TriggerTwilioReal-timeUpdated June 2026

How do I trigger on an inbound Twilio SMS?

Short answer: Drop the "Twilio → SMS Received" trigger on your workflow canvas, add filters if you want them, and publish. It fires within seconds of the event in Twilio, not on a polling schedule.

Use this trigger All 2 Twilio triggers

Anatomy

What this trigger looks like in a workflow.

Drop it on the canvas. Configure a couple of fields. Publish.

In the builder

Trigger

SMS Received

When the matching event happens

incoming smswhen sms receivednew sms receivedwhen an sms message is received on a twilio numberon sms receivedwatch for sms received

What this trigger returns

for the curious

You don’t need to read this. Tiny Command auto-maps every field into the visual picker so downstream nodes can pull values by clicking. We show it here for power users who want to know what’s on the wire.

{
  "to": "+15559876543",
  "body": "Hello!",
  "from": "+15551234567",
  "message_sid": "SM123456"
}

Output shape

Fields available to downstream nodes.

Every field below can be referenced by name in any action or filter that comes after this trigger.

Field	Type	Example
to	string	"+15559876543"
body	string	"Hello!"
from	string	"+15551234567"
message_sid	string	"SM123456"

Pairs with

Drop these actions after SMS Received.

Add Labels to Message

Gmail · Email

Add Reaction

Slack · Communication

Add Sheet Tab

Google Sheets · Spreadsheets & Databases

Create Company

HubSpot · CRM & Sales

FAQ

Questions about SMS Received.

How does the SMS Received trigger work in Twilio?

Fires when an SMS message is received on your Twilio number. The starting hook for SMS bots, opt-in/opt-out handling, and 2-way conversation flows.

Is the SMS Received trigger real-time?

Yes. SMS Received uses webhooks or push subscriptions, not polling. Your workflow fires within seconds of the event happening in Twilio.

What data does SMS Received return?

The full event payload from Twilio. The output shape table on this page lists every field, its type, and an example value so you can map fields into downstream nodes.

Can I filter SMS Received so only some events start a workflow?

Yes. Add a Filter node right after the trigger and match on any field, whether that's subject, sender, status, or anything else in the payload. Workflows only continue when the filter passes.

Do I need Twilio admin permissions to use SMS Received?

For most Twilio accounts a standard user can authorize the trigger. Some Twilio plans require an admin to enable third-party webhooks. Check Twilio's docs if the trigger fails to register.