How to Forward a Message on WhatsApp (Android and iPhone)

Forwarding is the quickest way to pass something on without retyping it: an address, a voice note, a document a customer sent, or a bit of good news for the family group. It's also a feature WhatsApp has put limits around, which is why people sometimes find the button greyed out or a label they didn't expect. Here's what WhatsApp's help pages say about how it works on a phone, what the other person sees, and why the limits exist.

Forwarding a WhatsApp message on Android

1. Open the individual or group chat that holds the message.
2. Tap and hold the message you want to pass on. You can select more than one.
3. Tap the forward arrow at the top of the screen.
4. Choose the chat, or chats, you want to forward it to.
5. Tap the send button.

Forwarding a WhatsApp message on iPhone

1. Open the chat and press and hold the message.
2. Tap Forward in the menu that appears. You can select several messages first.
3. Tap the forward arrow.
4. Tap the chat you'd like to send it to, then tap Forward.

Menus vary by app version, so if the wording differs slightly, look for the forward arrow after you've selected the message. The same steps cover text, photos, videos, documents, locations, contacts and links.

What the other person sees when you forward on WhatsApp

According to the help pages, forwarded messages that weren't originally sent by you show a Forwarded label. So if you pass on something you wrote yourself, the label doesn't appear, but if you pass on something someone else sent, it does. The help pages also say that when you forward media, documents, locations or contacts, you don't have to upload them again, which is why forwarding a big file is quicker than sending it afresh.

The WhatsApp forwarding limits explained

Situation	What WhatsApp's help pages say
Forwarding your own or a normal message	You can forward to up to five people or groups at a time
Message that was already forwarded to you	It can only be shared with one additional group chat
Message passed through a chain of five or more chats	It's labelled Forwarded many times

The reason WhatsApp gives is that the limits help keep conversations personal and help prevent spam and misinformation. If you do want to reach lots of people, the help pages suggest creating a group chat or sharing links instead. My guide on adding someone to a WhatsApp group covers the group side of that.

Does WhatsApp know how many times a message was forwarded?

People ask this a lot, so it's worth being exact. According to WhatsApp's help pages, each message carries a counter that tracks how many times it's been forwarded, and that counter is end-to-end encrypted. That means WhatsApp itself can't tell how many times a message has been passed on. Only your device and the recipient's device can read it, and the Forwarded many times label comes from that.

Forwarding a message to yourself or to a client on WhatsApp

Plenty of small business owners forward a message to themselves, or to a team chat, so a customer's request ends up where the work happens. Because the Forwarded label only appears on messages you didn't write, a forwarded customer message will show it. That's no problem internally, but think before you pass on something private. The person you send it to can read it, so choose the destination with care.

A quick habit that helps: before you forward anything with a person's name, an address or a phone number, check that you're comfortable with who is in the destination chat, especially if it's a group.

If you can't forward a WhatsApp message

If you haven't reached the forwarding limit but forwarding still isn't working, WhatsApp's help pages suggest these steps in order:

• Restart your phone, or turn it off and on.
• Update WhatsApp to the latest version.
• Update your phone to the latest version.
• Switch to mobile data if you're on Wi-Fi, or to Wi-Fi if you're on mobile data.

If none of that helps, the help centre points you to its connection troubleshooting steps. Also check whether you've selected more than five chats, or whether the message is already marked Forwarded many times.

Forwarding a WhatsApp voice message, video or document

The steps are the same whatever the message type. The help pages add a note for iPhone about voice messages: they can only be saved within WhatsApp, so if you need one elsewhere you can forward it by email. Tap the voice message, tap Forward, tap the share icon and choose email. To play it outside WhatsApp you need a media player that supports .opus files. If you're sending a whole video rather than passing one on, look at the other settings in my WhatsApp help guides.

Forwarding a WhatsApp message versus copying the text

Forwarding keeps the message as it was sent, label included. Copying and pasting the text gives you a fresh message that looks like it's from you. If a message is something you need to credit to someone else, forwarding is the honest route. If you want to rewrite it in your own words, copy the text. Neither is better; they just do different jobs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I forward a message on WhatsApp?

Tap and hold the message, tap the forward arrow (or Forward on iPhone), choose the chat or chats, then tap send.

How many chats can I forward a WhatsApp message to?

WhatsApp's help pages say up to five people or groups at a time.

What does Forwarded many times mean on WhatsApp?

It's the label WhatsApp adds to a message that has been forwarded through a chain of five or more chats.

Can WhatsApp see how many times a message was forwarded?

No. The help pages say the forward counter is end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp can't tell.

Why can't I forward a WhatsApp message?

You may have chosen more than five chats, or the message may already be limited. If not, restart the phone, update WhatsApp and your phone, and try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data.