How to Text from a Computer? 9 Easy Methods

Texting from a computer has made typing faster and easier due to its larger keyboard. You can easily access and send messages from your computer and save yourself from the hassle of switching devices. 

• Faster Typing: Full-sized keyboards of the computer make typing messages faster and more accurate.
• Fewer Distractions: Being able to receive and send text from a computer eliminates the need to switch devices constantly and maintain focus on work.
• Multitasking: You can keep other applications or tabs open and continue working while texting.
• Improve Professionalism: You can use formatting options (bold, italics, bullet points, etc.), attach files, documents, or images, and create a professional text message.

You can use email, Google Messages, the Phone Link app, iMessage, free SMS websites, Google Voice, Chrome extensions, WhatsApp/Viber, or virtual numbers to text directly from your PC. The process of sending messages from a computer depends on your device and preferences.

Sending and reading emails isn’t the only thing you can do on an email platform—you can also send SMS text from a PC. You can use your computer to send text messages via email — all you need is the Short Message Service (SMS) gateway address.

The SMS gateway address varies between the carriers — for example, T-Mobile’s address is @tmomail.net. You enter the receiver’s phone number before the “@” to send a text message from your email address to the phone.

For instance, if you want to mail a text message to 123456789, you send the email to 11238675309@tmomail.net.

Below are listed the SMS gateway addresses of popular phone carriers:

Now that you have sent a mail, the receiver will receive it as a text message on their phone, and when they respond, their text will appear in your email inbox.

Pros and Cons

Google Voice is a popular telephone service that lets you receive and send text from a computer using a VoIP number. It is a good option for one-on-one conversation. However, don’t try bulk messaging, as your account may be temporarily blocked due to potential spam concerns.
 

Steps to Send a Message from Google Voice 

1. Go to voice.google.com and sign in.
2. Select the Messages tab.
3. Click Send a Message.
4. Enter a contact’s name or phone number.
5. Type your message.
6. Click Send.

Pros and Cons

Google Messages for the Web is designed to support texting on both desktop and mobile. Its group chat and multimedia sharing have made texting easier. Google doesn’t directly send text from a computer; it acts as a mirror of a Google message app on your phone.

Thus, your devices must be synced with each other to enable texting. The connection is established by scanning a QR code or signing into the same Google account on both devices.
 

Steps to Send a Text Message from Google Message

1. Open the Google Message.
2. Click Start Chat.
3. Enter the recipient’s name or phone number.
4. Type your message and click the Send.

Pros and Cons

Microsoft Phone Link lets you send text messages from your computer without switching devices. The service is available on both Android and Apple devices. However, due to limitations, especially with iPhones, the app primarily displays recent conversations and only shows messages from the past 30 days.

The app syncs your PC and mobile via a QR code scan, allowing you to receive and send text messages from both devices.

Steps to Send Text Messages Using PhoneLink App

1. Open the Phone Link app on your PC and click the Messages tab.
2. Select New message to start a new conversation.
3. Enter the name or phone number of your contact.
4. Write a message on the text field and click the send button.

Pros and Cons

iMessage is an in-built messaging feature in Apple devices that lets messages be sent over WiFi or a cell connection with an Apple ID. It is exclusively designed for Apple devices, so if you send text to an Android phone, it will be sent as a standard SMS/MMS message. You can use an iCloud account to sync devices and text SMS from a PC.
 

Steps to Send Text Messages Through iMessage

1. Open the Messages app on your Mac.
2. Tap the Compose button in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Enter the recipient’s phone number or Apple ID email.
4. Type your message and click Send.

Pros and Cons

Websites like GlobFone, AfreeSMS, SendSMSNOw, TextNow, and TextFree offer free online texting without using mobile data or extra charges. With its easy-of-use interface and cost-effectiveness, it enhances your computer texting capabilities.

You can easily create an account on one of the SMS websites that fulfills your requirements and text via computer for free.

Steps to Send Text Messages Using the Free SMS Website Like TextNow

1. Go to the TextNow website and log in.
2. Navigate to the New Message section.
3. Enter the recipient's phone number.
4. Compose your message and send it.

Pros and Cons

Chrome extensions are software add-ons that enable users to send and respond to text messages directly from any tab in the Chrome browser. Popular extensions like MightyText, Pushbullet, and MySMS sync your Android phone with your computer, allowing you to directly message your contact's phone.

Choose a suitable text extension and install it from the Chrome Store. Then, add the extension to your Chrome browser, allow the necessary permission, and enable texting from a computer.
 

Steps to Send Text Message Using Chrome Extension like Mightytext

1. Log in to MightyText using the same Google account used on your phone.
2. Click New Message to compose a new SMS message.
3. Enter the recipient's contact number.
4. Write your message in the text field and click Send.

Pros and Cons

The messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber have launched desktop versions, merging computer and mobile experiences. They allow text messages, including sending files, photos, videos, and audio calls.

You can download the desktop version of these apps from the Google Play Store and link your phone by scanning the provided QR code. Once the device is connected, you can receive and send text messages from the computer.
 

Steps to Send a Text Message Using WhatsApp

1. Open WhatsApp on your device.
2. Hit the New Chat button.
3. Pick the contact or search for the number you want to text to.
4. Type your message and click on Send.

Pros and Cons

VoIP phones are the best choice for sending bulk messages if you run a medium-to-large business. You can easily download the service provider app on your computer or mobile and manage your business interactions.

Calilio is a popular VoIP phone provider whose mobile and desktop apps allow you to send texts from a computer and smartphone. Its advanced messaging features enable users to save and reuse pre-written messages, saving time and increasing business productivity.

You must have Calilio’s virtual phone number and subscribe to its plan to enable texting from your computer.
 

Steps to Send Text Message from Calilio

1. Open the Calilio web or desktop app.
2. Navigate to the Messaging section.
3. Enter the recipient’s phone number.
4. Type your message.
5. Click Send.

Pros and Cons

Using a computer to send text messages is faster and more accurate than typing on a small mobile device. It also allows for multitasking—you can continue working on your computer while simultaneously sending and receiving texts, minimizing the distraction. Using a texting app like WhatsApp, Viber, Google Voice, or a VoIP phone provider, you can easily send text from a computer to the phone.
 

Email or online texting websites allow you to send messages from a computer without needing a cell phone number.

You can use texting apps like the Microsoft Phone Link app and Google Voice to send a text from a computer to an iPhone.

As long as you know the recipient’s phone number and email domain for their mobile carrier, you can use an email-to-SMS tool to send texts from Gmail.