.

Then a few days later, I get a call and I'm surprised to see it showing on my Air as well. I've never considered trying to get that feature to work, or if I had to do anything special to enable it.

Still no other Handoff features working just yet.

I don't want to come off as too indifferent, because I think it will be a really nice feature if it ever starts to work really seamlessly. But I feel I would be so exasperated right now if I'd been looking forward to this feature beyond just being a minor extra convenience.

 

[octothorpe8]

I know Apple didn't want to upset the telco's which is why this is nothing more than extra tethering to the iPhone.

This really should have been an internet service like GoogleVoice (but better) that can be used with or without the phone.

For use strictly between OS X/iOS devices, FaceTime Audio and iMessage are just that: internet-based replacements for SMS and phone calls.

 

[shandyman]

My iPhone 6 keeps saying "cannot turn on iPhone cellular calls." Saying about having to be signed into the same Apple ID, which they are. When I enable email on FaceTime as well as my number, on both devices, the switch enables, but as soon as I take email off to leave just my number, it switches off again. It didn't do this with my 5S.

 

[Born Again]

There is no reason this isn't on windows

Come on apple! Not everyone wants or haves a Mac.

 

[jayducharme]

I love the text messaging feature, which has been working well for me. But I had to disable the call forwarding feature; all of my Apple devices would ring at once. It was cacophony. And when I answered one, the others would briefly keep ringing. I'll stick with taking calls on my phone.

 

[stevers]

Call forwarding has worked for me, but I had to shut off SMS forwarding. My laptop would constantly show notifications when I get home for any SMS message i received that day - even ones i replied to.

 

[shuntva06]

Phone call answering -- an odd situation

I have FaceTime configured to accept phone calls on my iMac ... has worked very nicely for calling out from the iMac.

During the last few days, however, I have been UNable to answer incoming phone calls on the iPhone when sitting in front of the iMac.
- the incoming call pop-up was NOT showing when the phone was ringing
- the green answer phone button was NOT showing on the iPhone
- I could not answer the call either on the iMac or iPhone ... went to voice mail

I am not sure if this issue is related to the settings;
- seems like FaceTime is trying to take control on the Mac ... but is a bit slow
- the iPhone seems to have lost its ability to answer the phone

Settings on both iMac and iPhone appear to be correct.

ODD ... anyone else having this issue?

 

[2010mini]

There is no reason this isn't on windows

Come on apple! Not everyone wants or haves a Mac.

windows has a FaceTime app???

 

[Born Again]

windows has a FaceTime app???

we know it's possible is all

 

[iPersian]

tried everything but calling is still not working..

 

[pietrov]

I've not yet tested that but... if the two devices are not connected I can send/receive green (normal) sms on the mac when I'll connect it to the iphone?

 

[cyberlocke]

What I found interesting is that even though Apple states that all the devices must be on the same WiFi network, I still get messages on my iPad even when my iPhone is on LTE.

Yep, found this out when I was texting from my computer like a fiend, all with my phone in my wife's car, 10 miles away. Pretty cool!

 

[shandyman]

Anyone able to confirm we now need to have email selected as well as number on FaceTime for cellular call on Mac?