iPhone users can finally link their phone to a Windows PC and answer calls, read messages and more. Here’s how to set it up.
Microsoft’s Phone Link feature has been around for a while now, it’s a handy application that allows you to interact with your Android phone directly from your PC.
However, if you’re an iPhone user, there wasn’t an equivalent to try, which was a bit frustrating. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. With the latest update, you can sync your iPhone with Phone Link in much the same way as an Android device.
This means that you’ll be able to view notifications, messages and more – all wirelessly, direct from your Windows 11 PC.
If you want to get it set up, you’re in the right place, we’ll tell you everything you need to know in this article.
Before you get started
Before you get your hopes up, there are some requirements you’ll need to meet in order for this to work correctly.
First, you’ll need a PC with Windows 11, Bluetooth connectivity and the latest version of the Phone Link app. The Phone Link app is also available for Windows 10, but it only supports Android phones on that version (trust us, we tried it).
To update your Phone Link app, visit the Microsoft Store, search for Phone Link and click on Update.
Then, you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 14 or higher with the Microsoft Link to Windows app installed. You can find it by searching in the App Store or by clicking this link. It’s not currently available for iPad or macOS.
How to sync iPhone with Phone Link for Windows
To get started, simply follow the steps below:
- On your Windows 11 PC, open the start menu and type “Phone Link”
- Click on the Phone Link app to open it
- Choose iPhone from the options
- On your iPhone, open the Link to Windows app
- Choose Scan QR code, allow access to the camera, and scan the code on your PC
- Allow the app to access Bluetooth and pair with the PC
- Your PC will then display instructions on how to configure the Bluetooth settings
- Go to Settings then Bluetooth and tap the ‘i’ symbol next to your PC’s name
- Enable Share System Notifications, Sync Contacts and Show Notifications
- Once that’s done, press Continue on your PC, and you should be good to go
What can you do with Link to Windows for iOS?
Once your PC and iPhone are paired, you will be able to read notifications as well as make and receive phone calls and text messages within the Phone Link app. New notifications will appear as Windows notifications, so they can be checked, pinned or dismissed directly from the Windows interface.
Message support includes iMessage and SMS, which is a pretty big deal, but as it stands, group messages are not supported.
Compared to Android, the experience has been dialled back a bit. With Android devices you can view your photos, control media playback, set your phone to silent and more. If you wish to access your iPhone photos on a Windows PC, you can do so with the Photos app and its iCloud integration, but the fact that it’s a separate app makes it a little more hassle.
We’d love to see the rest of the features extend to iOS, too, but it’s surprising enough there’s support in the first place – so we’re thankful for the functionality that we have at present.