Microsoft Phone Link for iOS With iMessage, Calling Support Rolled Out to All Windows 11 Users

Microsoft Phone Link for iOS also allows users to access photos from their smartphone via the Windows 11 Photos app.

Written by Himani Jha, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 16 May 2023 13:07 IST

Microsoft Phone Link for iOS With iMessage, Calling Support Rolled Out to All Windows 11 Users

Photo Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Phone Link works with phones running on iOS 14 or newer

Highlights

Microsoft Phone Link previously worked with Android phones
Phone Link with support for iOS is rolling out in 39 languages
It will offer support for calls, messages, and access to iOS contacts

Microsoft has started rolling out the much-awaited Phone Link for iOS to Windows 11 users. The feature is already available for Android users and allows them to connect their smartphones to their PC. iPhone owners who have a PC running on Windows 11 can now link their phones to their computers. Unlike Phone Link for Android devices, the iOS version currently supports basic functionality like calls, messages, and access to contacts. It also brings iCloud Photos integration to the Windows Photos application, allowing users to see photos from their iPhones on their PC.

The company previously announced the roll out of the Photos Link app for Windows 11 last month. Microsoft revealed that the new feature is rolling out in 39 languages across 85 countries. The Phone Link for iOS app currently offers support for phone calls, sending and receiving messages via iMessage, access to contacts, and phone notifications on a Windows 11 PC.

The new iPhone integration, however, doesn't support image and video sharing or Group messaging as messaging feature is limited by iOS. It is worth noting that the Phone Link app offers deeper integration with Android phones and even allows users to "stream" some apps and control them via the desktop screen.

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The Phone Link app for iOS connects to your iPhone via Wi-Fi, a mobile data network, or an instant hotspot. The feature is not available for iPad. Microsoft first announced bringing the Phone Link app for iOS last month. It has said that the feature will be available from mid-May, and the service has now been rolled out to all users, according to the company,

According to Microsoft, Phone Link for iOS is only supported on iPhone models running on iOS 14 or newer. To use this feature, you must have a PC with Windows 11 and Bluetooth connectivity enabled. The Phone Link app can be downloaded from the App Store. Once installed, users can click the Start button and search for the Phone Link app on their Windows 11 PC. When setting up the app, select iOS and sign in to the same Microsoft account on both your phone and your PC. After this, you can scan the QR code displayed on the PC and both devices will be linked, allowing you to access your iPhone via your Windows 11 PC.

Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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