Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices (2024)

FAQs

Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices? ›

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Do one of the following: iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, or later: Tap Show All, tap Messages in iCloud, then turn on “Use on this iPhone.” iOS 16 to 17.1 or iPadOS 16 to 17.1: Tap Show All, tap Messages, then turn on Sync this [device].

Access your messages on all your Apple devices

And, when you sign in with the same Apple ID on a new device that also has Messages in iCloud turned on, all your conversations show up there automatically. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, then tap Show All. Turn on Messages (if it's not already turned on).

On your Mac, disable iMessage by deselecting 'Enable Messages in iCloud' in iMessage settings, waiting for a few seconds, and then re-enabling it. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and toggle off iMessage. Then, toggle it back on.

Make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices. Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you're not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.

You can use iCloud Drive on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Windows computer, and on iCloud.com.

If you have an iPhone and another iOS device, like an iPad, your iMessage settings might be set to receive and start messages from your Apple ID instead of your phone number. To check if your phone number is set to send and receive messages, go to Settings > Messages, and tap Send & Receive.

To move text messages from Android to Android phones, open Settings on your old phone. Then, go into Google, hit the All services tab, and tap Backup. Ensure Backup by Google One is enabled. Scroll down and ensure SMS and MMS messages are listed.

Verify that you have text message forwarding turned on your iPhone. On your iPhone, select Settings / Messages. Select "text message forwarding." If your iPad is already selected, deselect it then turn it back on. You may receive a code on your iPad that you will need to enter on your iPhone to reactivate it.

If you have an iPhone and another iOS or iPadOS device, like an iPad, your iMessage settings might be set to receive and start messages from your Apple ID instead of your phone number. To check if your phone number is set to send and receive messages: In the Settings app, tap Messages. Tap Send & Receive.

If both of your devices are signed in to the same iCloud account, the messages would come in to each device, but to sync removal, you'll want to make sure that Messages in iCloud is on, as that will sync them with all devices.

How do I get my iPad and iPhone to sync text messages? ›

On both devices, go to "Settings" → "Apple ID" → "iCloud" → toggle on "Messages" to sync. On your iPhone, go to "Settings" → "Messages" → "Send & Receive," and check the phone number(s) and email address(es) you want to use.

Access your messages on all your Apple devices

When you turn on Messages in iCloud, every message you send and receive on your iPad is saved in iCloud. And, when you sign in with the same Apple ID on a new device that also has Messages in iCloud turned on, all your conversations show up there automatically.

Access the same messages on all your devices

Because your messages are in the cloud, if you send, receive, or delete a message on one device, those updates appear everywhere. You see the most up-to-date version of your messages, no matter where you access them.

Store information in iCloud and access it everywhere

To see the same information on each device, just sign in with the same Apple ID. For example, if you sign in to your iPhone with your Apple ID and turn on Contacts in iCloud settings, the contacts you create in the Contacts app on your iPhone are stored in the cloud.

Your iPhone automatically syncs your data with icloud. There is not timer setting for sync. Usually it is triggered by changes in a app like contacts.

When you use iCloud, you can access your photos, files, passwords, and other data on any device you choose. Because your data is stored in the cloud and not on a single device, it stays up to date everywhere. For example, if you turn on iCloud Photos on your iPhone and Mac, you see the same photos on both devices.

Please verify that Messages is enabled on both your iPhone and iPad in Settings > Tap your account > iCloud. Please verify that iMessage is enabled on your iPhone and iPad in Settings > Messages. Please verify that Text Message forwarding is enabled on your iPhone in Settings > Messages.

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages. Tap Text Message Forwarding. (If you don't see it, turn iMessage off and back on, then tap Send & Receive and sign in again.) Tap to turn on each device that you want to allow to send and receive SMS/MMS messages from this iPhone.

If you receive messages on one device but not the other

If you have an iPhone and another iOS or iPadOS device, like an iPad, your iMessage settings might be set to receive and start messages from your Apple ID instead of your phone number.