Messages on Mac will NOT Send to Android/SMS - Forwarding ON on Phone

[Scott Baret]

We have a MacBook Pro here that was recently set up to sync with a new iPhone for texts. The user of it wants to only message from the computer, not the phone.

We got everything set up properly last night. Apple ID? Check. Sending iMessages? Check. Turning on "text message forwarding" on the iPhone? Check.

However, the phone will NOT send to any SMS/Android number (green bubble). We tried restarting both the Mac and the iPhone. We tried toggling iMessage on and off. We tried toggling "text message forwarding" on and off.

No dice.

Is there something else we are missing here? The phone can RECEIVE an SMS/Android text just fine, but cannot send them. It gets stuck about 9/10 the way through and then times out.

The phone is in a good place to send the messages and the other MacBook Pro we have around does this just fine. We also know it's not an issue with our internet as we are using wired internet here. The other MacBook Pro (on another phone) is sending these messages properly over Ethernet as well.

What other steps can we take to get this working? Our client needs this done ASAP.

 

[MacInWin]

The user of it wants to only message from the computer, not the phone.

SMS goes thru the cell service, so i believe you cannot send an SMS without involving the phone.

But maybe I misunderstand as the rest of your post refers to the iPhone, not the Mac. Maybe if you described the isse again?

 

[Scott Baret]

SMS goes thru the cell service, so i believe you cannot send an SMS without involving the phone.

But maybe I misunderstand as the rest of your post refers to the iPhone, not the Mac. Maybe if you described the isse again?

Yes, it goes to the phone, but should sync to Messages on the Mac. It's sending the messages to the Mac but the Mac can't send the messages outbound.

 

[Jimmysb]

So just checked my Mac messages, and sent one to Mrs B who is on Android, no problems, my setting are below, I have not included my numbers that are not in the screenshot

 

[Raz0rEdge]

On your iPhone, Settings->Messages, go to the Text Message Forwarding section and click into it. You should see the name of the Mac there. If you do, things are setup properly. If you see a different name or nothing at all, that explains the issue.

I have this setup for two Macs (MBA and Mac Studio) and see I both of them in the list. My MBA has "Messages in iCloud" enabled, so that device is automatically set up for this. My Mac Studio doesn't have thus turned on it seems, so for that I can choose to enable or disable forwarding on the phone.

 

[Scott Baret]

The Mac's name is there and that is checked on. That is not the issue.

I did see another problem though. The iMessage on the phone is stuck in "waiting for activation" and I have a feeling that may be the culprit. Any ideas how to fix this?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Never seen that issue before, but tons of links on a search about it, so do a quick search and try the recommended things.

 

[Rod]

I had a vaguely similar issue some time back sending iMessages to an overseas phone number from iPhone to iPhone. I know that sounds completely different BUT, what solved it was to send the iMessage to the recipient's email address (their Apple ID) rather than their phone number.
This may be a solution or not but in the end it was a simple fix for me. Of course it helps if the recipient has their phone set up to receive from their email/s as well as their phone number. This is in the "Send an Receive From" addresses in Messages settings.