Windows 11 Phone Link App Adds iPhone Support in Preview

Microsoft is releasing today a big update for Windows 11 version 22H2 that brings a new search box to the taskbar, tabs in File Explorer, and many other new features. The Windows 11 Phone Link app is also being updated today with new features for owners of high-end Samsung Galaxy phones, but Microsoft has also started testing support for iPhones with Windows Insiders.

The preview of iOS support in the Phone Link app will start rolling out to a subset of Windows Insiders on all channels today. “If you see the iPhone button greyed out with a coming soon message, that means you are not yet in the preview,” the Windows Insider team explained.

For those of you who get access to the preview today, you’ll need to follow different steps to pair your iPhone and Windows PC over Bluetooth. In the final step, you’ll need to allow the app to sync your iPhone’s content to your PC.

“Once the guided installation completes and your iPhone is paired to your PC and the right permissions given, Phone Link will deliver basic iOS support for calls, messages, and contacts. This means you will be notified directly through your Windows notifications,” the Windows Insider team said.

As of today, the preview doesn’t support replying to group messages and sending pictures via messages. The app also can’t sync your most recent iPhone photos. As an alternative, you can install iCloud for Windows and see your pictures uploaded to iCloud within the Windows 11 Photos app.

Even though it took several years for Microsoft to make its Phone Link app (previously named ‘Your Phone’) connect to iPhones, it’s nice to finally see it happening. Microsoft plans to expand the availability of this iOS integration to more Insiders over time, but there’s no ETA yet on when the feature will be generally available.