How to link your iPhone with Windows 11 and use iMessage

At lengthy final, you may hyperlink your iPhone with a Windows PC—at the least, you may when you’re operating Windows 11.

Anyone nonetheless on Windows 10 isn’t lacking out on as a lot as you may assume, although. You don’t get the identical expertise as when pairing an iPhone with a Mac. So whereas you need to use Microsoft’s Phone Link app to work together along with your iPhone’s textual content messages, make telephone calls, and see telephone notifications, some capabilities include caveats, notably textual content messages:

• Group, image, and different media messages gained’t present in dialog threads. You will see notifications for these sorts of incoming messages, although.
• Message conversations solely present texts that have been despatched and acquired after pairing, and solely upon the second message acquired from a contact—even in case you have an ongoing thread with that individual.
• Texts despatched by way of your telephone gained’t present within the dialog historical past proven in your PC.
• Not all iPhone apps presently help passthrough of notifications to a PC.

But even with these limitations, being even partially untethered out of your telephone whereas in your PC may be very releasing. You gained’t want to take a look at your iPhone (or Apple Watch) as typically. And connecting the 2 gadgets is straightforward. Here’s learn how to attempt it out for your self.

Note: If somebody is aware of your iPhone passcode, they’ll pair the Phone Link app along with your telephone to see your communications and notifications unbeknownst to you. To keep away from undesirable monitoring, shield your PIN and examine your Bluetooth settings periodically for any unknown gadgets paired (and linked) to your telephone.

How to attach an iPhone to a Windows 11 PC

Step 1: Open the Windows 11 Phone Link app

You want Windows’ Phone Link app to pair your PC and your iPhone. (Sorry, no iPads and macOS gadgets; they’re not supported.) The program needs to be preinstalled in your pc—if not, open the Microsoft Store app and obtain it. 

On the opening display screen, click on on the iPhone button below Pick your telephone to get began. If that button is lacking or grayed out, you’ll must replace Phone Link. In the Microsoft Store app, select Library at backside left of the display screen. If you don’t already see a pending replace for Phone Link, click on on the Get updates button.

Step 2: Pair your gadget 

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The subsequent display screen that seems ought to say Pair your gadgets with Bluetooth. You can carry out the pairing in one in all two methods: Using the QR code that reveals on this display screen, or by clicking the Continue manually with out a QR code hyperlink.

Each methodology has its professionals and cons. The QR code methodology is easier, however is presently buggier, too. (When we used this methodology, telephone name controls wouldn’t work correctly.) Meanwhile, the handbook methodology requires extra steps however provides a extra secure, constant expertise.

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QR code methodology:

1. On your iPhone, open the Camera app
2. Scan the QR code
3. Tap the yellow Pair your gadgets pop-up that seems
4. A pop-up window will seem in your iPhone that asks if you wish to pair your gadget. Tap the blue Open button.
5. Verify that the pairing request code proven in your telephone and the PC match. You’ll want to substantiate by clicking and tapping (respectively) on each your PC and telephone.
6. Tap Allow for notifications.

If the pairing course of turns into unresponsive at any level, your QR code could have expired. You’ll want to return within the Phone Link app to the start display screen and begin over once more.

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Manual methodology:

1. Install the Link to Windows app in your iPhone. You can do that in one in all 3 ways:
   1. Scan the QR code on the Phone Link app along with your telephone’s digicam. Tap the Pair your gadgets yellow field that seems, then within the greater pop-up window that reveals up subsequent, faucet on the tiny grey App Store hyperlink on the backside proper.
   2. Point your iPhone’s browser at www.aka.ms/pairyourphone. The first end result ought to ship you to the Link to Windows entry within the App Store.
   3. Open the App Store in your iPhone, then seek for Link to Windows. (Confirm that it’s created by Microsoft Corporation.)
2. Open the Link to Windows app, then faucet on the Scan QR code button.
3. Grant the app permission to make use of your digicam.
4. Scan the QR code within the Phone Link app.
5. On your iPhone, a brand new display screen seems that claims Continue pairing with Bluetooth. Tap the blue Continue button.
6. Grant the app permission to entry Bluetooth.
7. Verify that the pairing request code proven in your telephone and the PC match. You’ll want to substantiate by clicking and tapping (respectively) on each your PC and telephone.
8. Tap Allow for notifications.

Step 3: Set your telephone permissions for full sync

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To get all notifications out of your telephone—and for contacts to indicate correctly in your Messages and Calls lists—you’ll must tweak some permissions in your iPhone.

Head to Settings > Bluetooth. Find the title of your Windows PC, then faucet on the knowledge icon (the “i” with a circle round it) to the precise of it. Flip on Show Notifications, Sync Contacts, and Share System Notifications. In the earlier step, when you clicked Allow, you must see Share System Notifications already turned on.

Step 4: Use Phone Link

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After passing by way of the ultimate setup home windows, you’ll see Phone Link’s primary display screen. It’s divided into two sections: The left-hand bar is a operating checklist of notifications, whereas the principle part reveals your messages and your calls. By default, you’ll begin on the Calls tab first.

If you click on on the gear icon within the higher right-hand of the window, you may tweak your settings—like customizing how iPhone notifications seem in Windows 11, altering Phone Link’s startup conduct, and the theme coloration of the Phone Link app. You can even see the gadgets which are linked to Phone Link and add extra.

You can refine which iPhone notifications you’ll see in your PC, too, although not all apps are supported. On our iPhone, solely 13 of the 50+ apps put in have been suitable with PC notifications. Several common messaging apps like WhatsApp, Discord, and Google Chat have been notably lacking.

How to make use of iMessages on a Windows 11 PC

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Message sync on Windows 11 is presently primary. You can solely alternate textual content messages (SMS and that iMessage) by way of the Phone Link interface—you’ll kind your replies within the textual content discipline on the backside of the display screen. Incoming group, image, and different media messages gained’t present within the dialog threads. Instead, you’ll solely see a notification while you obtain an MMS message (together with a preview of the textual content, in case you have that setting on). 

Any messages you ship out of your iPhone won’t present in your PC’s operating checklist of messages, both, nor will the primary message you obtain after syncing your iPhone along with your Windows 11 PC—even in case you have an current operating thread with that contact.

How to make (and take) iPhone calls on a Windows 11 PC

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In the Calls tab, you can begin a name in a number of alternative ways: You can click on on any contacts in your latest name historical past, search your contacts, or use the dial pad. You can even reply incoming calls by interacting with the pop-up window that may seem.

Calls initiated or answered by way of your pc can be taken on the PC. Calls began in your telephone can be accessible and controllable by way of the PC, together with switching between the 2.

If you’re experiencing bugs (as we did when going by way of the straightforward QR code pairing methodology), chances are you’ll discover points with controlling calls by way of your PC. If that is the case, unpair your gadget from Phone Link, obtain the Link to Windows app within the App Store in your iPhone, then re-pair your PC and your telephone. It ought to resolve your name points.