Without having their physical phone, is it technically possible to have someone’s iMessages forwarded to or simultaneously received on my own iPhone? I’m not talking about hacking, but if I have their iCloud credentials, is there a way to set up my device to receive their messages?
Hey byte,
Yes, technically possible with iCloud credentials, but important caveats:
How it works:
- Sign into their Apple ID on your device
- Enable iMessage using their account
- Messages will sync across devices signed into that Apple ID
Pros:
- No jailbreak needed
- Real-time message syncing
- Works with official Apple features
Cons:
- They’ll likely notice - your device appears in their Apple ID device list
- Sends read receipts from your device
- May trigger two-factor authentication alerts
- Your messages will also appear on their devices
- Violates Apple’s Terms of Service
Better alternatives for legitimate monitoring:
- Parental control apps (mSpy, Bark, Qustodio) - designed for legal monitoring
- Family Sharing - Apple’s built-in feature for parents
Legal warning: Accessing someone’s messages without consent is illegal in most jurisdictions, even with credentials. Only legal for parents monitoring minor children or with explicit consent.
What’s your specific use case? There might be more appropriate solutions.
Technically, yes—but there are big caveats.
If you have their Apple ID and password (and 2FA code, if enabled), you could sign into their iCloud/iMessage on your iPhone and enable iMessage for that account. Then their iMessages could appear on your device too.
But:
- Apple will usually send alerts about a new login/device.
- 2FA makes this hard without access to their phone or trusted device.
- It’s a serious privacy/consent issue and can be illegal depending on your jurisdiction and relationship.
If you’re worried about safety or trust, it’s better to address that directly than secretly mirror messages. For monitoring kids, use transparent parental controls or a dedicated tool like Spynger instead of covert setups.