iMessage is finally coming to Windows

Good news for iPhone users! Microsoft has announced that Phone Link for iOS is now available for all Windows 11 customers. This feature lets you make and receive phone calls, send and receive iMessages, access your contacts, and see phone notifications all from your Windows PC. It’s been in preview for a while, but now it’s rolling out globally in 39 languages across 85 markets.

While Android users have had this kind of support for a while, it’s been a bit of a pain point for iPhone users who want to stay connected across all their devices. Now they can have a more seamless experience and stay connected to their friends and family without having to constantly switch devices.

Phone Link can also be helpful for business professionals who want to stay on top of their calls and messages without being too obvious about it during meetings. And for those times when your phone needs to charge, you can still keep up with your notifications and calls from your PC.

To start using Phone Link, you’ll be walked through a setup process to pair your iPhone and PC using Bluetooth. You’ll start by scanning a QR code on your PC screen and matching a code on your iPhone to confirm the connection. Once you’ve paired the devices, you’ll be asked to grant some permissions to allow content to be synced to your PC.

The final step is to grant permissions on your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings, which will let you receive notifications on your PC and access your contacts. Phone Link will then offer basic support for calls, messages, and contacts, but there are some limitations. For example, you won’t be able to reply to group messages or send media in messages, and the messages will only come through when your phone is connected to your PC.

Notifications will appear on your PC as Windows notifications, so you can view, pin, and dismiss them from the Windows interface. To use Phone Link, you’ll need an iPhone with iOS 14 or higher, Windows 11, a Bluetooth connection, and the latest version of the Phone Link app, which comes preinstalled with Windows 11. Please note that support for iPad (iPadOS) or MacOS is not currently available.