Link to Windows Reviews

by Jimtobincan.

One star for the concept. Look, I understand it’s only in Beta. I’m signed up as an insider and providing feedback. But it basically never works so I’m giving up until it’s “real.” Constantly unpairs PC from iPhone. And then basically need to uninstall and reinstall apps on phone and PC and start whole process of turning on and off Bluetooth on both sides, rediscovering devices, reattempting pairing, and so on in a frustrating loop. Meanwhile, LinktoWindows on the PC almost always freezes before messages and calls appear once paired. And then I get a “disconnected” with a refresh symbol. When I click on refresh, whole set of the above listed problems just starts again. I know MSFT wants users to help debug this noble effort, but I don’t have hours in a day to do so

by Dc.will

Both the phone and laptop show Bluetooth is connected but both LinktoWindows and phone link say they are not. Removed devices on both ends and Tried multiple different ways (using app on laptop, app on phone, and manually). Everything always ends up devices showing connected but neither app shows connected. There should have been a lot more testing before this was released.

by Mitchell Pash

I’m sure that the team who developed LinktoWindows already felt some type of way about it. The project managers and team responsible for LinktoWindows specifically are probably some of the least talented engineers working at Microsoft. LinktoWindows doesn’t work. Bluetooth pairing is a nightmare. I can tell that this was developed in an echo chamber for windows users. Honestly, I don’t know why I trust Microsoft software anymore. This from the same publisher, who can’t even figure out how to design a right click menu, let alone an entire interface for windows 11 who still has design elements holdovers from windows 95.

by BeoXS

I have my phone and PC telling me that they are connected via Bluetooth, but the Link for Windows app never connects. I tried 3 times for 10 minutes each - meaning I sat there and watch the Link for Windows app on my phone attempt to pair with my already paired Windows 10 PC that was a single foot away for 30 minutes. It never paired with the already paired devices.

Yes, I made sure they were updated.
Yes, I restarted the machines.
Yes, I doubled checked the pairing in settings on both devices. Still paired.

by Brextley Hudson

Was excited to get an iMessage like app for my Windows PC. I understood it would have limited functionality as its relatively new, but even the limited functionality doesnt work. Messages dont really appear in the LinktoWindows on my computer. For example, in a conversation with ~10 messages, you might actually see 2 or 3 of them, and thats only while being connected to your computer via bluetooth.

In LinktoWindows on my iPhone, it wont even detect that Im connected to my Windows machine, despite LinktoWindows on the computer clearly dosplayine device name, battery level, and one or two iMessages.

by Pointlessnickname887

I went through the whole process of pairing the device with my laptop “successfully” and then the moment it connected, it told me I had to reset the connection, which would delete the pairing. Had to go through the whole process of setting it up again for it to not connect and get stuck on a loading screen forever. Not worth it, waste of time

by Zskags

Whole process appears to work, but as soon as you enable “Sync Contacts” LinktoWindows on my Windows 12 PC crashes as soon as you open it up and it begins to attempt to fetch messages / call history. Frustratingly poor programming is happening over at MSFT Redmond… come on. Ridiculous. Not even able to submit bug reports or anything. Clearly I am encountering an unhandled exception. Get a handle maybe, Microsoft!!! It’s 2023!

by Loadedaxe

This does not work with iPhone, at least running iOS 16.5

I have been trying to get this working for over 4 hrs. Reset apps multiple times. App does not show phone paired but settings in iphone and Windows 11 shows them paired. I made sure I have the latest builds for iOS and Windows.

App does not see them, MS needs to make sure these things work before having users waste long hours on nothing.

by Microsoft = Garbage

Why does it seem like almost everything Microsoft pumped out within the last 5 years is hot garbage? It never works as intended, feedback feels like it’s never looked at, instead of fixing what they already have they will just re-release the same software again with a different/similar name that might work slightly better in another few years. As for Phone Link it works when it wants to, half the time you can interact with your notifications. You want to send a text message via pc? Eh the software can’t do that right now, send Microsoft feedback that they won’t look at. Awaiting a phonecall? Sorry randomly disconnected 20 minutes ago and didn’t try to re connect. At least the interface is easy to understand.

by Thaman1989

So I downloaded LinktoWindows a few years ago and I deleted it. I download it again, thinking that they worked out the problem, but apparently not. LinktoWindows does not connect with the Bluetooth from the computer. There is no option to choose an iPhone in LinktoWindows like they say in the troubleshooting it keeps trying to connect, but it does not work Microsoft you need to do better, because quite frankly, even on my PC, I’d rather on a Apple Computer.

by RJGosselin

I mostly useful link to be able to copy and paste information from my computer into my messaging system. The synchronization between the phone and the computer is sketchy at best. Often times even though messages I send can be seen on the computer, messages received, do not show up at all except on the phone. so utilizing LinktoWindows and its present version for reliable communication is not recommended. To use it as a dialer and or a way insert information from your PC is all you can help for at this point.

Present version does not allow sending graphics. Nor does it handle group messaging. Well, it instead will split every part of the group into an individual message.

by Fuqnugget

Hey it's great that I can finally use my iPhone from my computer computer. But LinktoWindows is very inconsistent and there are massive feature gaps and failures.

The first thing is no incoming messages display on the computer. So you can send messages from your computer but you can't see anybody's replies.

Then the worst behavior is that it automatically redirects audio to the computer when you're in proximity. So if you're standing on the phone and you get a little too close to the computer boom all of a sudden it's trying to make you have your conversation through the computer speakers and microphone. And maybe I'm missing it but I can't figure out how to turn that off.

by Tcprdr321

Great concept, and something many of us have been wanting for a long time, but it’s not ready. As others have said, there are still too many bugs to be truly functional. Can send messages (one at a time; no group messages) through my computer but only receive replies on my iPhone. The messages I send once are sometimes received by the recipient multiple times. Very limited in overall capability. Will be deleting for now and trying again in the future to see if improvements have been made.

by Rob O'Hara

Allows you to send text messages to one person at a time. Does not allow you to send messages to a small group. Does not show incoming text messages. Does not show notification history. In fact, it does almost nothing, except let you make phone calls and send texts to one person at a time. The entire time you are using LinktoWindows, you will have to also use your phone, so it makes you wonder what the point is at this point. Maybe it will become more advanced in the future and more compatible with the iPhone. Right now, it’s a little more than a neat parlor trick.

by JimRadical

This is more like a proof of concept at this point. Sad given MS quality and output from other apps of late.
Notifications are the key as other reviews mentioned. If you have iMessage open on your phone, then no notification is given on the phone, hence does not show up in Windows phone link. Message is apparently lost.
if iMessage is NOT open on the phone and Phone Link app is open in Windows then the ‘message conversation’ is not updated but it appears as though the message was received as it shows in notifications. Close and open the Windows phone link application and the message is properly displayed in the message conversation.
App is simply not ready for prime time… hoping to see rapid improvements as I have been waiting a while for this functionality.

by JigokuMan

I was incredibly excited to get this fired up on my pc. I sometimes forget to look at my phone and this would be a handy way to stay on top of my messages. But yikes, no images or group texts? I admit I don’t know what type of miraculous coding was required to get this far, but until these are added this will be a pretty mediocre experience…

Add those and it’ll be back in business

by ChargedED

There is a bug where when my phone’s Bluetooth is connected to my computer via LinktoWindows, it causes any other Bluetooth devices connected to my phone to have an unstable connection. I had my beats connected and their audio would skip every half second or so. I disconnected my phone from my computer and it fixed the problem.
LinktoWindows itself works okay. Sometimes the other person’s messages don’t show up in the desktop window.
Once this is fixed I will definitely use LinktoWindows .

by Rnljarvis

It’s OK, but less than I hoped it would be. It has far less functionality than I get with the iCloud web interface except that iCloud doesn’t allow uses to send and receive messages.
So, if all you want or expect is simple messaging (SMS, not iMessage) through your iPhone using your windows 11 PC, it works great.
If you want the ability to send links and photos and videos in your messages, you will be dissatisfied.
Microsoft Phone Link doesn’t interface with your photos, calendar, etc. like the iCloud web interface does.
Phone Link does allow your to make and receive calls through your PC, but it’s not easier than simply sing your phone.

by RFT54

Concept: Great, but Execution Falls Short

Microsoft Phone Link is a software application that aims to integrate IPhone messenger functionality with Windows PCs, allowing users to access their messages directly from their computer. The concept is quite compelling, giving users the convenience of accessing key mobile features without having to constantly switch between devices.

However, the execution of Microsoft Phone Link is poor.

Performance Issues: I have poor performance with the application, leading to frustration and an unreliable experience.
Connectivity Problems: The connection between the smartphone and PC appears to be weak and unstable, making it difficult to seamlessly transition between the two devices.
The overall reliability of Microsoft Phone Link is questionable, I have been experiencing issues that undermine the application's intended purpose.
While the idea behind Microsoft Phone Link is promising, the poor performance, weak connectivity, and unreliable nature of the current implementation seem to be significant drawbacks. For the application to be truly useful and succeed in the market, Microsoft will likely need to address these technical issues and provide a more polished, consistent product.

by Zbart97

I applaud 👏 MSFT for creating this but not sure it’s a good idea. First of all Apple products are built with privacy and security in mind. Windows products = NO. Windows products are ridiculously insecure so much so the antivirus and IT security business is a $200,000,000,000 industry. Antivirus companies came into being in large part because of how insecure MSFT products are.

So now you want me to put my IOS secure stuff on to a Windows product? I would seriously consider if you want MSFT having access to all your iOS data before executing LinktoWindows.

by J-Moses

LinktoWindows is terrible. LinktoWindows on the computer is terrible. Nothing works. I took LinktoWindows off my phone and reset LinktoWindows on the computer hoping it would clear all the issues. Now I can't even link my phone back to LinktoWindows . If this was in Beta, I’d understand, but you have way too many problems to introduce this to the general public.

by Lunasea01

While we’re off to a good start being able to maintain conversations and calls on my phone from my PC, it has a long way to go to really not be a complete boar to use.

For starters you need to completely stay hands off of your phone and keep it locked otherwise you will not get messages properly syncing between devices. You’ll lose entire parts of conversations on your PC and there’s not way to resync or even show the messages that exist when you initially set up the pairing.

LinktoWindows itself on the PC is wildly limited too. You have no ability to add media of any kind like pictures to messages and if you get sent any they just show up as “attachment: 1 picture” or movie or sticker or whatever.

In a pinch it’s good if you can’t use your phone to maintain a conversation. But it is woefully lacking in features and in such an infancy that it’s almost easier to buy a dang Mac instead of using LinktoWindows.

by DesuVR

Once I finally got my iPhone connected to my PC after many attempts, you cannot do anything other than view/send SMS and make calls, that's it. I mostly used LinktoWindows to transfer photos to my PC which worked great on Android+Windows, but you don't get that functionality on iOS so LinktoWindows is nearly useless.

by NyahNyahNyah00

I love that I am able to connect my phone to my laptop now. I have an iPhone , but I prefer HP or windows computer systems. It really makes everything more convenient to have access to everything in one place.

A few things that I do not like about PhoneLink include the lack of ability to reply to group message from my computer , but still receiving the notifications for group messages. I also think (not sure) if someone sends messages containing images, images do not show up on the computer either.

I’ve also experienced a few issues with connectivity and LinktoWindows glitching to where it has trouble starting upon turning my computer on, and connecting to my phone.

by J Spike

I appreciate being able to send iPhone messages from LinktoWindows on my Windows machine. I wish it were more responsive and functional, but it is absolutely better than not being able to send and receive messages from my computer. I wish it didn’t sometimes take a call away from my phone without warning and if I try to get rid of the phone window on my computer I’m likely to hang up on the person (there is not an easy/obvious way to “transfer” the call back to my phone). I wish it worked more like “CarPlay” in my car. Still, when I need to send a message from my computer, this is my go-to app.

by Teehee.It.Me

I think this is a good start and it got me pretty excited since before I couldn’t sync anything from my phone to my microsoft laptop! I like how it shows my notifications from other apps. I also enjoy the mimic of imessage where it allows gifs, emojis and even emoticons.
As people have mentioned, the conversation will not sync if you switch to text on your phone. There are also delays with messages coming in from imessage and to start a conversation I have to type in the designated phone number instead of the contact name which is inconvenient. However, LinktoWindows does warn you it can’t sync message history and any messages from your phone. This the best app that’s worked so far for getting notifications on my laptop from my phone and at least I can text a little! I hope they will add a feature where we can change the theme of the chat and make kt more colorful! I hope it will continue to be worked on and improved : )

by Lollipop204

I tried to connect my iPhone to LinktoWindows a very long time ago and I have issues of the phone and laptop can’t find each other even though they are connected with Bluetooth. I decided to try to connect again by forgetting 2 devices and reconnect to each other. It works.

I have used it for a day and I found it useful, since I can receive notifications and messages on my laptop now. But there’s one thing LinktoWindows need to add is there are still no group messages. The notifications is there but the message dialogue doesn’t appear group messages. Hope Microsoft will add this in the near future.

by Sidwarsinske

Intel Unison is a little better (mainly because you can transfer data even on an iPhone). LinktoWindows is bad, but it is better than having to pick up your phone. It truly is so limited, and I REALLY HOPE the team can improve it whereas group messages will work, you can receive messages instead of having to send out a message first, being able to click on a phone number on the internet or a link in Salesforce (in particular) and have it upload to phone link (if there are any letters or numbers after the actual number, the phone number doesn’t work well).

Anyways, this is a great tool for sales if they can spend some time to think through the use case.

by Jacob Kirkendoll

The fact that this is possible at all is incredible. We have been waiting for a feature like this for years.

That being said, there are a ton of bugs and limitations. The biggest problem is that it is not a true link; your conversations don’t sync exactly from your phone to your pc like a Mac does, which is ultimately the desire of the end user. Not being able to send multimedia over the link is a huge limitation.

Calling does switch over just like a headset, which is a very nice feature, especially since I use my phone and computer for work. It’s easy to leave my phone alone and field calls and messages on my computer since I’m doing relevant work on screen.

by Smudgedaddy

I installed and proceeded to link my iphone 14. Both phone and computer linked on bluetooth. I tested it by making a call and responding to an email. Worked as promised. THEN after about 20 minutes the troubles began. My computer began to beep and beephile and the screen began to blink. The only way to stop it was to disable the bluetooth. I chatte withe two Microsoft techs and we couldn’t find the problem. Now I am waiting for reinstall of Windows 11 to try to fix the problem. Hope it works so I can use my bluetooth device. Question is if LinktoWindows caused this problem and if so why.

by MikeAdkins

I’m unable to get my Bluetooth headphones to have audio come from my phone through the computer. And I can’t seem to find any answers on why that is. Everything else seems to work OK. Sometimes my messages will not sync. The message shows up on the left panel but we’re not showing the right panel so that I can read all the message and answer it. But the biggest problem is is that the phone audio doesn’t come through LinktoWindows . Even if I have the phone audio set to the computer, I wish there was an article on this or something to do with it.

by Capricorn-Jack

I know it says this won’t work with iPadOS but since it was available in LinktoWindows Store I decided to give it a try. I’m using Windows 11 at current maintenance level and the latest version of Windows Phone Link installed. iPadOS is at 16.4.1(a).

INSTALLATION:
Link to Windows app installed fine and I got through the sync process on the first try. But, missing on iPadOS Bluetooth settings is a Sync Contacts option.

USE:
I’ve found that iPad stays connected and that notifications and battery level show up in Windows Phone Link!

Newly sent iMessages are received on Windows Phone Link and can be responded to as expected. Nice!

However, without synced contacts, there is no way to send a new Message.

Does anyone have knowledge of Bluetooth Sync Contacts setting on iPadOS?

by Percifam

In fairness I’ve only been using this two days. My first recommendation to Microsoft is not to spam us to review until you allow the user to actually use the software a bit.

Messages -I hate texting for business, it’s so much better being able to respond on my laptop to texts. If I could easily copy and paste multiple texts in a thread to email or notes that would be a nice improvement. If we can see group texts that would be great but I think I can see the difficulties that would give.

The one thing that I really don’t like is I can be replying to a text, when another text comes in it automatically switches to the new incoming message. It would be much more convenient to finish the message then look to see the new text.

Calls - it’s been a little buggy - I select phone on my phone and it just switches back automatically to the computer shortly after. Overall I might still like this I think I need to get used to it.

Over all I like it. I do have some concerns it might be distracting. I was on a Teams meeting and an incoming call started ringing on the computer as I was speaking on mic. My solution was to put my phone on airplane mode.

by B-Jams

The concept is very good. The execution is where it lags a bit. There are some limitations but you know that going in. No group messages and no images. That’s fine. What is frustrating is that LinktoWindows will randomly stop working. I’ll be able to see notifications but not the content. Or I can send but not receive on my laptop. Deleting LinktoWindows on phone and laptop works sometimes not always.
As I said, when it is working it’s excellent and very useful.
FYI. IPhone 14 and Surface Pro. Surface Pro interacts better than with office desktop.

by DevRecruiter

I’ve tried other third-party apps that supposedly allowed you to use iMessage on a PC, but they mostly didn’t work at all, or I didn’t trust the security behind them. I’ve been using this one for a few days and its far better than anything else I’ve seen or heard of. It does have a couple of issues that keep me from giving 5 stars. 1. I don’t like that I pretty much have to stay off my iPhone while using Phone Link on my laptop in order to maintain the current text thread with someone. It doesn’t sync messages between my phone and the very well at all. This may not be a bug, its most likely related to the fact that there is not a seamless connection between Apple’s iMessage platform and Windows. 2. The Phone Link app on my laptop regularly has trouble refreshing and connecting with my phone. I’ve gone through the exercise of completely disconnecting my phone from my laptop, and my laptop from my phone, and re-pairing both but the issue remains. This happens even if my phone is on my desk about a foot away from my latop.

by Chiu4302

I was excited when the feature was rolled out in the insider program, but after I spent a whole morning just trying to get through the pairing process, I came to realize that LinktoWindows is still half-baked and more work needed to be done before it is completely functional and stable. I hope they can come up with a fix soon.

by Steve With Accurate Reviews

Got a reply to my review about pairing not working, saying to ensure I had the latest PC app, Phone Link. I saw it had updated automatically, so I tried pairing again. This time it completely successfully. I appreciate the response and have updated my review and rating. I’ll update again after more opportunity to use LinktoWindows .

by Le Seed

It’s great when it works, but the problem is that if I sneeze wrong the connection between my phone and my computer is interrupted and the computer side of the program needs to be reset almost completely. Once that becomes more stable and I can just rely on the connection to hold it’s gonna be a fantastic thing and I expect to be using it near constantly. Gotta wait until then tho.

by Stickittotheman

LinktoWindows has been working for me for the most part. It does what I need it to do. Setting it up was a pain but there was a good amount of user error on my part.

However, ever since I’ve installed it, I’ve had issues with my AirPod pros not connecting to my phone automatically like it used to while my phone is linked to my computer. I’m not 100% sure that’s the issue but nothing else has really changed on my phone since the issues started

by Jj_vv_jj

I like the features offered by this software however, it doesn’t work consistently enough of the time. My desktop loses connection with my iPhone and the call is still going on so I have to go to the phone when that happens. Not all text messages or phone calls are on my screen, so it’s hard to follow up from there 100% of the time. Not sure if it’s a software issue on my desktop or the software itself but it does happen and that’s why I give this only three out of five stars.

by 66am65

Spring hasn’t sprung yet here in New England so I decided to invite the Easter Bunny to slip his snowshoes on for search for a new electronic Easter Egg! Found one from Lenovo with lots more bells and whistles than my archaic Dell. So many new features, applications, and cloud integration that is both overwhelming and exciting. The Phone Link is just one app that’s becoming a convenient necessity! For me, it does work better with a headset on than strictly using only the laptop speakers and microphone. That said, it could be due to my desktop equipment arrangement, my individual Yoga laptop speaker and microphone location, or other devices settings that need to be tweaked. The more I use, the more I will learn!

by Davelee2375

As a personal preference, I'm not overly fond of downloading random applications to my iPhone, especially if I still need to vet or review the application. However, today, I needed a quick solution to the "it's on my PC DeskTop how do I send via iMessage" conundrum. I needed a quick solution (not a quick fix):

Copy from a website on my PC desktop.
Paste the information.
Send the information via iMessage on my iPhone.
Using the PhoneLink application, linking my phone to my PC, and then beginning to use it was less than five minutes. I'm enjoying the application (using it for 30 minutes), this new application on my phone, and this new experience. The PhoneLink application may have been around for a while, but I am enjoying it now. I don't review items with five stars. I notice some bugs and glitches, but for the most part, PhoneLink is exceptionally user-friendly and practical for people who live in the iPhone environment and want to quickly send information or share information from working on their PC desktops. Great work.

by Jgray777

The process to connect my iPhone with PC was simple and I can easily send texts. I wasn’t receiving texts though. After troubleshooting, I found a solution. 1) Turn off Bluetooth on iPhone and computer and close the Phone Link app on computer. 2) On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages > set “Show Previews” to “Always”. I had mine previously set to “Never”. 3) Turn Bluetooth back on for iPhone and computer and open the Phone Link app on computer. Now I was able to send and receive texts. Although the above helped for a time, later on I was no longer receiving texts again and had to remove my device from my PC and go through the connection process again. It’s great when it works!

by Janczak4ever

This is a great application for PC users with an iPhone. I like it because I spend most of my time on the computer and I like being able to answer calls and texts right from my PCs keyboard. The only improvements I would like to see is to be able to see ALL of my previous text conversations in the text message tab. Right now you can only see messages that are sent and received via the phone link app. Other than that this is a great feature. Apple and Microsoft need to work together on this as most people (especially business people) have iPhones but work off of a PC.

by Tdheugre

LinktoWindows works well for receiving and sending messages as long as there is a Bluetooth connection between computer and phone.
It basically acts as a remote reader and input device to the phone. However, pictures, emoticons or videos are not transmitted and the computer will not have a remote edit function, meaning you cannot edit, delete or otherwise change messages once sent or received by the phone. Message history while disconnected from Bluetooth is not transmitted either.
I would not want to miss LinktoWindows, but it does not compare to the full integration between Apple devices be they phone, tablet or computer. It remains to be seen if MS and Apple can or want to ever work out that level of integration.

by BKnudsen1

To be able to text from my desktop and so far in the last few days this is done what I needed. There are a few improvements I’d like to see.
1) Allowing carriage return when composing a message. Right now if you hit enter, hoping to start a new line it actually sends the text instead.
2) All incoming text messages don’t show up on my computer. It’s a hit and miss when people reply to a text on whether or not their reply will appear on my computer. It will appear on my phone but not on the computer, which is annoying.
I have not tried the function for making calls since it’s not something I really need. So far no connectivity issues between my phone and computer so far loving it but hoping to see more improvements in the future.

by Erin C.1

There can be some improvements made to the interface in terms of how it appears on the computer side but for what it is it definitely gets the job done. I’m able to call, text, check notifications, check battery level, and check call logs from my computer. The only downside is that if I respond to a group message I do not respond to the group but the individual person. Not only this but I cannot see the messages that I send the person from my phone so it shows up as an incomplete conversation on the computers end. Other than those minor downfalls I do enjoy using LinktoWindows and it has been a good addition to my life.

by Zi0oi

I have to commend Microsoft for actually creating LinktoWindows as it must’ve been a challenge to link a Windows computer with iMessage. like others have said, messages don’t sync up 100% all the time, but they do work and I have been able to text individuals every now and then. I just hope Microsoft continues to work on LinktoWindows to make it better!

Pros: it can do individual texts about 70% to 80% of the time, and IT’S ON WINDOWS.

Cons: cannot do group text, does not sync all the time, and some texts are missing, does not have all the functionality of iMessage such as reactions, replies.

by Rscotts1

Many are complaining about this updated service from Microsoft. However, remember it is in limited release to Windows Insiders. Of course, there are going to be problems, bugs, etc... Give Microsoft a chance to develop this service!! The features available right now are a tremendous improvement over the past.

by PerryPlatypuss

It refuses to work consistently on my desktop, but it mostly works on my laptop.

It still seems to struggle with connection from time to time, even when the position of the phone and laptop stay the same (2 ft away from each other).

I realize it’s still just preview for iPhone, so hoping it gets better.

by Axomaly

For those of you saying that LinktoWindows doesn’t work and that it’s horrible, of course it doesn’t work since it’s still being rolled out through the Microsoft Insider Program. It might take a few months for it to roll out completely, so be patient!

I’m genuinely excited for this to roll out completely and I’m still waiting for my access within the Insider Program. Since I’m more of a Windows user over Mac, I can’t wait to finally send/receive and make/take phone calls!

by Haruumoni

Finally I can text friends on iMessage thru my Windows laptop! There are some pretty major issues that need bug fixing, such as the error that happens when bluetooth mode is toggled on/off on phone or laptop… it basically needs to be reconnected from scratch instead of auto connecting again.
But there is a lot of potential and I look forward to using LinktoWindows in the future, especially as iPhones use USB-C!

by Mad Machine Monkey

LinktoWindows can be very useful, but also very frustrating. I love being able to get my messages and reply to them on my computer. Seeing the notifications is handy too.

When I get calls things can go wonky. Sometimes I can’t answer through my phone when they are linked or the audio doesn’t go to my ear buds. So I end up turning off the Bluetooth on my PC during some calls. This is a hassle, but the other features make it worth it for me.

by JHanlon205

I’ve been using phone link with windows 11 Pro for about four months. I have an iPhone the latest iPhone 14 pro. I think it is and it works very well. The only thing I would change is a better way of reconnecting when I walk out of the room with the phone and come back, but I found that if I come back and just turn the Bluetooth on and off on the phone the phone comes right up. I look forward to improvements with this product and hope to keep using it for years in the future. It’s greatly helped me thank you.

by Dgsf

Good start but needs a lot of works. It’s in a very basic configuration and needs to be completed.
Often it does not work. Has trouble connecting notification message to the chat texting session. Can’t show images. Can’t send images.
On the notification side you can’t click and go to the original app location like on iPhone. They added a feature to go to website but it’s not the link you would get on the iPhone.
So it is very basic and just barely works.

by Pseudopsyche

Getting notifications, replying to texts, and accepting calls from Windows 11 all work almost flawlessly. I’ve honestly been surprised how well it works. Even replying to iMessage messages works seamlessly.

Occasionally the connection will need to be manually refreshed if the phone is moved out of range and then brought back in range to the PC, but that’s honestly not that big of a deal.

The one thing that would make this perfect is if there were a way to support picture messages, but that’s a limitation from Apple.

by Shmambz

The phone link is great and beneficial when you spend a lot of time working on the PC. However, my main issue is that you cannot transfer calls to PC from iPhone because they cannot hear you. Also, you cannot view the face time call on there either. It would be extremely beneficial if you could at least stream it from the phone and hearing can go both ways. Overall, it’s a great tool.

by JLong129

I was excited to see this during the Windows Insider Preview and jumped on it. It was poor at first, but received multiple updates during the week that squashed several bugs. While it’s still not prefect, it’s very functional.

by Cutie B*tch

It works really well and all. But the only thing, I seem to be having a problem w/ is receiving my messages. Yes I can make a call, receive calls, send texted. But I can’t seem to get messages when people reply’s or text me back. Other than that it works really fine. But you all need to fix that 1 problem that I am seem to be having. In order for me to know that they texted me back. I gotta keep looking on my phone

by Evilanimator

I’m using LinktoWindows regularly with my iPhone and having the ability to text from my PC is game changing. I love it. I hope to see support for images, animated GIFs, video, and emojis in the future. This is the closest to actually having iMessage in Windows and it’s a huge help. I also like getting my phone notifications on my PC, which keeps me informed of meetings and other important alerts. The setup process could be a little more refined, but I eventually got things working. Please keep this going, Microsoft. It has boosted my overall productivity.

by Mohammad K

For years now I have been a multiple OS user.
Developing web apps on both windows and Mac OS. I found myself using MacOS just because iMessage was on it and it was VERY convenient to be able to read and respond to messages without having to pick up my phone. I feel like the device used for being able to text and call should not be restricted to a specific company, so in PROTEST I avoided using MacOS and created a workflow to avoid using my phone. Would contact friends with Signal, and more open platforms.

Now I can get back to using text. Microsoft has integrated this so well. I love that I can see my contacts and even play Audio on my phone with my desktop

Great work Microsoft!

Hopefully Apple will continue to open more doors and allow full iMessage functionality plus more integration!

by Queen Bean Casseroles

I can’t believe I’m able to send and receive messages/calls from my Windows 11 laptop! I joined Windows Insider to access that one feature alone, and after patiently waiting, I finally received my invite to join the preview group. My only desire is that I wish you could access your entire message history from your PC, instead of just messages you sent and received from your PC. I’ll take what I can get, though. Regardless, Phone Link is finally software I no longer have to find a way to uninstall. It works wonderfully for iPhone users now, and I’m so grateful! Thank you, Microsoft!

by Jamin0726

When I first downloaded LinktoWindows I wondered how well it would really work (because of similar apps in the past not working or freezing up)
But I can honestly say that I have not had one issue with LinktoWindows not working. Even after I wake my PC from Sleep mode, it's connected and working.
I recommend LinktoWindows because after some time of using it I found out how convenient it was to have a tool I can quickly use and then get back to my work or projects. I can easily (quickly) reply to my phone messages and talk on the phone through my PC too 👍🏻

by Dm2006

It does what it promises: connect to your phone, allow you to make and receive calls, see notifications. However, when you make a call, it activates your phone. I would prefer it if the computer program made calls directly using the Internet, instead of using the mobile network. I’m not sure what this implies or if this would have to be a completely new app to be developed (VoIP?); I just feel like this would add other benefits.

Anyways, I use LinktoWindows and benefit from its features.

by Da Dj Dude

I've been using Intel Unison since it came out but this finally became available to me and I decided to try it out. It's much better than Intels version and it had much fewer bugs. You can't view your photos but I think that the stability is worth the trade off and I use Google photos anyway. Overall it works great.

by Foon974

It paired with my pc perfectly and intuitively. I really love its design. It even works if your pc is running Windows 11 without all of the minimum requirements to run the OS. I have a few suggestions though;
1. Please allow the music to play from the computer and more controls.
2. Group Chat text support. I am pretty sure a lot of you guys are like me and have a group chat that has your friends or family in it. I would feel that LinktoWindows would have some of its true potential unlocked if you can text your group chats from your computer.
3. Having support for every SMS, MMS, and RCS feature, such as photos, stickers, audio messages, music sending, all the good stuff. LinktoWindows will be a lot better if the features are implemented.
4. Allowing more phone control, like a mirror phone screen to Windows option, or to play games on pc from a game on your phone. I am someone who loves playing games and I love using what I have to it’s full potential, I use a keyboard and mouse on an Xbox or using controllers on Vr, so we could add more support for controlling the phone from the pc.
I love LinktoWindows even though I have recently downloaded it, I just think with the suggestions I said put in place in LinktoWindows and the pc Phone Link app, then I think LinktoWindows would have its full potential unlocked and a lot more people would use it.

by Patterson_TM

Microsoft has given us the best functionality possible given the restrictions in place by Apple.

I appreciate especially the options available to customize my use of LinktoWindows . Specifically the ability to disable call functionality through LinktoWindows . I don't want my pc taking control of those and would rather separately answer on my phone. Without the ability to turn that off I'd honestly not even use LinktoWindows .

Thanks for doing what you can here and delivering this product even though it can't be as perfect as we'd like thanks to lack of access on the ios side.

by Loopdy Loop 2098

Unless you're running the beta version of Windows, LinktoWindows isn't gonna work for you yet. Microsoft clearly states in the documentation that this is rolling out to insiders at the moment, so it is not gonna work for most people. Guys, make sure you do your homework before leaving a negative review!

by LSC_101324

Phone Link appears to leverage the iPhone’s notification and hand-free functions to allow a user to send and receive messages on a Windows computer. It’s clever and it works for most of my 1-1 use cases. It doesn’t work with group messages (but you’ll be notified that you got a group message) and sending/receiving photos. It also cannot sync messages that you directly send with the phone. Example: You get a message from Bob and see it on the Phone Link app on the PC then decide to use your phone to reply instead of using the PC. You will not see your reply on the Phone Link app. You would have seen it if you used Phone Link app to make the reply. I get the limitations that Microsoft is working with when trying to interface with an iPhone, so I don’t see any of this as being problematic. I usually do not run into any issues because most of my messages are 1-1 anyway.

by JohnLuke2216

I’m the type of person who rarely gives anything full stars on ratings. However, after realizing that I have used this almost daily for years and have made surr its on all of my computers and phones, LinktoWindows actually deserves full stars.

The first initial connection between your phone and your computer can sometimes be difficult or confusing, depending on the device, but afterwards it's really user-friendly. The auto-connect options make it virtually seamless when you first get to your computer for the day.

I hope they come out with a few more capabilities in the future, as of right now, LinktoWindows is limited to only a few things. Loading older text messages would really help make continuing conversations on your computer nicer. And I like controlling the music on my phone from my computer.