You Can Now Use iMessage on Windows (With Some Serious Limitations)

If you're entirely within either the Apple or Windows/Android ecosystem, it's pretty easy to sync your mobile and desktop experiences so you can get notifications, send messages, and access other content across devices. iOS and MacOS work seamlessly together, and Microsoft's Phone Link pairs Android with Windows.

Phone Link also works across platforms, so you can receive and send Apple Messages on your PC. There are some significant limitations-for example, you'll still need your iPhone handy to send group texts and share images. But Phone Link allows you to keep track of messages on your desktop while you're working without needing to constantly check your phone.

How to link your iPhone to your PC

Setting up Messages on your PC requires a few steps. First, you'll need three things to connect your Apple device to your Windows computer: a Microsoft account, the Phone Link app on your PC, and the Link to Windows app on your iPhone running iOS 16 or higher. (Phone Link comes preinstalled on Windows 11, or you can download it from the Microsoft Store.)

To get started, type Phone Link into the taskbar search and select the app to open it. Choose iPhone as your device. Scan the QR code on the next screen with your iPhone camera and tap Pair your devices. On the pop-up, tap Open > Continue > Allow followed by Pair to grant Windows necessary permissions and complete Bluetooth pairing. You may be asked to allow additional permissions, including notification and file sharing. Then, follow the prompts to link your iPhone to your Microsoft account.

You should also confirm a few things in your iPhone Settings > Bluetooth. Select your computer's name from the list of connected devices and toggle on Show Message Notifications. You can also enable Sync Contacts and Share System Notifications. When you open Phone Link on your PC, you can opt to have the app open when you sign into Windows. Then hit Get Started.

The limitations of using Apple Messages on your PC

The Messages window within Phone Link will show you a handful of recent conversations-which you can reply to-and suggested contacts, but you will not see your full inbox. You also can't start or reply to group chats or send attachments, photos, or GIFs (only emojis are supported). To start a new conversation, tap the New Message icon, enter your contact's name or phone number, compose the text, and hit Send.

Anything sent or received will also appear on your iPhone, so you can switch between devices at any point during the conversation. Note that because Phone Link uses Bluetooth, it does not break Apple Messages' end-to-end encryption.