Microsoft Phone Link app with iPhone

I use Microsoft Windows 11, Arch Linux and Apple macOS frequently. Windows is my primary, and Linux and macOS are secondary.

For those that have used Apple Messages app in macOS, you will have a better understanding.

On the MacBook Air running macOS Sequoia 15.2 (currently), I use the Messages (aka iMessage) app, including Facetime app for simultaneously switching the phone calls between the iPhone and MacBook Air (not that often, but it is neat to do). I send a lot of text messages at times and use the Message app in macOS to make it easy. However, I do not always have the MacBook Air with me and I do use Windows majority of the time while using the iPhone 13.

Microsoft's Phone Link app supposedly syncs text messages to this app. The app lacks and misses majority of text messages available. Sending text messages from Microsoft's Phone Link app does not always send, not very reliable, as well as how it sync's the existing messages to the Phone Link app.

I am wondering if anyone has successfully has this working with their iPhone (I use an iPhone 13 currently). Contacts do not always sync, text messages do not always send, and messages in general do not always sync.

If Microsoft's Phone Link app would work like Apple Messages app in macOS, this would be a great feature of Windows. I know Apple protects iMessage greatly making it hard for anyone to use or access, Microsoft's Phone Link seems to sync messages and contacts from the iPhone.

Apple References:
Set up Messages on Mac
Messages User Guide
How to use iMessage on Mac

I feel your pain. I've been trying for about 2 years to get phonelink to work as advertised with my iPhone 12 with only limited success. Unfortunately the Apple Ecosystem and the Microsoft Ecosystem don't play well with each other. I have gotten phonelink to work after a fashion, but it's not elegant by any means. It will show messages but only while connected, not historical messages, I have also had times where I send messages on the PC and they will show up on the phone, but the response only shows up on the phone. It doesn't happen all the time, just sometimes. When my phone is paired to my desktop via BT, phonelink doesn't like anything else paired with either the phone or the PC. The connection will drop out a lot. With messages that's not that big a deal, but it is annoying. I suspect this has to do more with the BT stack than it does with Phonelink. I have not been able to either send or receive any graphics (pictures etc.) from the PC, and any graphics sent from the phone don't show up on the PC. I have made calls that seem fine and selecting the calls tab on phonelink it will show call history and you can make calls from there.

My research shows the iPhone implementation of Phonelink is not nearly as robust as the Android implementation. I suspect this is due to the "open" architecture of Android and the "closed" architecture of Apple. Unfortunately, until Apple and Microsoft start playing better with each other we as customers are probably stuck. It is also unfortunate that there is very little documentation on Phonelink for IOS devices. Almost all of what I've accomplished is through trial and error.

I encourage IOS users to share what they can do or not do to help everyone, and maybe get MS off their duff to invest some effort to get this capability working better.

Jabiru

At least I know it is not just me that the Phone Links app basically is not very good. Typical Microsoft release. In a few years or less, the Phone Links app may be gone.

you can try intel unison for iphone & windows link. some have had success with it

What do these convoluted apps offer that you couldn't accomplish with a USB cable and a BT keyboard in a fraction of the time!?!?!?

I've installed Phone Link numerous times..., it's just sumpthin to play with!!!

Edwin said:

What do these convoluted apps offer that you couldn't accomplish with a USB cable and a BT keyboard in a fraction of the time!?!?!?

Click to expand...

True, I do use a BT keyboard every so often. Just more convenient in macOS with Message app. Would be nice if that was available in Windows. Then again, why would two different ecosystems play together nicely. LOL.