WhatsApp is the most-used messaging app in the world, and many people prefer to manage all their conversations there. With Fwrdly, you can forward SMS messages from your iPhone directly to any WhatsApp chat.
What You’ll Need
- iPhone running iOS 16 or later
- Fwrdly installed
- WhatsApp installed on your iPhone
How WhatsApp Forwarding Works
Because WhatsApp doesn’t support official incoming webhooks like Slack or Telegram, Fwrdly uses WhatsApp’s deep link protocol to forward messages. When an SMS arrives:
- Fwrdly detects the message
- Opens WhatsApp with the message pre-filled
- You confirm the send with one tap — or it sends automatically if you have the right setup
This approach works within WhatsApp’s terms of service and doesn’t require any third-party tools.
Step 1: Add WhatsApp as a Destination
- Open Fwrdly
- Tap “Add destination”
- Select WhatsApp
- Enter the WhatsApp number you want to forward to (with country code, e.g.
+14155552671) - Tap Save
Step 2: Enable Forwarding
Toggle “Enable forwarding” ON. When the next SMS arrives, Fwrdly will open WhatsApp with the forwarded message ready to send.
Forwarding to a WhatsApp Group
To forward to a group chat, you’ll need the group’s invite link or ID. In WhatsApp:
- Open the group → tap the group name at the top
- Tap “Invite to Group via Link”
- Copy the link and extract the group ID
- Paste the group ID in Fwrdly’s WhatsApp destination
Use Cases for WhatsApp SMS Forwarding
International number management If you have a local SIM card abroad and want texts forwarded to your main WhatsApp number, this setup keeps everything in one place.
Family sharing Forward texts from important contacts (school, doctor, delivery services) to a family WhatsApp group so everyone stays informed.
Business number Forward customer SMS from a dedicated business number to your personal WhatsApp for easy management.
Tips for Smoother Forwarding
- Keep WhatsApp updated to the latest version
- Make sure Fwrdly has permission to open other apps
- For highest reliability, add the destination contact to your WhatsApp before setting up forwarding
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp forwarding work automatically without me tapping? The deep-link approach opens WhatsApp with the message pre-filled. Fully automatic background sending (without any tap) is available in Fwrdly Pro using WhatsApp Business API integration.
Can I forward to WhatsApp Business? Yes. Enter the WhatsApp Business number the same way as a regular number.
Will the recipient see my iPhone number? They’ll see the forwarded message content with the original sender’s info included as text. The message appears from your WhatsApp account.
Is this against WhatsApp’s terms of service? Using WhatsApp’s official deep link protocol is fully compliant with their terms. Fwrdly does not use unofficial WhatsApp Web scraping or automation.
