How to set up "Messages" in MacBook to message to & from Androids?

[JBR]

I have a MacBook Pro. Using the Messages app that a purchaser gets with the MBP, I've been able to send & receive text messages with some friends. I've heard there's a way to set up Messages so that messaging will work with Android phones, etc.
I've tried to find relevant settings in "Messages" preferences. I've searched online for instructions, but none seem to help. Is the Messages app that was gratis with a 2022 MBP limited in some way?

Have you enabled the capability? If so, please share info on how to do this? Thanks.

 

[Paco Dennis]

This answer is going to come from "DeepSeek" AI. It is an open source AI system that rivals the best America has or the world ( It is Chinese ). I am experimenting with it. I asked it your question @JBR . I have no knowledge of apple products.

The Messages app on your MacBook Pro is primarily designed to work with Apple's iMessage service, which allows you to send and receive messages with other Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.) using an Apple ID. Unfortunately, iMessage is not compatible with Android devices, as it relies on Apple's proprietary messaging system.
However, there are a few workarounds you can try to send and receive messages from Android phones on your MacBook Pro:

1. Use Email for Messaging​

• You can send messages to Android users via email if they have an email-to-SMS gateway set up with their carrier. For example, if your friend's phone number is (123) 456-7890 and their carrier is Verizon, you can send an email to 1234567890@vtext.com, and it will be delivered as a text message to their phone. The email domain varies by carrier, so you'll need to know the recipient's carrier and the correct email format.

2. Use a Third-Party Messaging App​

• Many cross-platform messaging apps (like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal) have desktop versions that work on macOS. If you and your Android-using friends are willing to use one of these apps, you can install the desktop version on your MacBook Pro and sync it with your phone.

3. Forward Texts from Your iPhone (if you have one)​

• If you also own an iPhone, you can enable Text Message Forwardingin the iPhone's settings to forward SMS/MMS messages (including those from Android users) to your Mac. To do this:
  
  1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
  2. Turn on the toggle for your MacBook Pro.
  3. A verification code will appear on your Mac; enter this code on your iPhone to confirm.
• This will allow you to receive and send SMS/MMS messages on your Mac, but it requires an iPhone to act as the intermediary.

4. Use Google Messages for Web​

• If you or your Android-using friends use Google Messages as the default messaging app on their Android phones, you can access messages on your Mac via the web:
  
  1. On the Android phone, open the Google Messages app.
  2. Tap the three-dot menu and select Messages for web.
  3. Scan the QR code displayed on the web page using your phone's camera.
  4. You can now send and receive messages from your Mac's browser.

5. Consider Alternative Messaging Solutions​

• If none of the above options work for you, you might consider using a universal messaging platform like Google Voice or Skype, which allow you to send messages to both Android and iOS users from your Mac.

Limitations of the Messages App​

The Messages app on your MacBook Pro is not inherently limited, but its functionality is tied to Apple's ecosystem. It cannot natively send or receive SMS/MMS messages without an iPhone or another Apple device acting as a bridge. For messaging Android users, you'll need to rely on one of the workarounds mentioned above.
Let me know if you need further clarification or help setting up any of these options!

 

[Nathan]

I have a MacBook Pro. Using the Messages app that a purchaser gets with the MBP, I've been able to send & receive text messages with some friends. I've heard there's a way to set up Messages so that messaging will work with Android phones, etc.
I've tried to find relevant settings in "Messages" preferences. I've searched online for instructions, but none seem to help. Is the Messages app that was gratis with a 2022 MBP limited in some way?

Have you enabled the capability? If so, please share info on how to do this? Thanks.

You've got me curious, I just bought an iPad Mini so I'm trying to set up Messages right now, using these instructions.

 

[JBR]

Thanks PD.

 

[JBR]

Thanks Nathan. Good luck. I'll be seeing if I can make something work.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I have an iPad , and mine is set up for iMessages, which come from other apple devices, and for text messages, which would come from other phones or devices .
Go to settings, then your name, then sign-in and security, then email or phone number. Make sure you have both an email and phone number, and you can add more than one of either.
Next (in settings), go to apps, then messages, then send and receive. Make sure you have both a phone and email in there, too.
Then you should receive messages from anyone once these are turned on properly.

This might look a little different on a MacBook, but the process should be the same.

 

[JBR]

I have an iPad , and mine is set up for iMessages, which come from other apple devices, and for text messages, which would come from other phones or devices .
Go to settings, then your name, then sign-in and security, then email or phone number. Make sure you have both an email and phone number, and you can add more than one of either.
Next (in settings), go to apps, then messages, then send and receive. Make sure you have both a phone and email in there, too.
Then you should receive messages from anyone once these are turned on properly.

This might look a little different on a MacBook, but the process should be the same.

Thanks. But from what I've learned, Messages (which is what my laptop came with) and iMessage (which seems to be standard with iPhones and iPads) are actually different.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

The green message icon for the MacBook and the iPad are the same thing. All apple devices have this messaging system on them, and if you set it up to receive messages from phones to your phone number, you will get the messages on your imessage app, from either device. check it out and see.