How do I forward a text message on Android?

Open the conversation, then touch and hold the message you want to pass on until a menu appears. Tap Forward, pick the person or group, and tap Send. This works the same way in Google Messages and Samsung Messages, and for photos and links as well as words.

Steps to check

1. Open the conversation and touch and hold the message

   Open your messages app and tap the conversation that has the text you want to forward. Put your finger on that one message bubble and keep it there for a second, until the bubble is highlighted and a menu or a row of icons appears. If the phone only zooms or nothing happens, try holding a little longer on the words of the message, not the empty space beside it.

2. Tap Forward

   In Google Messages, Google lists Forward in the touch and hold menu, along with Copy and Select more. If your phone shows a row of icons instead of words, look for Forward there or behind the three dots (More). Forward works for every kind of message, including photos, videos, and links.

   • Samsung In Samsung Messages, press and hold the message, then tap Forward. Samsung has discontinued Samsung Messages in the US and recommends Google Messages, so newer Galaxy phones follow the Google Messages steps.
   • Pixel Pixel phones use Google Messages: touch and hold the message → Forward.
   • Motorola Motorola phones use Google Messages, so the steps are the same as Pixel.

3. Pick who gets it, then tap Send

   A list of your recent conversations and contacts appears. Tap the person or group you want to send it to. If you do not see them, type their name or number in the search box. The message opens in that conversation, ready to go. You can add a few words of your own before you tap Send. The other person sees it as a normal text from you, not from the original sender.

   • Samsung In Samsung Messages, select the contact or contacts, tap Compose or Done, then tap Send.

4. Forward several messages at once

   To pass on more than one message, touch and hold the first one, tap Select more, then tap each extra message so it is checked. Then tap Forward and pick who gets them, the same way as above.

5. Send a text to an email address instead

   Forward sends to phone contacts, not email. To put a text in an email, touch and hold the message and tap Copy. Then open your email app, start a new email, touch and hold in the body, and tap Paste. For a photo of the whole conversation, you can also take a screenshot and attach it to the email.

Normal vs. not

Common questions

Can I forward a picture or a link the same way?

Yes. Google says touch and hold works on all message types, including images, videos, and links. Touch and hold the picture, tap Forward, pick the person, and tap Send.

Will the person I forward it to know who sent it first?

No, not unless the message itself says so. It arrives as a text from you. If it matters, add a short note like "This came from the pharmacy" before you tap Send.

Should I forward a suspicious text to check if it is real?

Do not forward it to friends or tap its links. Your carrier and Google Messages have ways to report spam. Our guide on stopping spam texts shows how to report and block it.

I don't see Forward. What now?

Make sure you touched and held a single message, not the conversation in the main list. If you still only see icons, tap the three dots. You can also use Copy and then paste the text into a new message.

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