Sending texts with TextNow is easy, and we've recently redesigned our TextNow app to make texting even easier. We've made some videos for each platform to walk you through it, or you can scroll down for some written help:
[Android] How To Send A Text
[iOS] How To Send A Text
[Web] How To Send A Text
1. Open your TextNow app.
2. You should be in your conversations inbox in TextNow. If not, tap on the menu button in the top left-hand corner 
and tap Conversations.
3. You should see a compose button with a pencil icon in the bottom right of your screen (on Android) or the top right of your screen (on iOS):
Android New Message icon
iOS New Message icon
3. At the top of the page, enter your contact's text number or texting address. You can also tap on the icon to the immediate right of this field to select a contact from your device's Contacts app.
4. At the bottom of the screen, type your message in the field that says Type A Message.
Great but how do I receive texts sent to me?
HI, Amanda:
The texts will come into your TextNow app, and they arrive on the Home page. If you're on another page of the TextNow app, drop down the main menu and tap on Home to get to the home page, with your messages, voicemails and call history.
How do you send a picture without it saying TextNow every time ?
Hi, Paris:
The "Sent from TextNow" tag only happens with certain carriers when you send a picture, and I'm afraid there is no way to remove it at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.
How do I forward a message/picture message I have received to another number?
Hey Phillip,
Thanks for reaching out to TextNow Wireless support. You have two options to resend a photo that you have received.
If you click and hold the original photo in your text message you will get an icon appear at the top that looks like a rectangle with a rectangle behind it. This is the copy button click it, in a new text message you can long press where you would type your message and click paste. It will send a TextNow link to the photo.
Option two would be to click on the photo, click on the download button in the upper right and then attach the downloaded photo to your new recipient.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
How do I forward one text message, which was part of a longer text conversation, that I have received?
Hi, Philip:
There's no way to forward a single text message, but you can tap and hold on the single text to bring up the copy function, and then paste the text into a new text message to the person you want to forward the message to.
How can I send a text to multiple people without it creating a whole different number and everyone getting the replies. That's not what I want. That's the most infuriating group message feature ever invented. I just want to notify people of my new number and not have all my contacts receiving each others replies or getting some random number in Tinbuckto.
Hi, Rachel:
I'm very sorry for the late reply!
I apologize for how our group texting works, but that is unfortunately the way it works at the moment with TextNow. There's no unified standard for group texting across companies and networks, and this is our particular solution.
I just downloaded this for my daughter. She can call and receive calls. I am able to send her texts, but i do not receive anything she sends me. HELP!
How do I send a group text?
@Sydney - Are you able to try and uninstall and reinstall the application to see if that helps? Please let me know if that helps!
@Skip- To set a group for a group text, you simply need to compose a text message and when you are entering contacts, you just need to enter more than one contact. That will set up your texting group. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns!
Can I text and call off line?
Hi Derrick! If you are using the TextNow application, you would need to be connected to Wi-Fi or have an active mobile data connection in order to text or call. Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.
I had a plan for a month and had some texts that were deleted when my friend accidentally deleted the app out of phone. How do i get those texts back?
Hi, Pixie:
Thanks for contacting TextNow Support! Deleting the app shouldn't lose messages, as your account can be accessed from multiple devices. My first suggestion would be to check on your Text & Call Online page here (after logging into your account) to see if the messages are online.
You can also try clearing the cache and data from your app to force a resync of your account with our servers. You can follow the steps on our article here.
I bought a phone and a plan for my teenage child, how do I hide my account information so she won't be able to change password or payment information?
Hi Fred,
Since payments and passwords can all be updated on the application, there isn't currently a way to stop your daughter from being able to switch account information. Though we are aware of the need and our engineers are working on parental controls to be released sometime in the new year!
For the time being, I do often recommend that parents paying for their child's phone use pre-paid Visa or Mastercards. This way you can load the amount you want to spend monthly onto the card and should your daughter accidentally upgrade their plan, it will simply be declined and not allow it. :)
Is there anyway to use my android device's native text messaging app with TextNow?
Hi James,
That's an excellent question! I'm afraid that due to the nature of our service, you would only be able to use the TextNow app exclusively for all your calling and texting following an activation.
Please let us know if you have any more questions, and/or concerns!
How can I see if someone has read my message on TextNow? Is there anything that can show that the other person has already read my text message?
Hi Saida,
Thanks for the question!
At the moment TextNow does not support read receipts, and there is no way to tell if the receiver has read the message.
I can receive txt messages but am not able to send out.. it keeps telling me the message unsupported despite having money in my account. What do i do to resolve this?
Hi there,
Thanks for your inquiry! If you're having trouble sending certain text messages, may I suggest clearing the TextNow app cache and data, here is the link to our helpful post on to do that : https://supportfree.textnow.com/hc/en-us/articles/217951443-How-To-Clear-The-TextNow-App-Cache-And-Data-on-Android-Devices-
I have also sent a follow-up email to answer any other inquires regards to your account. Please respond accordingly.
Hope that helped :)
How do I send videos
Hi Jkai,
Thanks for reaching out! There are some restrictions with sending videos, which can be seen here .
Please let us know if you have any more questions, and/or concerns :)
If I need to send a text message to a number in the UK do I need to include the +44 country area code? also, is it free to text to the UK?
Hi Clare!
We do have some restrictions with regards to international texting, and would please ask that you refer here for more information/rates for your particular contacts!
Please let us know if you have any more questions, and/or concerns :)
OK thanks I saw the list and the network is TRUPHONE in the UK so it is included. So when I need to text to the number do I need to start with +44 that's all I need to know. Thanks