How to text from gmail

Google just rolled out a new feature that lets you send text messages straight from Gmail to a contact’s phone. … To get started, type a phone number into the search box in Gmail’s chat window on the left, then select “Send SMS.” You can also select the contact you want to SMS first and then add their phone number.

It is actually quite simple. When sending text messages from email, those messages are directed to the recipient’s phone number. The latter then receive the email as a text message on their phones. When you send an email, the recipient gets an SMS from a local number, but with the email text.

You can send e-mail to anybody, as long as their cell phone supports Short Message Service (SMS). Fortunately, it’s a truly simple process: Create a new e-mail message. In the To text box, enter the cell phone number using the following syntax: 10-digit-number@carrierdomain.com.

How to get started with Google’s Chat feature. First, you’ll need an Android phone with Google’s Messages app installed and set as the default text-messaging app. The first time you launch Messages, it will ask if you want to set it as your default app.