# Possible to send a text message from a PC?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 15, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748 "2013-04-15T05:03:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/1 "2013-04-15T05:03:39Z")
I think the title is self-explanatory. I have a cell phone but it is voice only and, from what I have seen I would not to try messaging from those touch screen keyboards anyway. I have Skype on my PC.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/2 "2013-04-15T05:11:15Z")
You can do it through email if you know the other person’s carrier.
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### Author:  [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/3 "2013-04-15T05:36:48Z")
Here you go [http://support.google.com/chat/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=106015](http://support.google.com/chat/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=106015)
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/4 "2013-04-15T06:38:44Z")
You can send [SMS from Skype](https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA676/can-i-send-sms-text-messages-to-any-number?q=SMS) to many (most?) phones, but you have to [pay](https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA928/how-much-does-it-cost-to-send-sms-text-messages?frompage=search&q=SMS&fromSearchFirstPage=false).
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### Author:  [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/6 "2013-04-15T16:17:11Z")
yahoo mail lets you send sms messages right from your email account.
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/7 "2013-04-15T16:56:35Z")
[Google Voice](http://www.google.com/voice) lets you send and receive text messages. You can even forward the texts to your cell phone if you like.
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### Author:  [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/8 "2013-04-15T20:13:15Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#):
>
> You can do it through email if you know the other person’s carrier.
This site [http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/email-to-sms/](http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/email-to-sms/) lists MANY of the carriers and the Email address to use.
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### Author:  [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/9 "2013-04-16T15:24:46Z")
If you use Gmail, the Chat client on the left side of the window can send/receive text messages.
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### Author:  [@Heropsychodreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heropsychodreamer)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/10 "2013-04-16T15:25:45Z")
I’ve used this a couple of times and it works fine:
> **[Free Text Messaging - Send and Receive Free Text and Picture Messages - Text'em](http://www.textem.net/)**
>
> Free Text Messaging. Send and Receive Free Text Messages from your PC for FREE
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### Author:  [@LMarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LMarie)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/11 "2013-04-18T00:18:32Z")
I send text messages using Google Voice every day and can do so from my phone, tablet or computer. Messages are sent to a mobile recipient from my Google Voice phone number. This only works in the U.S. and Canada, however (and can only be delivered to devices in those countries).
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### Author:  [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/12 "2013-04-18T14:33:16Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#):
>
> You can do it through email if you know the other person’s carrier.
Can anyone show us a list of the email addresses for various carriers?
I remember once doing this. The email for an AT&T phone was addressed to [9995551212@attwireless.com](mailto:9995551212@attwireless.com) or something like that. The subject line was blank, and the text of the email was sent as the text message.
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### Author:  [@LMarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LMarie)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/13 "2013-04-18T17:16:03Z")
> [@Keeve](#):
>
> Can anyone show us a list of the email addresses for various carriers?
>
> I remember once doing this. The email for an AT&T phone was addressed to [9995551212@attwireless.com](mailto:9995551212@attwireless.com) or something like that. The subject line was blank, and the text of the email was sent as the text message.
Is this what you’re looking for?
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_SMS\_gateways](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SMS_gateways)
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-send-a-text-message-from-a-pc/655748/14 "2013-04-18T19:03:37Z")
What about \*receiving \*them?
Google Voice receives from individuals, but not (some/many) businesses. I need to be able to receive codes from my bank but do not have texting on my plan.