Why forwarding beats retyping
When you forward a text, the other person sees exactly what you saw: the same words, the same link, the same odd spelling. That matters when you want a second opinion on a message that feels wrong.
The person who sent you the text is not told that you forwarded it. You also do not need to open any link in the message. You only touch the message bubble itself.
Forward one text
- Open the Messages app and open the conversation.
- Touch and hold the message bubble you want to pass on. Keep your finger still for about a second until a small menu appears.
- Tap More. A small circle appears next to each message, and the one you held now has a check mark.
- Tap the curved arrow in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Type the name or phone number of the person you want to send it to, then tap the send arrow.
Forward a few texts together
After you tap More, tap the empty circle next to any other bubble you want to include. Each one you check is sent along in the same order. This helps when a scammer sent a story in several pieces.
Report a scam text to your carrier
- Forward the text to 7726 using the steps above. The number spells SPAM on the keypad, and the report is free.
- Your carrier may text back asking for the phone number the scam came from. Copy it from the top of the original conversation and send it.
- Then delete the original conversation and block the sender.
If you cannot find More or the arrow
- A quick tap can open a link. Press and hold instead, and wait for the menu.
- If a row of small reactions appears, like a heart and a thumbs up, look just below it for More.
- Photos and videos work the same way: touch and hold, tap More, then tap the arrow.
- If forwarding still feels fiddly, touch and hold the bubble, tap Copy, open a new message, touch and hold the typing box, and tap Paste. This sends the words but not the sender's number.
Stuck on a step?
Text Uncle at +1 208 214 0093 and tell him what you see on your screen. He walks you through it in plain words, one step at a time.
Read next
- Report spam texts to 7726
- Screenshot on iPhone
- Block a number on iPhone
- Forward a text on Android
- See all guides
Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
Text Uncle