Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Windows 11 is finally going to play nice with your iPhone

Fionna Agomuoh
By

Microsoft will soon begin support for iPhones on its Phone Link app in Windows 11.

The brand announced on its blog Wednesday that it will begin its global rollout of Microsoft Phone Link for iOS in 39 languages across 85 markets in mid-May. This support will allow iPhone users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, view notifications, and access contacts directly on their PCs.

Phone Link for iOS will be available for Windows 11 starting in mid-May.

Microsoft began beta testing the Phone Link app for iPhone with its Windows Insiders in February. The company said feedback about the additional support has been positive, with reviewers stating, “This is exactly what I’ve been hoping for on my Windows PC.”

Related

Though some consider the Phone Link for iOS somewhat of an iMessage for Windows 11, there are some functionalities missing from the app. For example, it does not support group chats, photos, videos, and conversation history outside of the current chat session, MacRumors noted.

Recommended Videos

Windows won’t differentiate between iMessages and SMS text messages, as all bubbles will be gray bubbles in the Phone Link app.

Requirements for using the feature include an iPhone running iOS 14 or later, the latest version of the Phone Link app, and a Bluetooth connection, as that is how the smartphone connects to a Windows 11 computer. Phone Link for iOS is not compatible with iPad, iPadOS, or macOS.

To see if the app is available on your Windows 11 PC and install the feature, find Phone Link in the search box of your Windows taskbar. Then follow the step-by-step installation setup guide.

This addition further expands the mobile support of the Phone Link app, as the feature has been compatible with Android devices for some time. Many Samsung models, including the Galaxy Z Fold, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy S series, and Galaxy Note series, are compatible with Phone Link. Microsoft has a partnership with the brand Honor to bring Phone Link to devices such as the Honor Magic V, the Honor Magic 4 series, and the Honor Magic 3 series in China.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh
Computing Writer
Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…
If your PC is running slowly, the latest Windows 11 update may be to blame
A laptop running Windows 11.

Microsoft may have a problem on its hands -- the latest Windows 11 update doesn't seem to be working as intended. According to various user reports, the update drastically slows SSD speeds, in some cases even cutting them in half.

If you've noticed that your PC is loading slowly or programs aren't running as quickly as you'd hoped, you might be affected by this problem. Here's how to fix it.

Read more
Windows 11 could be hurting your gaming performance
Overwatch 2 running on the LG OLED 27 gaming monitor.

If you’ve been wondering why your beefy graphics card hasn’t been performing as well as it should in Windows 11 or Windows 10, the answer could be Microsoft’s Virtualization Based Security (VBS). According to testing done by Tom’s Hardware, VBS could cause gaming performance to drop by as much as 10%.

In a suite of fresh benchmarks, Tom’s Hardware tested 15 different games, from Cyberpunk 2077 to Red Dead Redemption 2, both with VBS enabled and with the feature turned off. In some games, the results could be cause for concern.

Read more
One of Windows 11’s most requested features may launch soon
Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Windows 11 has a lot of great features, but moving the entire taskbar to a new location is not one of them (although you can move its icons). Despite that, it’s a highly requested feature -- and one that Microsoft might be about to make a reality.

According to Windows enthusiast @thebookisclosed on Twitter, a moveable taskbar is something Microsoft is at least considering, as evidenced by a video of the feature in action that was shared on the account’s Twitter page.

Read more