How to Send a Text From a Computer to a Phone

This article explains how to send a text from a computer to an iOS or Android device.

Text From Computer Using iMessage

If you need to send text messages via iMessage on your Mac, here's how.

1. Sign in to your Mac with your Apple ID.

2. Use Spotlight Search to find the Messages app, then launch Messages on your Mac.

3. Select New Message and type and send a message as you would on your iOS device.

Send Texts From a Computer Using Google Messages

You can send and receive text messages, photos, voice messages, and videos using Google Messages on your smartphone and desktop. To link the mobile app and the web version, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Messages app on your smartphone and tap More (three vertical dots) > Device Pairing.

2. On your computer, navigate to Messages on the Web using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. You'll see a page with instructions and a QR code.

3. On your phone, tap QR code scanner.

4. Hold your phone up to the QR code on your computer screen. You'll see a You're all set message.

5. Under Remember this computer, select Yes if you're using a trusted device. Then you can opt into desktop notifications if you want, and you'll see your text history on the page.

6. You can now send and receive texts from your computer just as if you were on your Android phone.

Sync Text Messages Using Pushbullet (Android and Web Browsers)

Pushbullet syncs your texts between your smartphone, web browser, and desktop PC. It also lets you share websites and images from your smartphone to your computer (or multiple computers) and vice versa. There are Pushbullet apps for Android, Chrome, Firefox, and Windows.

1. Install and open the Pushbullet mobile app on your Android phone, then sign in with Google.

2. Tap Allow to allow Pushbullet notifications.

3. Move the Pushbullet slider to blue to turn on Pushbullet.

4. Tap Enable to turn on the ability to see your phone's notifications on your computer. Tap Allow to confirm.

5. Tap Enable to allow the ability to text from your computer or tablet, then tap OK to confirm SMS history and content syncing.

6. Go to the Pushbullet website on a computer and click Sign In, then opt to sign in via Google or Facebook.

7. You should start seeing text notifications pop up on your desktop that you can respond to. You can initiate texts, as well.

8. On the mobile Android app, tap Mirroring > Send test notification. It should show up on both your phone and computer. Dismissing the alert on either device should also dismiss it from the other.

Send Texts Using Google Voice (Cross-Platform)

You can also use Google Voice to send texts from a computer.

Here's how to send texts using Google Voice to U.S. and Canadian numbers for free.

1. On your smartphone or PC, navigate to Google Voice and sign in if necessary.

2. Select Send a message to create a new message, or select a conversation to continue a thread.

   The texts show up as sent from your Google Voice number.

Send Texts With the Samsung Messaging App

If you have a Galaxy Book or Galaxy Tab Pro S, you can send and receive text messages using the Samsung Messaging app. This application comes preinstalled on your device, so all you need to do is link your phone number. Then, launch Samsung Messaging from your home screen (or find it in your folders) to begin the setup process.

Email a Text

Another method, albeit clunkier than the others in this article, is sending a text message via email. Each wireless carrier has an email formula for doing so. For example, to send a text message (SMS) to an AT&T user, email "number@txt.att.net," but replace "number" with a 10-digit phone number. To send an MMS (multimedia message, such as a photo), email "number@mms.att.net." Check with the carrier or reference this list of carrier email addresses.

The issue here is the email could end up in the recipients' spam folder or get lost in the shuffle since it looks different from standard email addresses. You must also know which carrier the recipient uses.

Text From Computer Using SMS Websites

Finally, there are SMS websites that let you send text messages anonymously.