Text Messaging App On Mac

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I started using the Verizon Messages app several years ago to have text messages synced across mutliple devices, only one of which is a Verizon mobile device. I use the Verizon Messages app on my phone, tablet, a Windows computer and a Mac (the latter being the corporate computer). In the Messages app on your Mac, Control-click the message or attachment, then choose Forward. You can repeat this to forward multiple messages from multiple conversations at one time. Add a recipient, then press Return. All messages and attachments are sent.

Messages User Guide

You can send messages with text, photos, and other files to your friends. If you’re using macOS Catalina or later, iOS 13 or later, or iPadOS, you can send messages to businesses.

If you're a Mac user with an Android phone, some apps on your computer aren't very useful, such as Messages, which is meant to work and sync with iOS devices. But now, thanks to MDRS, LLC, using the Messages app on your Mac with an Android phone is now possible and easily achievable. Plus, we've got 50 promo codes to give away for a free year of service!

Note: Before you can send messages, you need to set up your Mac to send text messages.

Text Messaging App On Mac

Ask Siri. Say something like: “Message Mom that I’ll be late.” Learn more about Siri.

Send texts to people

  1. In the Messages app on your Mac, click the Compose button to start a new message (or use the Touch Bar).

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Send a message to one person: Type a name, an email address, or a phone number in the To field. As you type, Messages suggests matching addresses from your Contacts app or from people you’ve previously sent messages to.

      You can also click the Add button to the right of the To field. Click a contact in the list, then click the email address or phone number.

    • Send a message to more than one person: See Send a text to a group.

    If you’re restricted to sending and receiving messages with only certain people, an hourglass icon appears next to those people you can’t text.

  3. Enter your message in the field at the bottom of the window. You can include any of the following:

    • Text: Type text in the message field. You can use typing suggestions, if available.

      Tip: Press Option-Return to insert a line break in a message.

    • Photos or videos on your Mac: Drag photos (including Live Photos) or videos to the message field, or copy and paste them.

      Note: If you drag a Live Photo to your message, friends see only a still photo. If you want friends to be able to see the Live Photo play, share it from the Photos app. See Use Messages and Mail to share photos from Photos.

    • Photos or videos directly from your iPhone or iPad camera: Choose File > Insert from iPhone or iPad, then choose Take Photo or Scan Documents to take a picture or scan a document with your iPhone or iPad and insert it in your text. (Available if you have macOS Mojave 10.14 or later, iOS 12 or later, or iPadOS.) See Insert photos and scans with Continuity Camera.

    • Sketches directly from your iPhone or iPad: Choose File > Insert from iPhone or iPad > Add Sketch to draw a sketch using your finger or Apple Pencil on your iPad and insert it in your note. (Requires macOS Catalina or later, and iOS 13 or iPadOS or later.) See Insert sketches with Continuity Sketch.

    • Files or web links: Drag or copy and paste files or web links.

    • Audio clips: If you want to record an audio clip in your message, see Send audio clips in a text.

    • Emoji: Click the Emoji button to add emoji to your message. If you add three or fewer emoji, they appear as large emoji.

  4. Press Return on your keyboard to send the message.

When a message contains a request where you provide an answer, you can create a reminder. For example, if someone texts you, “Can you get milk tomorrow?” after you reply “Yes” (or something similar), a suggested reminder appears in the Reminders app under Siri Suggestions. See Add, change, or delete reminders.

Send texts to a business

If you’re using macOS Catalina or later, iOS 13 or later, or iPadOS, you can send texts to some businesses. Business Chat helps you get answers to questions, resolve issues, get advice on what to buy, make purchases with Apple Pay, and more.

  1. On your Mac, search for the business you want to chat with using Maps or open an email from the business.

    See Find a location in Maps.

  2. To start a conversation, click Message in the Map Info screen or click a link from the email.

    If this is the first time you’ve messaged this business, a new conversation is created. Otherwise, you can continue your conversation.

    You can’t send a message to a business that’s restricted by communication limits in Screen Time.

  3. Enter your message in the field at the bottom of the window. You can include any of the same content as you can when you send texts to people.

Note: Business chat messages you send appear in dark gray, to distinguish them from iMessage text messages (in blue) and SMS or MMS text messages (in green).

See the Apple Support article How to use Business Chat.

Forward a message or attachment

You can forward a message (or an attachment such as a photo or video) from a conversation.

Receive Text Messages On Mac

  1. In the Messages app on your Mac, Control-click the message or attachment, then choose Forward.

    You can repeat this to forward multiple messages from multiple conversations at one time.

  2. Add a recipient, then press Return.

    All messages and attachments are sent.

    You can’t forward a message to someone who’s restricted by communication limits in Screen Time.

Your Mac can receive and send SMS and MMS text messages through your iPhone when you set up text message forwarding. For example, if a friend sends you a text message from a phone other than iPhone, the message appears on your Mac and iPhone in Messages.

Note: To receive and send SMS and MMS messages on your Mac, your iPhone must have iOS 8.1 or later, and your iPhone and Mac must be signed in to iMessage using the same Apple ID. Additionally, you must set up your iPhone.

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See alsoSet up your Mac to send text messagesMake a video call using Messages on MacBlock texts in Messages on MacSchedule downtime in Screen Time on MacUse the Touch Bar on MacApple Support article: Use Messages with your Mac

With Messages for Mac, you can send unlimited messages to any Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that uses iMessage, Apple's secure-messaging service. iPhone owners can use it for SMS and MMS messages, too.

Set up iMessage

iMessage is the Apple messaging service you get automatically with your Apple ID.If it's not already set up, you're asked to sign in when you first open the Messages app. Sign in with same Apple ID that you use with Messages on your iPhone and other devices. It's usually the same Apple ID that you use for iCloud, the iTunes Store, the App Store, and the account you created when you first set up your Mac.

Have a conversation

  1. Click at the top of the Messages window.
  2. Address your message by typing the recipient's name, email address, or phone number. Or click and choose a recipient. If they're in your Contacts app, Messages finds them as you type. To start a group conversation, just add more recipients.
  3. Type your message in the field at the bottom of the window, then press Return to send it.
    • To include emoji, click.
    • To include an image or other file, just drag or paste it into the message field. Or use Continuity Camera to capture a photo or scan directly from your iPhone or iPad camera.
    • To include an audio recording, clickand record your message.
  4. After starting a conversation, click Details in the corner of the window to take other actions, including:
    • Choose not to be disturbed by notifications about this conversation.
    • Use FaceTime to start an audio call or video call .
    • Share a screen .
    • See the recipient's location—if they're sharing their location with you.
    • Review all of the photos and files that were exchanged in the conversation.
    • Add a group name, add members to a group, or leave a group. If the group has four or more members, you can remove members: Control-click the member's name, then choose Remove from Conversation.

With macOS Sierra or later, you can also use Siri to send, read, and reply to Messages:

  • ”Send a message to Susan and Johnny saying I'll be late' or ”Tell Johnny Appleseed the show is about to start” or ”Text a message to 408 555 1212.”
  • ”Read the last message from Brian Park” or ”Read my new messages.”
  • ”Reply that's great news” or ”Tell him I'll be there in 10 minutes.”

Add a Tapback to a message

macOS Sierra introduces Tapback to the Mac. A Tapback is a quick response that expresses what you think about a message, such as that you like it or think it's funny. In the image above, the heart next to ”See you then!' is a Tapback. Here's how to do it:

  1. Control-click a message bubble to open a shortcut menu.
  2. Choose Tapback from the menu.
  3. Click a Tapback to add it to the message bubble.

Text Messaging App On Computer

Your Tapback is visible to everyone in the conversation who is using iMessage with macOS Sierra or later or iOS 10 or later. Other iMessage users see 'Liked' or 'Laughed at' or 'Emphasized,' for example, followed by the text of that message.

iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch also have Tapback, as well as other message effects available only on those devices. Most such affects look the same on your Mac when you receive them. Others appear as a description of the effect, such as ”(sent with Loud Effect).”

Send text messages to anyone from your Mac

If you have an iPhone with a text messaging plan, learn how to set up text message forwarding so you can send and receive SMS and MMS messages from your Mac.

Text Messaging App On Mac Windows 10

Delete a message or conversation

When you permanently delete a message or conversation, you can't get it back. So make sure that you save important information from your messages.

To delete a message:

  1. Open a message conversation.
  2. Control-click the blank area of a message bubble that you want to delete.
  3. Choose Delete.
  4. Click Delete.

To delete a conversation:

Android Text Messages On Mac

  1. Control-click a conversation.
  2. Choose Delete Conversation.
  3. Click Delete.

Learn more

  • To learn more about Messages, choose Messages Help from the Help menu in Messages.
  • If you get an error when trying to sign in to iMessage, learn what to do.

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