You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iPad won’t send messages to non Apple users

My iPad 7th generation will no longer send messages to non Apple users.

iPad, iPadOS 14

Posted on Jul 26, 2021 10:27 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 26, 2021 10:33 AM

The iPad cannot send messages to non-iOS users unless you have it configured with Text Message forwarding to an iPhone. On your iPhone, go to Settings>Phone>Text Message Forwarding and select your iPad.

4 replies

Jul 26, 2021 10:44 AM in response to Gator Granny

See this support document, How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support There is a section about not seeing that command. Both devices need to be signed into the same Apple ID.


* Don't see the Text Message Forwarding setting on your iPhone? Go to Settings > Messages, turn off iMessage, turn it back on, tap Send & Receive, tap Use Your Apple ID for iMessage, then sign in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.

Jul 26, 2021 10:49 AM in response to Gator Granny

Do you have an iPhone - or just an iPad?


An iPad, whether a Cellular model or not, is not capable of directly accessing Cellular Voice or SMS/MMS Messaging features. An iPad with either WiFi or Cellular connectivity alone can only access IP-data services.


However, If paired with an iPhone, the capabilities of iPad significantly broaden to include access to Cellular Voice and Messaging services of the associated iPhone - relayed to the iPad over WiFi using Apple’s continuity features.


More information about Continuity and the relevant Cellular services can be found here:


Continuity

Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch – Apple Support


SMS/MMS Messaging

How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


WiFi Calling

Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling – Apple Support



If you have an iPhone - and both iPad and iPhone are signed-in to iCloud with the same AppleID, to send SMS/MMS messages from your iPad you must explicitly enable Text Message Forwarding for your iPad on your iPhone...


On your iPhone:

Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding - set to ON - and explicitly enable your iPad from the list of devices.


Also ensure that Messages in iCloud is enabled on both your iPhone and iPad:

Settings > [Your Name / AppleID] > Messages - set to ON


iPad won’t send messages to non Apple users

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.