With a Number of Restrictions, Microsoft is Beginning to Roll Out Support for iMessage on Windows

Microsoft has announced that it will begin adding iPhone support to its Phone Link software available on Windows 11. The firm announced in a blog post, and it stated that the capability would be accessible to all users of Windows 11 around the world by the middle of May.

iPhone users may make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and check notifications immediately on their PC with the help of the Phone Link software for Windows 11 and the Link to Windows app for iOS. Importantly, this indicates that Windows 11 will support Apple’s iMessage service. Nevertheless, there are a few restrictions, such as more support for additional features such as group chats, photographs, videos, and conversation history that extends beyond the currently active chat session.

Because all of the messages in the Phone Link app appear as gray bubbles, it is impossible to distinguish between iMessage and SMS text messages while using a personal computer. Additionally, for messages to be delivered to a PC, the iPhone must first be linked to the PC using Bluetooth. According to Microsoft, this function is only accessible for the iPhone, which must run iOS 14 or later. It is not available for the iPad or the Mac.

This is a cumbersome workaround because Apple does not support iMessage on Windows. However, it is an improvement over having nothing for iPhone owners with PCs. Since the beginning of February, Microsoft has been conducting beta testing for the iOS version of the Phone Link app.