For whatever reason, you may need or want to text someone without your phone number appearing on the other end. In a world where privacy and anonymity are constantly being eroded, it can be helpful to know ways to send a message to someone’s phone without saying who you are.
Being able to send an anonymous text message is a minor protection of your privacy, but one day you may find it essential. This article offers you several ways to send a text message anonymously or semi-anonymously.
Send anonymous text messages to someone
How do anonymous text messages work? First, let’s talk about how it normally works. Typically, SMS messages are packaged along with the sending number, destination number, and the message itself. This is designed so that inpidual packets (your text may occupy one or several packets, depending on their length) can reach the destination number and be reassembled into a coherent message. Including the shipping number with the package lets the shipping operator know who to bill for the service.
Your shipping number is removed with anonymous messages after billing is activated and sent to the destination. This way, the phone company knows you sent the text message and charges you for it, but it won’t pass your number to the recipient of the message.
Another easier approach to anonymous texting is apps and websites that use your SMS numbers to transmit their message. The platform usually changes your shipping number to yours for billing purposes, but the service number is the one sent to the destination.
The two main ways to send an anonymous text message are through an app or a website. These services tend to come and go, so below are the apps and sites currently working as of May 2019.
Applications to send an anonymous text
The applications open many functions with your texts. For example, you can use apps to forward text messages to your email or change the fonts and layouts of your messages. Some apps have anonymous texting as a main feature or as an added benefit. Most of them will work on both Android and iOS.
All of these apps are free to download and offer end-to-end encryption for maximum security. Let’s take a look at the apps we’ve researched and make it easier for you to choose which one is right for you.
Private text messages and calls
Private text messages and calls It is an Android only application. It can handle SMS, calls, image/file sharing and self-destruct messages after a certain time. It has several other privacy-oriented features and is worth checking out.
In our current era, privacy is in short supply. This app not only allows you to send anonymous messages and make unknown phone calls, but also offers end-to-end encryption and a neat “shake to hide” message option. Regardless of what you use it for, this free app is the dream messaging option for anyone concerned about their privacy.
Sign
Sign is a secure communications app, apparently backed by Edward Snowden (the famous and controversial leaker/whistleblower who exposed the NSA’s vast data collection operation in 2013).
Signal encrypts calls and texts, and you can send files and images securely. You can also suppress your caller ID when calling or texting, which is ideal if you want to send an anonymous text or call someone secretly.
With the Sealed Sender option released in late 2018, users can send anonymous messages to anyone who accepts sealed messages (there is an option to turn this off in settings).
It is available for windows,Androidand iOS.
Websites that allow you to send an anonymous text
If you don’t want to download an app, some websites allow you to send anonymous text messages. Many restrict the number of messages you can send in a day, but are otherwise reliable.
We have reviewed each of these sites and they work reasonably well. The basic design and capabilities are similar between the websites and the tested messages were delivered within two minutes. These are free to use, so it is important to remember that message delivery is not guaranteed.
TextEmNow
TextEmNow is a very nifty website that allows you to send anonymous text messages to any North American or international phone. You will need to scroll through the ads to find the options to send a message. The plus side is that you don’t need to register or enter any personal information to use this website to offset those annoying advertising adventures.
All you have to do is scroll to the bottom of the page, enter the number and a message and press Continue. The next page will ask you to confirm the details and send the message. Click confirmation and your message will be delivered.
Message delivery takes a while, especially if the website has a lot of traffic. Fortunately, you can check the status by refreshing your web browser.
Send them a text message
Send them a text message It’s very similar, although the website looks like it’s straight out of the 90s. Anyway, the website gets the job done. Enter the number, operator and message. Complete the Captcha and accept the Terms of Service, then press Send Message. The site appears to cover most North American carriers, with some international ones included.
Send Anonymous SMS
Send Anonymous SMS It does what it says: sends an anonymous message to any recipient in almost any country. The site is clean and easy to use. Enter the sender number, country, delivery number and message. Then enter the Captcha code and send the SMS.
The delivery of this one took quite a while and it’s not clear why you have to enter your phone number before sending it. It could be that this website is trying to track or remove illegal activities. However, the service works.
TextForFree.net
TextForFree.net is another very basic looking website that gets the job done. This site only appears to work in the US, but delivers the message if you use one of the approved carriers. Enter the number, message header and message, then choose the correct phone provider from the list. Press Send Free Text at the bottom and again, delivery takes a little while, but it gets there.
These are two great apps and four websites that will allow you to send anonymous messages for free. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but all are successful.