Ever wondered if other people can see the text messages you’re receiving on your iPhone? Wondering if someone in your family is spying on your conversations? Then you are not alone. G from Corona, Calif. has a great question.
“Hi, can you give me a description of my iPhone. I believe someone in my family has a copy of every text message I receive and send. Cart, is that possible? Is it?”
G., Corona, California
After all, if you have other family members on a Family Sharing plan using the same Apple ID, someone else in your family may receive your text messages.
This could have happened by accident, but it can also be fixed with a few simple steps. Let’s fix this problem and find out what Family Sharing means, how to use a different Apple ID, and how to prevent this from happening.
How to share Apple services and save money with Family Sharing
A family sharing plan is a feature that allows you to share certain features with other family members on the same plan, often saving you money.
These features include iCloud storage, music, apps, and more, making it a great way for families to save money and share content. Apple Family Sharing itself is free, but to share some paid services, such as Apple Music, you must own one of the subscription plans offered that best suits you.
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Family sharing can make it difficult to determine who has access to what. (apple)
How does the Family Sharing plan affect text messages?
Who has access to what can be difficult and confusing on the Family Sharing plan. One example is what happened to He G when a family member on the plan received a text her message that was not addressed to him. This can happen if text message forwarding is enabled.
More information: How to make sure you’re not accidentally sharing your location
How to disable text message forwarding
- open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down.and select message.
- Tap Forwarding text messages.
- Devices you have allowed to receive text messages are listed here. If you want to disable this, Toggle off each listed device.
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You can disable text message forwarding in the Settings app. ( )
What if I share my Apple ID with other family members?
Now you might be asking yourself, “What if I could share the same Apple ID with my family so they could manage all their purchases, apps, iCloud storage plans, etc. in one account?”
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At first glance, this might seem like a simple and good idea because it keeps everything in one place with one ID. However, sharing the same Apple ID is much more complicated than simply using a Family Sharing plan, so Apple recommends that everyone who owns an Apple device has their own Apple ID.
Sharing your Apple ID with other family members can be confusing because they can see your text messages. This is because iMessage is designed to work with all Apple devices like her iPhone, Mac and iPad.
Incoming text messages are received on all devices signed in with the same Apple ID. So let’s say you and your spouse share one of her Apple IDs. This means that since each of your iPhones is signed in with the same Apple ID, text messages sent only to your phone will also be sent to your spouse’s phone.
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If your family member wants to stop receiving your text messages, you need to stop sharing your Apple ID with them and create a separate Apple ID for texting.
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Apple users can share their Apple ID with other family members. (apple)
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How to create a new Apple ID for iMessage
- open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and select message.
- select Send and receive.
- Tap. Apple ID It’s at the bottom of the screen.
- select sign out.
- Tap Use your Apple ID for iMessage.
- log in with Apple ID and password.
- If you don’t have an Apple ID or want to create a new one, go ahead and tap Create a new Apple ID Follow the on-screen instructions. You will need to enter your email address, password, phone number and some personal information. The email address you entered becomes your new Apple ID.
- Tap Sign in, Check your email for a confirmation email from Apple to verify your email address. After verifying your email address, you can use your new Apple ID to sign in to iMessage and other Apple devices.
Read more: How to ignore a friend’s text message and pretend you didn’t see it
Cart key points
It can be frustrating and confusing when someone receives a text message that was intended for you. There is a simple solution to fix this privacy issue.
Don’t panic if this happens. Just follow the given steps and in no time you will receive the text only for you and not for others.
Have you ever received a text or email addressed to someone else? Cyberguy.com/contact.
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