How to Get Free Texts on a Tablet, Laptop or Phone Without a SIM
You can get free texts without a phone plan by using a Wi-Fi device and an app that sends messages over the internet. A tablet, a laptop or an old phone with no SIM card will do.
Who you can reach depends on the app: most messengers only reach people on the same app, while some free texting apps give you a number that can text ordinary phones, mainly in the US and Canada.
What each device can do on Wi-Fi
| Device | What usually works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| iPad or Mac | iMessage with your Apple Account to other Apple users; tablet or desktop versions of messenger apps | Texting Android phones needs an iPhone with service that forwards its SMS to the device. |
| Android tablet | Messenger apps; free texting apps that assign you a number | Without a SIM, the built-in messages app can't send regular SMS on its own. |
| Old phone without a SIM | Messenger apps on Wi-Fi once your account is set up; free texting apps | Very old phones may not run current app versions or get security updates. |
| Laptop or Chromebook | Web and desktop versions of messengers; free texting apps with a web version | Most web messengers need an account that's already active on a phone. |
For most people, the simplest route to free texts on a spare device is a messenger their friends already use, plus a texting app only if they need to reach ordinary phone numbers.
What you need to sign up
- An account: usually an email address or an app store account, plus a password.
- A phone number, once: WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal register you with a number and send a code to it. After that, the app runs over Wi-Fi. Some messengers also let a tablet or computer link to an account that lives on a phone.
- A free texting app, if you want a number: these apps give you a number that texts regular phones over Wi-Fi. Availability depends on your country, and an unused number may be taken back; our guide to texting services that assign a number explains how they work.
If a sign-up asks for a number you don't have, think about how long you'll keep the account. A public number from TemporarySMS can receive a one-time code for something disposable, but anyone can read the codes sent to it later. For a messenger you'll keep using, that means someone else could register the same number and take the account over, as our WhatsApp temp number page explains.
Limits of texting on Wi-Fi only
- No Wi-Fi, no messages: you won't get texts on the bus or anywhere the connection drops, and many public hotspots ask for a phone number before letting you on; see forms that ask for a mobile number.
- A new number or ID: a texting app's number or a messenger ID isn't the number your contacts already have, so tell people where to find you.
- Some services won't text app numbers: banks and some apps refuse numbers from free texting apps when sending codes.
- Notifications can lag: tablets and old phones may pause apps in the background to save battery. Allow notifications and exclude the app from battery saving.
Emergencies: why a Wi-Fi texting app isn't enough
Free texting apps are not a replacement for emergency calling. Many can't call or text emergency numbers at all, and even when an app can, it may not pass your exact location to responders. A Wi-Fi connection that drops during a power cut takes the app down with it.
If a Wi-Fi-only device is someone's main way to communicate, such as a child's tablet or an older relative's spare phone, make sure there's another way to reach help: a basic phone with active service, a landline or a neighbor who can call.
Need to receive a code? Free numbers
Click a number to open its public inbox, enter the number on the signup form, then press Update Messages on the number's page to fetch the code.
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