How to Text From Your Computer: 10 Apps to View and Send Text Messages

Despite the convenience of instant messaging, SMS still plays an important role for automated alerts and messaging people with older phones. If you use SMS often, you might want to check your text messages online so you can respond faster with your computer keyboard.

As it turns out, there are many ways you can view and send text messages from the comfort of your computer. Here are the best apps for checking your SMS messages on a computer. Note that all of these solutions are for Android only, unless otherwise specified.

1. iMessage (iOS, Mac)

iPhone users only have one real option for viewing texts on a computer. Apple doesn’t allow alternative SMS clients, so you have to use the built-in Messages app. While there are a few downsides to it, the default messaging and SMS app does come with plenty of great features. One of those is cloud sync, which allows you to read or reply to SMS messages using your Mac’s native Messages app.

If you’re already using the Messages app but are unable to view the conversations from a Mac, you’ll have to enable iCloud Sync on your phone. To do that, go into Settings > [Your name] > iCloud and turn on Messages.

Sadly, Windows users with an iPhone don’t have any official option for checking their iOS texts. We’ll look at a workaround option below.

2. Google Voice (Web)

Google Voice users can view their messages through the official web app. You can compose new messages, and it even supports media previews. On the same page, you also have access to your Google Voice phone logs, voicemail, and more.

To use it, all you need to do is head over to the Google Voice website on your computer, sign in with your account, and you’re all set. If you don’t use Google Voice yet, you can get a number for free.

Unlike most other solutions on the list, Google Voice’s web app doesn’t require a constant phone connection, since all your conversations are stored on Google’s servers. Unfortunately, Google Voice is limited to the US for now.

Visit: Google Voice (Free)

3. Android Messages

Google’s default SMS app on stock Android, Android Messages, has a web client as well. It features a Material Design theme and a familiar two-column layout, with support for individual and group conversations.

In addition, you can enable dark mode from its settings. There’s an option for receiving notifications in your browser too.

To get started, open the Android Messages website. Once there, fire up the Messages app on your phone and under the three-dot menu, tap Messages for web. Follow the steps to scan the code and you should be online in a few seconds.

In case you’d like to install Android Messages and don’t have a compatible Android phone, try sideloading the latest APK file.

Download: Android Messages | Android Messages APK (Free)

4. Pushbullet

Apart from letting you quickly share files and mirror notifications from your phone to a PC, Pushbullet also has a dedicated SMS tab. You’ll find all your existing conversations there, and can view or reply with both text and media. It also supports starting new conversations.

If you didn’t enable SMS mirroring during Pushbullet’s setup process, launch the app on your phone. Then, swipe out from the left edge to reveal the navigation drawer and choose SMS. Enable SMS sync and you’ll be asked to grant the necessary permissions. Once that’s over, you should all set.

On your computer, there are multiple ways you can view your messages. You can download the desktop apps or browser extensions, or sign in at the Pushbullet website. Note that you’re limited to 100 messages per month unless you pay for Pushbullet’s Pro plan.

Download: Pushbullet for Android | Desktop (Free, subscription available)

5. Pulse SMS

Pulse is a third-party SMS client that offers lots of advanced features. This includes a wide range of themes to choose from, password protection, message scheduling, previews for web links, a ton of nifty shortcuts, and of course, the ability to get your texts on your computer. The Pulse web app functions a lot like Android Messages and comes with a modern, clean aesthetic.

However, these supplementary features are not free. For syncing your SMS conversations across devices, Pulse charges a monthly fee of $1, or $6 for a year. Alternatively, you can pay a one-time fee of $11 for lifetime access.

Download: Pulse SMS for Android | Web (Free, subscription available)

6. MightyText

If you’re looking for a comprehensive platform to use SMS on your computer, particularly for business purposes, try MightyText. Along with letting you text from your PC, MightyText has several extra utilities like an SMS scheduler, a multi-window mode where you can attend to numerous chats at once, and more.

MightyText can do a lot of what Pushbullet offers, including notification mirroring. Because the free version has a monthly cap for how many SMS messages you can send, you have to purchase the subscription for unlimited access. It’s available as a web app and an extension for nearly all browsers.

Download: MightyText for Android | Desktop (Free, subscription available)

7. AirDroid

We’ve looked at AirDroid before, as it’s one of the best ways to access your Android phone from a computer. In addition to checking and sending texts, you can access photos, videos, and music, move files, and much more.

To get started with AirDroid, install the app on your Android device. Once it’s ready, go to web.airdroid.com on your computer and you’ll see a QR code. Tap the Scan icon at the top of the screen on your phone and scan the QR code to connect the two.

From there, just click the Messages icon in AirDroid to start managing your text messages. The free version has some limitations, but it’s fine for basic use. And while AirDroid offers an iOS version, it doesn’t let you access text messages.

Download: AirDroid for Android | AirDroid Web (Free, subscription available)

8. Your Phone (Windows 10)

Microsoft has updated Windows 10 to include a feature called Your Phone. This makes it easy to manage certain aspects of your device right from your computer, including text messages.

To set up Your Phone, first install the app on your Android device. Open it, then you’ll need to sign in with your Microsoft account and give it permissions to manage content. On your computer, go to Settings > Phone. Click Add a phone to open the Your Phone app and walk through the steps of signing in on your PC.

As long as you’re signed in on both devices and have them on the same network, you can use Your Phone to send messages, view photos, and even make calls. Unlike other offerings, it doesn’t have any limitations or a paid subscription. And like AirDroid, Your Phone also works on iOS, but it can’t sync text messages on that platform.

Download: Your Phone Companion for Android | Your Phone for Windows 10 (Free)

9. Email to SMS Extension (Google Chrome)

We’ve looked at all sorts of solutions for accessing your own text messages on your computer. For something a little different, check out a Chrome extension called Send Your Email to SMS.

This extension adds a simple Mobile button when you’re composing a new message in Gmail. Click it, then enter the phone numbers you want to send the email to. This will send the recipient(s) a copy of your email via text message.

It’s useful if you’re contacting someone who rarely checks their email, or if you work in Gmail all day and don’t want to open a separate app to send SMS reminders.

Note that this extension only works for numbers in the US and Canada.

Download: Send Your Email to SMS for Chrome (Free)

10. Screen Mirroring (All)

If none of the above work for your needs, you can always try the somewhat-clumsy solution of screen mirroring. This allows you to replicate your phone’s entire display on your computer and interact with it just like you were using it. Of course, this means you can view your texts on your computer by opening your SMS app.

There are many screen mirroring apps available, depending on what platforms you use. Some are free with limitations, while others are paid. To get started, see how to mirror your Android screen to a computer or how to mirror your iPhone or iPad on a Windows PC.

Now You Can Text From Your PC Easily

The majority of the apps we discussed are for Android users, since Apple doesn’t allow third-party SMS clients on iOS. But no matter whether you use SMS all the time or only once in a while, there’s an app here that lets you access your texts on your PC.

If this wasn’t quite what you were looking for, check out some free web services that let you send texts from another number. And see how you can put SMS to better use with these cool services.

Read the full article: How to Text From Your Computer: 10 Apps to View and Send Text Messages

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