The different possibility is Pair manually, which suggests signing in to the app in your cellphone utilizing your Microsoft account, after which connecting your Windows 11 laptop by means of a PIN code. Whichever technique you select, you will have to substantiate just a few permissions in your cellphone, resembling the power for the app to entry your textual content messages.

Depending in your cellphone, there could also be some additional steps. For instance, with regards to the power to obtain and make cellphone calls by means of your Windows 11 laptop, it’s good to set up an additional Bluetooth hyperlink between the units. All of that is defined onscreen, so simply observe the directions.

Using Phone Link

After connecting your cellphone, you will see that Phone Link is break up up into a number of sections: Messages (on your texts), Photos (for the pictures and movies in your cellphone, should you’re on Android), and Calls (for calling). Click the Settings button (the small cog to the correct), and you may configure how notifications are displayed, change the looks of the Phone Link app, have Phone Link begin up concurrently Windows, and extra.

There are just a few limitations with iPhones on the time of writing—there’s no Photos tab, for one. Group chats aren’t supported, and neither are pictures, movies, or GIFs inside messages. What’s extra, you may’t entry your full message historical past by means of Windows 11, solely the messages despatched and obtained whereas the connection to your PC is energetic.

Switch to the Messages tab and you will see that sending a brand new SMS or iMessage is simple. Either open a dialog or click on the new-message button (a pen on a web page) to select a contact and message them. There’s additionally a search field out there if it’s good to search for older chats. The capability so as to add emojis, GIFs, and pictures is down on the backside, subsequent to the textual content enter bar.