Windows 11 could take collaboration with iPhone to a new level.
Microsoft is experimenting with a file sharing feature between iPhone and Windows, which is compatible with the Phone Link app and the Link to Windows app.
Microsoft has begun developing a feature that will allow file sharing between iPhones and computers running Windows 11 or Windows 10. This new functionality will be activated through the Phone Link and Link to Windows apps, thereby facilitating the connection between devices. Currently, the feature is in testing phase for Windows Insiders.
To use this file-sharing service, users must have the Phone Link app for iOS, which Microsoft launched last spring. With this app, iPhone users can receive calls, send and receive text messages, view notifications, and access their contacts from their Windows computers. If this app is not yet installed on the desktop, the device will indicate it. If it is already enabled, users can start the file-sharing setup by accessing the URL aka.ms/addAccount.
Once file sharing between the iPhone and PC is configured, users will be able to transfer files in both directions. To share files from the iPhone to the PC, one must search for the desired file, select the share icon, choose "Link to Windows," and then select the corresponding device. Conversely, to send files from the PC to the iPhone, simply right-click on the desired file, select "Share," and then choose "My Phone" or "Phone Link."
Microsoft has been modernizing its connectivity features between smartphones and PCs, removing its previous Samsung DeX for PC functionality in favor of Phone Link, suggesting greater compatibility with various devices. While Apple is also developing its own connectivity feature called iPhone Mirroring, which integrates with its artificial intelligence system, its availability is currently limited to the public beta of macOS Sequoia, and some users have reported that the experience with this feature is smoother compared to Phone Link for iOS.
In addition to this, there are other updates in Windows 11, such as the recent inclusion of a feature that allows phones to be used as webcams, and the release of an update that could cause blue screen problems on certain SSD models, although temporary solutions have been found to mitigate this issue. There are also reports about the introduction of AI-suggested responses in the Phone Link app, thus facilitating communication for users.
