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Have an iPhone and a Windows PC? Here’s how you get them to play together well

Leonard Sengere

For many of us, while a smartphone is a good enough pocket computer, we mostly get productive on desktop and laptop computers. We often have to transfer files between the phone and the computer though, and that can be a pain.

If you have an iPhone and a MacBook, this whole process is seamless. You can easily transfer pictures and whatever files you want between the devices. You can even easily use the iPhone as a webcam for your laptop among other ecosystem benefits.

Luckily, Android (Google) and Microsoft (Windows) saw the writing on the wall and decided to work together to give their users a similar experience. Samsung users in particular got a taste of seamless linking of devices before the rest.

Pretty much all the benefits of iPhone-Mac integration can be had between Android and Windows now. There actually are some neat features on that side that Apple users don’t have.

All the above is well and good but iPhone-Windows users were kind of left behind. Windows Phone Link works with iPhones but has some missing features.

The major missing feature for me is file transfer. I usually transfer videos and images but Phone Link doesn’t do that. I have to plug in the phone and use file manager to grab those files but Apple makes the file manager process as painful as possible.

You can rename your images and videos on the phone but for some reason, they are not renamed in the file manager. Yet, the images are not always necessarily arranged in the order they were created or modified.

It’s not the end of the world having to do all that but why should we get a second-rate experience?

Intel Unison

Fortunately, Intel Unison now works like a charm. Well, not a charm on everything it should offer but for file transfers, it’s good now.

You download Intel Unison on both your Windows PC and your iPhone. The apps will guide you through linking the devices. It’s easy, it just involves scanning a QR code and giving the apps permissions. The step-by-step instructions are included below the article.

After you go through that, you will find yourself on the homepage and you will have control of your phone from your computer.

You are supposed to be able to transfer files, view your gallery (you can easily copy images and videos from that page), view and respond to your messages, view your call logs and place calls as well as view your notifications.

Unfortunately, some of those features have never worked for me. The only features that are working for me are file transfers and the gallery view.

You will note that those are the missing features in Phone Link. So, I’m sorry to say, you will need both Intel Unison and Phone Link installed to get the best experience:

  • Phone Link for messages, calls and notifications
  • Unison for file transfer and gallery

It’s annoying having to install two apps but you only need to do it once and you never have to open your phone’s DCIM folder via Windows File Explorer to grab a quick picture from your phone again.

What do you use?

So, there you have it. That’s how I link my iPhone to my Windows PC.

WhatsApp can also be a good way to transfer a document or other file quickly. The image and video compression it does might not be ideal for those types of files though.

I have used ShareIt for file transfers and it works well enough but the ads on the mobile app are annoying. Besides, the linking process is annoying because you have to scan a QR code everytime.

With Phone Link and Unison, you just open the apps and they are ready to go. You only need to link them once when setting up for the first time.

If you have a better solution please share in the comments section below. Even if it’s not better, I’m curious to know how you have been transferring files between your iPhone and your Windows PC.

The installations

Intel Unison

1. Ensure Compatibility

  • Windows PC: Make sure your PC has Bluetooth and is running Windows 11. Check Intel’s list of supported processors and systems.
  • iPhone: The iPhone should be running iOS 15 or later.

2. Install Intel Unison

  • Windows PC: Download the Intel Unison app from the Microsoft Store or Intel’s website. Install it on your PC.
  • iPhone: Download the Intel Unison app from the App Store.

3. Launch the App and Start Pairing

  • Windows PC: Open the Intel Unison app. Click on the “Get Started” button.
  • iPhone: Open the Intel Unison app. You’ll see a QR code on your PC screen.

4. Scan the QR Code

  • iPhone: Tap on “Scan QR Code” within the Unison app. Point your phone’s camera at the QR code on your PC screen.

5. Confirm Pairing

  • Both Devices: You’ll get a pairing request on both the PC and the iPhone. Confirm the pairing on both devices.

6. Grant Permissions

  • iPhone: The Unison app will ask for permissions to access your photos, files, contacts, and notifications. Grant the necessary permissions to enable the features you want to use.

7. Start Using Intel Unison

Once paired, you can use Intel Unison to:

  • Transfer Files: Easily transfer photos, videos, and other files between your PC and iPhone.
  • View and Manage Notifications: See and interact with your iPhone notifications directly on your PC.
  • Make and Receive Calls: Use your PC’s speakers and microphone to make and receive calls from your iPhone.
  • Send and Receive Text Messages: Send and receive SMS messages from your PC.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Ensure Bluetooth is On: Double-check that Bluetooth is enabled on both your PC and iPhone.
  • Restart the App: If you encounter any issues, try closing and reopening the Intel Unison app on both devices.
  • Check for Updates: Make sure you have the latest version of the Intel Unison app installed on both devices.

Additional Considerations

  • Wi-Fi Connection: While Bluetooth is used for initial pairing, a stable Wi-Fi connection is recommended for optimal performance, especially for file transfers.
  • Security: Intel Unison uses end-to-end encryption to protect your data during transfer.
  1. Prerequisites:
  • Windows PC:
    • Make sure your PC has Bluetooth and is running Windows 10 or 11.
    • The “Phone Link” app should already be pre-installed. If not, you can download it from the Microsoft Store.
  • iPhone:
    • Ensure your iPhone is running iOS 14 or later.
    • You’ll need to download the “Link to Windows” app from the App Store.
  1. Launch the Apps:
  • Windows PC: Open the “Phone Link” app.
  • iPhone: Open the “Link to Windows” app.
  1. Initiate the Pairing Process:
  • Windows PC:
    • Click on “Get Started” or “Add a phone.”
    • Select “iPhone” from the list of phone types.
    • A QR code will appear on your PC screen.
  1. Scan the QR Code:
  • iPhone: Tap on “Scan QR code” within the Link to Windows app. Point your phone’s camera at the QR code on your PC screen.
  1. Confirm Pairing:
  • Both Devices: You’ll receive a pairing request on both your PC and iPhone. Confirm the pairing on both devices.
  1. Grant Permissions:
  • iPhone: The Link to Windows app will ask for permissions to access your photos, contacts, and notifications. Grant the necessary permissions to enable the features you want to use.
  1. Start Using Windows Phone Link:

Once paired, you can use Windows Phone Link to:

  • View and Send Messages: See and respond to your iPhone’s text messages directly on your PC.
  • View and Manage Notifications: See and interact with your iPhone notifications on your PC.
  • Access Recent Photos: View and transfer photos from your iPhone to your PC.
  • Make and Receive Calls (Limited): If you have a supported Samsung phone and a cellular plan, you can make and receive calls directly on your PC. This feature is currently not available for iPhones.

Troubleshooting Tips:

  • Ensure Bluetooth is On: Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both your PC and iPhone.
  • Restart Apps: If you face any issues, try closing and reopening both the Phone Link app on your PC and the Link to Windows app on your iPhone.
  • Check for Updates: Ensure you have the latest versions of both apps installed.

Additional Points to Consider:

  • Feature Limitations: Compared to Android phone integration, Windows Phone Link offers more limited features for iPhones due to Apple’s restrictions.
  • Wi-Fi Connection: A stable Wi-Fi connection is recommended for optimal performance, especially when viewing photos or transferring files.

Also read:

8 comments

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  1. Lentos

    What about my apple device app from windows store havent used it yet but heard it works. Its made by apple

    Reply
    1. Leonard Sengere

      I will try it out and see if it’s any good. Apple is usually annoying when it comes to transferring files, often preferring sync. The Apple Devices app says it syncs movies, music and tv shows. Will see how it works.

      Reply
  2. T ccoki

    This is why i use the pixel 8 . Less iphone drama and more fun tasks . For iphone users thats why u have macbooks which did use once but couldn’t beat my old dell pc like if i still had the stats most gadgets i use are 10% faster and better than iphone products. Still windows does no dirty here its the thorn grown hedge of the apple garden

    Reply
  3. Inaetia

    I myself use 3u tools
    It’s very easy

    Reply
  4. Always Off Topic

    🙄🙄🙄
    Apple cult members, struggling to do basic things…

    Reply
  5. Ctrl Alt Del

    Sycnios and 3uTools but they only work if you have iTunes installed

    Reply
  6. Nick

    3utools/itools works perfectly just download es file explorer or documents by readle but i always think it’s best to just get a MacBook. And Macs are very fast and reliable computers, they’re not as vulnerable to malware as PCs. I also noticed that it goes both ways if you are trying to sync a android device with a Mac. You’ll need some third party software to read/write files to your android device.

    Reply
  7. Stant

    For quick file transfers I use NoUSB.co, it’s all web based so nothing to install, all you have to do is flash a QR code to create a temporary portal between the devices, then you can exchange files, and more than two devices can join a portal and share files. Also it also works remotely.
    And since there is not storage in between, all sharing stop as soon as you exit the portal.

    Reply
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