You Can Now Send IMessages on Android If You Have a Mac
If it weren’t for iMessage , I would have ditched my iPhone in favor of Android many years ago, but since the rest of my family (and most of my friends) use iOS devices, I’m locked in the Apple world. Otherwise, I would be missing out on iMessage-only group chats (I know it’s a shame, but it’s true).
I’ve seen unofficial apps pop-ups in the past claiming to offer iMessage for Android, but in most cases they turned out to be fake ( or even dangerous ). However, it now looks like one company has actually figured out how to bring Apple’s messaging service to Android. There’s just one catch: you need a Mac to work.
How WeMessage works
WeMessage does not use any exploits in Apple’s code to run iMessage on Android. Instead, it sets up a server on your Mac to send and receive messages and then quickly forwards them to an app on your phone.
This app may not have all the latest bells and whistles from Apple, but it does cover all the important stuff. It can handle one-to-one and group chats, send attachments, create those iMessage special effects, and even support read receipts (if you like that). WeMessage is also encrypted, so your private conversations will remain private.
One important note: weMessage doesn’t have access to your old iMessages, so they won’t show up in the app. But in the future, all your new conversations will be there.
This is how it looks in action:
How to install WeMessage
Before you can install weMessage on your phone, you need to set up the company’s weServer software on your Mac. This requires installing the Java SE Development Kit and then configuring System Preferences to grant server terminal rights. (If you want step-by-step instructions, Gadget Hacks has a very detailed guide).
After that download weServer and open the zip file. Then find the “run.command” file and double-click it to start weServer. Once it opens, the program will ask for your iMessage email address. Make sure you are using the same email address that is connected to your official iMessage account, but for security purposes, choose a new password.
After that, you can install weMessage on your Android device. Once launched, you will need to enter your Mac’s IP address as well as the email and password you just used on your computer. All your contacts should appear in the app automatically so you can start texting right away.
How long will this last?
I can’t help but wonder how long WeMessage can last. Apple definitely doesn’t want Android phones to have iMessage support, and it could probably kill the app with a quick software update.
On the other hand, weMessage has been around for over a month , so Apple already had plenty of time to figure it out. Roman Scott, who developed weMessage, also says he will keep it up and running for as long as possible. So even if Apple tries to kill the app, it might find a way to keep it running.