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How to send sms text on iPad without iPhone?

How do I send sms text message on iPad without iPhone? Have cellular data SIM card.

iPad Mini 5, iPadOS 14

Posted on Jan 21, 2021 1:16 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 21, 2021 2:09 AM

I have an iPad and no iPhone. Adding this iPad phone number to my Apple ID will not allow this iPad to send and receive sms text messages? I can iMessage my wife iPhone currently but trying to send sms text to non apple, non iMessage is not going.

4 replies

Jan 21, 2021 1:59 AM in response to Firehawk510

Do you have an iPhone - or just an iPad?


An iPad, whether a Cellular model or not, is not capable of directly accessing Cellular Voice or SMS/MMS Messaging features. An iPad with either WiFi or Cellular connectivity alone can only access IP-data services.


However, If paired with an iPhone, the capabilities of iPad significantly broaden to include access to Cellular Voice and Messaging services of the associated iPhone - relayed to the iPad over WiFi using Apple’s continuity features.


More information about Continuity and the relevant Cellular services can be found here:


Continuity

Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch – Apple Support


SMS/MMS Messaging

How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support


WiFi Calling

Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling – Apple Support



If you have an iPhone - and both iPad and iPhone are signed-in to iCloud with the same AppleID, to send SMS/MMS messages from your iPad you must explicitly enable Text Message Forwarding for your iPad on your iPhone...


On your iPhone:

Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding - set to ON - and explicitly enable your iPad from the list of devices.


Also ensure that Messages in iCloud is enabled on both your iPhone and iPad:

Settings > [Your Name / AppleID] > Messages - set to ON


Jan 21, 2021 4:48 AM in response to Firehawk510

An iPad, whether a Cellular model or not, is not capable of directly accessing Cellular Voice or SMS/MMS Messaging features. An iPad with either WiFi or Cellular connectivity alone can only access IP-data services.


If you have a Cellular iPad with an active Cellular contract, the “number” associated with your contract/SIM is only used to identify your Cellular account for billing purposes. This number cannot be used for Cellular SMS/MMS or Calling purposes.


Unless you have an iPhone signed-in to your AppleID, your iPad can natively only access Apple’s proprietary Messaging - which cannot send/receive messages to non-Apple devices.

How to send sms text on iPad without iPhone?

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