Microsoft Phone Link for iOS Begins Rolling Out to Windows 11 Users: How to Download

Microsoft Phone Link for iOS is rolling out to computers running Windows 11, the company announced on Wednesday. The updated version of Microsoft's tool to connect smartphones and PCs running its Windows operating system previously supported Android smartphones. iPhone users can now link their phones to their Windows 11 computers. Microsoft says the Phone Link feature will offer basic support for calls and messages along with easier access to contacts as well as iCloud Photos integration in the Windows Photos application.

Details of the new release were shared by Microsoft via a blog post that reveals the Phone Link for iOS app will allow iPhone users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive messages via iMessage, access their contacts, and check their phone notifications directly from their Windows 11 PC. Users will also be able to access their photos on their iPhones within the Windows 11 Photos app via iCloud.

The company says the Phone Link for iOS app will gradually roll out to all users by mid-May. Microsoft's Phone Link for iOS app on Windows 11 will be available globally in 39 languages across 85 markets. 

As the app continues to roll out to more users, it can be downloaded via the App Store, according to Microsoft. The app is only supported on iPhone models running on iOS 14 or higher and requires a PC with Windows 11 and Bluetooth connectivity. Users must have installed the latest version of the Phone Link app on their devices.

Linking an iPad is currently not supported on the Phone Link for iOS app. It is also worth noting that the Messages feature is restricted by iOS, which means that users can't send images and videos. Group messaging is also not supported. Messages can only be accessed when the phone is connected to the PC.

Microsoft recently announced the addition of AI-powered Bing to the SwiftKey keyboard app on Android. The feature enables Android users to access the unique features of Bing chat via their keyboard and can be downloaded via the Play Store, according to Microsoft.