# Wirelessly connecting iPhone to two computers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 16, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676 "2023-08-16T19:49:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/1 "2023-08-16T19:49:25Z")
My work computer is a PC, which I connect to remotely from a MacBook. MS Office has an annoying tendency to require me to sign into One Drive periodically (usually when I’m trying to do something), which requires my entering a six-digit code that is sent to my phone. My phone is usually in another room, or at least across the room. I never got around to having Velcro grafted to my chest so that it’s always with me. I have two MacBook Pros, and they both connect to the Internet wirelessly. If I’m on the 15-inch one and I get a call or a text on the phone, an application (e.g. Messages) opens on the computer and I can answer the phone or the message from my computer without having to get up to retrieve the phone. If I’m on my 13-inch work MacBook, I _don’t_ get a phone/message app that opens up. **Question:** How can I ‘connect’ my iPhone to the 13-inch MacBook in the same way it connects to the 15-inch, and also be connected that way to both computers? (I only use one computer at a time.) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/2 "2023-08-16T20:48:16Z")
I think it should work. Does this help? > **[Access your messages on all your Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/guide/messages/access-messages-apple-devices-icht5b5d1e63/mac)** > > In Messages on your Mac, use Messages in iCloud to access all your messages on all your Apple devices. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/3 "2023-08-16T20:55:21Z")
> 1. In the Messages app on your Mac, choose Messages \> Settings, then click iMessage. > > 2. Click Settings, then select Enable Messages in iCloud. I don’t have Settings, but I found Enable in Preferences and checked it. It is not checked on the other computer. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/4 "2023-08-16T22:04:28Z")
I just received a text on my phone. It didn’t come up on the 13-inch. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/5 "2023-08-17T02:27:34Z")
Are you using the same Apple ID on all three devices to log into Messages? And all the “You can be reached for messages at:” boxes on both Macs are all the same emails and phone numbers and all checked? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/6 "2023-08-17T02:37:17Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > Are you using the same Apple ID on all three devices to log into Messages? Yes. > [@zbuzz](#): > > And all the “You can be reached for messages at:” boxes on both Macs are all the same emails and phone numbers and all checked? I don’t know what that is. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/7 "2023-08-17T02:41:23Z")
Go to Messages app \> Preferences \> iMessage. Your Apple ID should be listed near the top left. Beneath that it should say "You can be reached for messages at:” Make sure whatever phone numbers and emails are listed on the 15 inch are also listed on 13 inch. Make sure the little checkboxes next to them are all checked. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/8 "2023-08-17T02:53:23Z")
You also need to add the new Mac to your list of approved devices on the iPhone. Settings-\>Messages-\>Text Message Forwarding ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/9 "2023-08-17T02:53:46Z")
On the iPhone? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/10 "2023-08-17T02:54:17Z")
Yes (Which is not 5 characters) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/11 "2023-08-17T02:54:57Z")
I’m not on the 13-inch right now. I’m not sure what I need to do where. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/12 "2023-08-17T02:55:31Z")
Do you have your phone on you? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/13 "2023-08-17T02:55:53Z")
Yes, I do. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/14 "2023-08-17T02:56:17Z")
OK, go where I said, make sure the 13” machine is listed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/15 "2023-08-17T02:59:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > You also need to add the new Mac to your list of approved devices on the iPhone. > Settings-\>Messages-\>Text Message Forwarding 15-inch was turned off, but I get messages on it. I’ve turned it on on both. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/16 "2023-08-17T03:01:06Z")
One thing I’ve noticed - Messages try to be “smart.” If you have the Messages up as the front-most application on one machine, you may not get a notification on another one. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be a feature or a bug. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/17 "2023-08-17T13:46:50Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be a feature or a bug. Depends. Did you… like it? ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2023, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wirelessly-connecting-iphone-to-two-computers/988676/18 "2023-08-18T02:46:13Z")
Not quite what you asked, but my Fitbit echoes my texts, so I usually get 2FA codes off it.