Can I use my iPad to text?
January 5, 2018 10:22 AM Subscribe
Is there a way for me to set up my iPad so that I can fully text (SMS)? I currently use Ting and have a flip-phone. I have an iPad with 3G coverage. I use my iPad the way most people use their phone. The big problem is that people still text my phone and it is a real pain to reply. I would like to set things up so that all text messages would be sent to my iPad. I would even consider buying a new phone.
The main reason I use my iPad for everything is because a) I hardly make any phone calls, so it doesn't make sense to have two expensive devices; and b) I like the size of the iPad. My wife has an iPhone SE and I find it very difficult to type on that.
Extra details (if needed): My iPad theoretically has a phone number attached to it because of the SIM card needed to work with Ting.
I would prefer to keep using my existing phone number, but I would happily buy a smartphone (preferably a cheap one) if doing so would allow this to happen.
The main reason I use my iPad for everything is because a) I hardly make any phone calls, so it doesn't make sense to have two expensive devices; and b) I like the size of the iPad. My wife has an iPhone SE and I find it very difficult to type on that.
Extra details (if needed): My iPad theoretically has a phone number attached to it because of the SIM card needed to work with Ting.
I would prefer to keep using my existing phone number, but I would happily buy a smartphone (preferably a cheap one) if doing so would allow this to happen.
Best answer: Would you consider something like Google Voice? You could run it as an app on your ipad and send/receive texts that way.
posted by jozxyqk at 10:56 AM on January 5, 2018
posted by jozxyqk at 10:56 AM on January 5, 2018
Response by poster: I would consider Google Voice. Could I transfer my existing phone number to it?
posted by bove at 11:50 AM on January 5, 2018
posted by bove at 11:50 AM on January 5, 2018
Yes, you can transfer your number to Google Voice. See here.
posted by vert canard at 12:21 PM on January 5, 2018
posted by vert canard at 12:21 PM on January 5, 2018
Response by poster: But then I would need to put a new number on my phone and have Google Voice calls forwarded to that number. Is that right?
posted by bove at 12:25 PM on January 5, 2018
posted by bove at 12:25 PM on January 5, 2018
If you log into your iTunes account with the iPad and your phone, you should get text messages on the iPad as well.
posted by humboldt32 at 12:49 PM on January 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by humboldt32 at 12:49 PM on January 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
Correct, if you transfer your number to Google Voice, you would need a new number for your phone. And yes, Google Voice can send all calls to your phone’s new number.
posted by vert canard at 12:56 PM on January 5, 2018
posted by vert canard at 12:56 PM on January 5, 2018
Response by poster: So Google Voice sounds like it might work. I would transfer my existing number to Google Voice. Then I would get a new number for my phone.
Then anytime someone texted my ORIGINAL number, I would get that text on my iPad.
When someone calls me on my ORIGINAL number, I will get that call on my phone.
This sounds great. Then I still won't need to get a fancier phone. It also said on Google Voice's website that I could use Hangouts as my texting app. I currently use Hangouts to text my wife and daughter already, so that would be great.
posted by bove at 2:11 PM on January 5, 2018
Then anytime someone texted my ORIGINAL number, I would get that text on my iPad.
When someone calls me on my ORIGINAL number, I will get that call on my phone.
This sounds great. Then I still won't need to get a fancier phone. It also said on Google Voice's website that I could use Hangouts as my texting app. I currently use Hangouts to text my wife and daughter already, so that would be great.
posted by bove at 2:11 PM on January 5, 2018
Best answer: The only thing about Google Voice is that it can't get text messages from websites, so if you want to, say, have your bank text you a verification code, you'd have to use your flip phone number -- but that shouldn't be a problem because you wouldn't be sending a reply. There have also been some reports of intermittently not receiving SMS messages through GV.
If for whatever reason you don't want to get Google Voice, another option is to buy a cheap iPhone 4s or newer (supporting iOS 8.1 or later) that is compatible with Ting. Move your number from your flip phone to the iPhone. On your iPhone, go to Settings > FaceTime > Use your Apple ID for FaceTime > sign in with the same email and password as the Apple ID you use on your iPad. Then go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Use your Apple ID for iMessage > sign in. Also select Start New Conversations From > your phone number. Finally, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding > enable your iPad > enter verification code displayed on your iPad. (You may have to troubleshoot a bit, like resetting iMessage or restarting your devices.) You will now be able to send and receive SMS text messages on your iPad to any phone number.
posted by eyeball at 2:35 PM on January 5, 2018
If for whatever reason you don't want to get Google Voice, another option is to buy a cheap iPhone 4s or newer (supporting iOS 8.1 or later) that is compatible with Ting. Move your number from your flip phone to the iPhone. On your iPhone, go to Settings > FaceTime > Use your Apple ID for FaceTime > sign in with the same email and password as the Apple ID you use on your iPad. Then go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Use your Apple ID for iMessage > sign in. Also select Start New Conversations From > your phone number. Finally, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding > enable your iPad > enter verification code displayed on your iPad. (You may have to troubleshoot a bit, like resetting iMessage or restarting your devices.) You will now be able to send and receive SMS text messages on your iPad to any phone number.
posted by eyeball at 2:35 PM on January 5, 2018
Humboldt32 is correct. Unless I'm missing something, you should be able to simply login to your iTunes account with the iPad and your phone, and Messages will send texts to both devices.
Which version of Mac O/S are you using?
posted by LuckySeven~ at 3:37 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Which version of Mac O/S are you using?
posted by LuckySeven~ at 3:37 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
OP clearly doesn’t have an iPhone as they mentioned they would be open to buying a smartphone if necessary.
But yes that would be the simplest, if not cheapest, option.
posted by sixfootaxolotl at 5:15 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
But yes that would be the simplest, if not cheapest, option.
posted by sixfootaxolotl at 5:15 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Before you commit to transferring your number to Google Voice, I recommend trying out Google Voice first for a while to see if it works for your needs. Sign up for a Gvoice number, and try using that number to receive text messages to see how everything works with the iPad etc. I think you can then elect to transfer your original number as a primary or secondary Gvoice number.
Getting texts from websites: it depends. Most of the time it's been fine for me but occasionally a website will fail to send a text to a Gvoice number. So in those cases you'd definitely need to give it a non-Gvoice number. I have also gotten delayed texts occasionally (like, super delayed, which is not great when using it for two-factor authentication), so for accounts where I absolutely need to get texts reliably I don't use a Gvoice number.
Might not affect you if you're not going to be using it much for outgoing/incoming calls, but fwiw I also don't use Gvoice for super important phone calls -- it does some really strange things sometimes, especially on the phone -- for instance, I might get a call and answer it, but hear nothing and the line disconnects so it sounds like I hung up on someone. Or someone tries to call me but the phone doesn't ring. It's not all the time but happens often enough to be annoying. For a free service it's nice but for anything critical, I use a non-Gvoice number.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:58 PM on January 5, 2018
Getting texts from websites: it depends. Most of the time it's been fine for me but occasionally a website will fail to send a text to a Gvoice number. So in those cases you'd definitely need to give it a non-Gvoice number. I have also gotten delayed texts occasionally (like, super delayed, which is not great when using it for two-factor authentication), so for accounts where I absolutely need to get texts reliably I don't use a Gvoice number.
Might not affect you if you're not going to be using it much for outgoing/incoming calls, but fwiw I also don't use Gvoice for super important phone calls -- it does some really strange things sometimes, especially on the phone -- for instance, I might get a call and answer it, but hear nothing and the line disconnects so it sounds like I hung up on someone. Or someone tries to call me but the phone doesn't ring. It's not all the time but happens often enough to be annoying. For a free service it's nice but for anything critical, I use a non-Gvoice number.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:58 PM on January 5, 2018
If you’re open to getting an iPhone (you can get one relatively inexpensively via swappa.com) this is trivially easy to solve by having both iphone and iPad on the same iMessage account.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 6:56 AM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by rabbitrabbit at 6:56 AM on January 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd check out Pushbullet.com. I use this service on my Chrome, Windows and Android devices. It shows a pop-up on my laptop and tablet when I get a text message on my phone, and allows me to respond from my keyboard or tablet. There is IOS connectivity mentioned here too.
posted by rdauphin at 12:19 PM on January 7, 2018
posted by rdauphin at 12:19 PM on January 7, 2018
Response by poster: There are a lot of helpful suggestions here, thank you all. For right now I am using Google Voice. Because I use Ting, I couldn't switch my number to Voice, so I just got a new number and gave that to my family. I am keeping my flip phone with the original number for now too. If I don't like Voice, I will probably either get an old iPhone or use something like Pushbullet.
posted by bove at 10:44 AM on January 9, 2018
posted by bove at 10:44 AM on January 9, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 10:32 AM on January 5, 2018