In this quick step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to have your iPhone SMS, MMS, RCS texts, and iMessages show up inside the Messages app on your Mac.
This feature, officially called Messages in iCloud, ensures that all your texts are available across all your Apple devices.
Turning on Messages in iCloud lets you access, reply to, and delete texts on your Mac, and these changes will also show up on your iPhone.
Additionally, with this feature enabled, you’ll get notifications for new SMS, MMS, and RCS texts right on your Mac (new iMessage notifications show up even if you don’t turn on Messages in iCloud but use the same iMessage/Apple account on your Mac and iPhone).
On top of this, with Messages in iCloud activated on your computer, you can autofill one-time codes in Safari on Mac, without touching your iPhone. It’s really effortless (when it works).
What you need to see iPhone messages on Mac
Messages in iCloud requires the following:
- Sign in to the same Apple Account on both devices
- Sufficient free iCloud space (messages stored in iCloud count towards your allocated storage space)
- Connect both devices to the internet
- Turn on the feature, as mentioned below
Sync iPhone messages to Mac
It requires enabling Messages in iCloud on both your iOS and macOS devices. We’ve explained everything in two simple steps.
Step 1: Turn on Messages in iCloud on iPhone
1) Open the iOS Settings app.
2) Tap your Apple Account name at the top.
3) Tap iCloud.
4) Tap Messages.
5) Turn on Use on this iPhone.
Now, your iPhone will start uploading all your messages to iCloud, which can take a long time, especially if you have thousands of texts and a slow internet.
Step 2: Turn on Messages in iCloud on Mac
1) Launch System Settings on your Mac.
2) Click your Apple Account name in the top left corner.
3) Select iCloud.
4) Click Messages.
5) Turn on the switch for Use on this Mac and click Done.
Your Mac will now download all messages your iPhone has uploaded to iCloud. Open the macOS Messages app to see them.
From now on, your iPhone messages will be uploaded to iCloud and downloaded to your Mac regularly in the background. For reliable sync, it’s best to leave your iPhone connected to Wi-Fi and charging overnight. If you don’t connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi regularly, you may notice that old messages have not synced to iCloud over cellular data. In this case, return to iOS Messages in iCloud settings and use the Sync Now button to do it manually.
Additionally, remember that most iCloud sync features, such as iCloud Photos and Messages in iCloud, are suspended temporarily when your iPhone and Mac are in Low Power Mode.
If you have multiple MacBooks and Mac desktops, repeat the above steps on all computers where you want to access your iPhone messages. However, I would not recommend using it on Macs you share with other people, such as your office computer or one in the guest room. If you must have access to iPhone messages on such computers, create a separate account and then turn it on there. Don’t let anyone else use this account or disclose its login passcode.
You can also use the same steps as above to access all your iPhone messages on another iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro, provided all devices are using the same Apple ID.
If your iMessages don’t show up on Mac
Follow these quick steps to ensure iMessage is active with the same accounts on your iPhone and Mac. This will ensure the same iMessage texts on both devices.
- Open the macOS Messages app and click Messages > Settings in the top menu bar.
- Go to the iMessage tab.
- Make sure the Apple Account matches the one on your iPhone. Then, make sure the phone number and email addresses you see under the “You can be reached for messages at” are the same as those checked in your iPhone Settings > Apps > Messages > Send & Receive.