How To Use Phone Link with iPhone – Detailed iOS Guide
Reviewed by Huzaifa HaroonRecently, Microsoft announced that its Phone Link app on Windows 11 would be receiving support for iPhone devices. Android users have long been enjoying the fruits of the Phone Link app and now iPhone users can get a taste too.
What is Phone Link?
Phone Link is an app by Microsoft that allows you to be in sync with your Android phone and have almost complete access to it. With Phone Link, you can attend all incoming calls, messages and notifications on your Android phone through your Windows PC. This comes in pretty handy as you can decide whether the constant vibrations coming from the phone in your pocket is worth the hassle or not.
If you don’t feel like taking your phone out of your pocket, here’s some good news for you; you don’t need to. Phone Link allows you to make calls and send messages all from your PC. It’s easy to see why Phone Link is such an essential app for many Windows users.
Phone Link for iPhone
Phone Link support for iPhone has only come out a short while ago. Because it’s a very new development, it has limited features, but Microsoft is working on improvements. Currently at the time of writing, iPhone users are limited to making and receiving calls, sending and receiving texts to individual contacts only via iMessage, access contacts, view and dismiss notifications.
You cannot currently send texts to group chats on iMessage. You also cannot send image or video messages. Furthermore, your chat history will not be synched, and you will only be able to see and keep a log of messages you received or sent after synching your iPhone with Phone Link. Unlike Android, you also cannot run your iPhone apps on your PC through Phone Link.
Requirements for Using Phone Link with iPhone
To use Phone Link with iPhone, you’ll require:
- A PC/laptop with Windows 11
- An iPhone with iOS 14 or later
- A Microsoft account
- Bluetooth functionality on both PC and iPhone
- The latest version of the Phone Link app on Windows
Although Phone Link comes pre-installed on most Windows 11 PCs, check whether you have it on your PC or not. If not, download the app from the Microsoft Store.
How to Connect Your iPhone with the Phone Link App
- First off, you need to launch the Phone Link app. To do this, click on Start.
Click on Start on the bottom part of the screen - Now, search for Phone Link and click on the app when it shows up in the results. Click on Open.
In the Search bar, type Phone Link and click on Open after selecting the app from the results - From the app’s launch screen, choose iPhone. Ensure your PC’s Bluetooth is turned on.
Select iPhone from the app launch screen - Next, scan the QR code shown on the screen with your iPhone using any QR code scanning app to install the Phone Link app for iOS.
Scan the QR code shown on your PC with your iPhone - After the app has been installed on your iPhone, open it. The app will ask for permission to use Bluetooth. Allow it and pair your iPhone with your PC via Bluetooth.
Connect your iPhone with your PC via Bluetooth by tapping Continue - Finally, grant the required permissions to the Phone Link iOS app so that it can access your iPhone’s notifications and allow you to make/receive calls and messages directly from your PC.
Click on Show me how to see how you can grant the permissions - You’re done! You can now view your contacts and message them via iMessage from the Messages tab, or you can make/receive calls from the Calls tab. All your notifications will be logged on the Notifications sidebar present on the left side of the window.
You can now receive notifications, message and call someone through your iPhone directly from your PC
Pictures used in step 5–7 sourced from Tricknology.
The Future of the iOS and Windows Combo
Adding iOS support to Phone Link is a great way of improving accessibility and increasing productivity. With this initiative, Microsoft proves that an iOS and Windows combo is sustainable and has the potential to become a great dynamic.
Although the current number of limitations make it seem underwhelming, Microsoft is actively working on adding support for more devices and new features, while also improving the existing ones.
Phone Link iOS - FAQs
At the time of writing, no. Microsoft has confirmed that it is working on adding iPad support, so all hope is not lost.
Unfortunately, no. Keep in mind that this is a relatively new feature and only offers limited functionality right now.
Currently, there’s no way to access your chat history or see previous chats through Phone Link.
You can access the photos on your iPhone on your Windows PC; just not via Phone Link. The Photos app on Windows 11 has native iCloud support, so make sure your photos are backed up before trying to access them.
Regrettably, no.
Reviewed by Huzaifa Haroon
