We all get our text messages on our phones, but are you receiving your messages on your computer or iPad?  Introducing Apple Continuity!

Link your iPhone number to your Apple ID.  Then, you can use your phone number with iMessages on your Mac or iPad.

Here is how to add an account and some helpful tips to sync your messages, tweak your settings and stay connected on all your devices.

1. First, we need to link your phone number with your Apple ID that is used on your phone.

On your iPhone navigate to Settings > Messages

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Choose Send & Receive > Select “Use your Apple ID for iMessage” and sign in using your Apple ID and password.

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Select the phone number and email addresses that you want to sync.

2. Next, on your computer open Messages and if this is the first time using Messages, you will be prompted to sign in with the same Apple ID that you just entered on your iPhone. Select the phone number and emails that you want to be reached at.

If you have used Messages in the past and you want to add your Apple Account, you can do so by selecting Add Account from the Messages menu.

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You will then get a notification on your iPhone saying that your Apple ID and iPhone are now being used with iMessage on your Mac.

3. Last,  you will want to set up Text Forwarding

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With Text message forwarding you do not have to be on your iPhone to communicate via text. Any text messages that arrives on your iPhone will automatically be forwarded to your Mac or iPad via the Messages app.

On you iPhone go to Settings > Messages>Text Message Forwarding

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Enable the devices that you want your messages to go to.

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You will then receive a verification code on the computer that will need to enter on your iPhone.

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Bonus Information for Tweaking Your Settings 

If you would like to see your text messages in your Notifications, navigate to the Notification Icon in the top right corner of your screen  notification icon.jpg
Click on Messages, then choose if you want to see Banners or Alerts.  There are also other options to tweak.

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Here is what a message that comes in as an Alert looks like.

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You will have to click “Mark as Read” or “Reply” for it to be dismissed.  When you click Reply, a small screen will drop down and you can type your reply and send directly from the notification.

If you choose Banners the message will appear and dismiss automatically.

You will also find many settings for sounds, text size etc  in Messages>Preferences

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