All articles tagged with #phone link
The article highlights five built-in Windows apps—Windows Sandbox, Clipboard History, Microsoft Print to PDF, CharMap, and Phone Link—that many users may not know about but can significantly enhance their productivity and security. These tools are easy to access and use, offering functionalities like safe browsing, clipboard management, PDF creation, character insertion, and phone integration.
Microsoft has rolled out a new Start menu for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, featuring a scrollable app section, new views, and Phone Link integration, along with improvements to File Explorer and battery indicators, available via optional update KB5067036.
Windows 11 version 25H2, set for release in Fall 2025, introduces significant features like an updated start menu, enhanced Phone Link integration, customizable lock screen widgets, improved energy management, and AI-supported functions, all with minimal upgrade effort for existing users and extended support for Home and Pro editions.
Microsoft is testing a new feature that allows file sharing between iPhones and Windows PCs using the Phone Link and Link to Windows apps. This feature is currently available to Windows Insiders, enabling them to share files from iPhone to PC and vice versa. The rollout date for all users is not yet announced. Previously, Phone Link for iOS allowed iPhone users to make calls, send messages, and access notifications on Windows PCs.
Microsoft has announced a new feature for Windows that allows file sharing between iPhones and PCs, similar to Apple's AirDrop. This feature is currently in beta for Windows Insider program users and requires specific versions of the Phone Link app on Windows and the Link to Windows app on iOS. It will eventually be available to all Windows 10 and 11 users, simplifying file sharing for iPhone users with Windows PCs.
Microsoft’s Phone Link app for Windows now allows users to copy text from images on their Android phones. After connecting the phone to the PC, users can access photos through the app, select an image with text, and use the new text recognition feature to copy the text to the clipboard. While the feature is promising, it may need improvements as it sometimes fails to detect text in images with busy backgrounds.
Microsoft is updating its Phone Link app to allow users to select and copy text from images synced from their Android phones directly on their Windows computers. This feature is currently available in Release Preview Insider builds and will roll out to all users soon. While the OCR functionality is decent, it may not be as accurate as similar features from Samsung or Apple.
Microsoft's Phone Link tool, which connects Windows and Android devices, may soon support the feature of streaming an Android phone's camera to a Windows computer. The recent update for Phone Link contains code suggesting that users will be able to stream their phone's camera video to their PC, with references to pausing, resuming, video effects, and auto-framing. While it's unclear if using the phone's camera as a webcam is Microsoft's intended goal, this feature could potentially debut early next year alongside new Windows hardware releases.
Microsoft's new Phone Link feature for Windows 11, which allows iPhone users to view notifications on their Windows computers, could be exploited by cyberstalkers to spy on iPhone users, according to a report by app developer Certo Software. Cyberstalkers with physical access to someone else's iPhone can set up Phone Link with their own Windows computer and monitor their iMessages and phone calls without tipping off the victim. This type of cyberstalking can be used by abusive partners, parents, or friends to track a victim’s location.
Microsoft's Phone Link app, which allows syncing calls, contacts, and messages between an iPhone and PC, is now available for all Windows 11 users. The feature supports limited iMessage syncing but has several limitations, including no support for group chats, sending images and videos, voice messages, or iMessage apps. To use the feature, users need to search for "Phone Link" in the Windows taskbar, select iPhone as the device type, and scan the QR code in the app using the phone's camera. The devices will pair over Bluetooth, and users will need to confirm several permissions on both iPhone and PC.
Microsoft has released an update to its Phone Link software for Windows 11 PCs that allows users to receive notifications, send texts, and answer calls from their paired iPhone. The move could eliminate a barrier for computer buyers who would have otherwise picked a Mac. However, the Phone Link software doesn't have as many features as Apple's Messages for Mac and is limited by iOS.
Microsoft's Phone Link app now allows iPhone users to connect to a Windows 11 PC and send and receive messages via iMessage, make and receive calls, and see any phone app notifications on a PC or laptop. The app update is available in 85 countries and works with an iPhone over Bluetooth for calls, messages, and notifications. However, users won't be able to see a full chat history or participate in group iMessage conversations.
Microsoft has enabled iMessage on Windows 11 through its Phone Link app, which now supports iOS devices. Users need an iPhone, Windows 11 PC, Windows Link iOS app, and Microsoft Phone Link app to get started. However, the app has some limitations, such as the lack of historical messages, inability to send pictures and videos, and no support for group conversations. The update is rolling out gradually to users and should be available to everyone by mid-May.
Microsoft is adding iOS support to its Phone Link software, allowing users with both Windows 11 and an iPhone to receive calls, notifications, and iMessages on their PCs. The feature will be available in 85 countries and 39 languages between now and mid-May. While Microsoft has previously allowed Windows to access and mirror files on the iPhone, this marks the first time it has delivered full integration. The move is seen as an attempt to better serve business users and comes after Microsoft integrated Apple iCloud Photos with the Windows 11 Photos app in November 2022.
Microsoft has begun rolling out support for iMessage in Windows 11 via the Phone Link app, allowing iPhone users to make and take calls, read and respond to text messages, see notifications, and access their iOS contacts list on their Windows PCs. However, the feature set is limited, as users won't be able to participate in group messaging conversations or send/receive images or videos. The Phone Link features that are supported will only work while the phone is continually connected to the PC wirelessly via Bluetooth.