Phone Link: iPhone vs Android — what each can actually do
Both pair to Windows through Phone Link, but they are not equal. Here's the tested, feature-by-feature reality so you know what to expect before you set up.
Verified August 30, 2026 · Tested on Link to Windows (Android) 1.26071.104.0 & (iOS) 1.26081.28
Feature comparison
| Feature | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Pairing method | QR or manual code (aka.ms/PairPC) | Bluetooth, QR or manual (https://aka.ms/startLinking) |
| Messages (SMS / iMessage) | Yes | Yes* |
| Group texts & media (photos, GIFs) | Yes | No |
| Calls | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Photos access | Yes | No |
| File sharing | Yes | Share only, slower* |
| Browse phone files in File Explorer | Yes | No |
| App mirroring | Only if Link to Windows is preinstalled† | No |
| Mirror full screen to PC | Only if Link to Windows is preinstalled† | No |
| Clipboard / cross-device copy-paste | Yes (enable manually) | No |
| Control PC from phone | Yes | No |
| Remove / disconnect the PC in-app | Yes | No |
| Permissions requested | More (full features) | Fewer (fewer features) |
*iPhone messaging support is more limited than Android and depends on iOS version and Apple's restrictions. iPhone file transfer also works very differently from Android's — see the note just below the table — and there's no in-app way to remove the paired PC on iPhone, covered in the tip that follows.
†"Android" isn't one answer here. Mirroring depends on whether your phone shipped with Link to Windows built in — not on Android itself. Most guides say "Android can mirror" and leave it there, which is why so many people conclude their setup is broken. It isn't. Which phones get mirroring, and why →
Microsoft says: app mirroring ("Apps") is available on select Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo and Xiaomi devices that have Link to Windows pre-installed — and only in select markets.
What I found: that caveat does all the work. On my Galaxy Z Fold 7, mirroring is right there. On my Pixel 10 Pro XL and Motorola Razr Ultra — flagships, current Android, same PC, same Wi-Fi — the Apps section simply doesn't exist. Nothing is broken and there's no fix; those phones install Link to Windows from the Play Store, which doesn't include the mirroring hooks. Google Pixel, Motorola, Sony Xperia and Nothing Phone are all in this group. If you own one, no amount of re-pairing will produce mirroring. Motorola is the exception with an escape hatch: its own Smart Connect mirrors what Phone Link can't.
📁 File transfer: two different systems. Phone Link treats Android and iPhone as separate worlds here, so the "Limited" above needs unpacking.
Android has a hard, documented cap on its drag-and-drop transfers — 100 files per batch and 512 MB per file — and moves data quickly over local Wi-Fi. (Its File Explorer access is a separate, uncapped path, like a USB drive.)
iPhone has no documented file count or size limit — but that isn't generosity, it's a weaker pipeline. It leans on Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi, so a large file is slow enough that the transfer usually times out before it finishes; iOS aggressively freezes background apps, so a big multi-file batch dies the moment the screen locks or you switch away; and files arrive as notifications you open and accept one by one. Net effect: keep iPhone transfers small and few.
- Android: Quick Share (built into Windows and Android) moves files at full local-Wi-Fi speed with no 100-file / 512 MB cap.
- iPhone: LocalSend (free, open-source, wireless, no compression) or the official Apple Devices app for Windows (wired USB — fast and unrestricted). More options on the quick alternatives page.
The iPhone messaging catch
That asterisk does a lot of work. On iPhone, Phone Link's messaging is real but noticeably fenced-in next to Android — worth knowing before you rely on it:
- Only messages sent or received through Phone Link appear. Texts you handle on the iPhone directly won't show up on the PC.
- History is temporary. The PC only shows messages exchanged while the iPhone is Bluetooth-connected, and that history clears when the connection drops.
- No group messages. You can't send them from the PC; an incoming group text arrives only as a notification you answer on the phone.
- Text only — no sending or receiving images, GIFs, or Memojis, and no typing or read receipts.
- You can't delete messages from the PC side.
Calls come closer to parity, though the PC keeps a shorter recent-call history on iPhone than on Android. None of these limits apply to Android, where messaging — group and media included — works far more fully.
Cross-device copy and paste isn't an iPhone feature at all — it's documented for Samsung Galaxy and select Surface Duo devices, so an iPhone owner hunting for the setting isn't missing it, it was never there. Even on Android it has a quiet limit: images above roughly 1 MB are resized in transit, which is why a copied screenshot can arrive softer than the original.
One difference worth knowing before you blame the platform. Pair with a Microsoft account that doesn't match the PC's, and Android stalls visibly — the PC never moves. iPhone links anyway: calls, messages, notifications and battery all work, and the only casualty is file sharing, which fails the first time you try Send to phone — possibly weeks later. Sending from the iPhone fails too, but blames your PC for being “unreachable” rather than naming the account. The tested detail →
Why iPhone gets less
This isn't a Microsoft shortcoming — it's Apple. iPhone connects to Phone Link over Bluetooth rather than the deeper link Android uses, and Apple reserves its richest cross-device features (full handoff, app continuity, screen mirroring) for its own Mac ecosystem. So iPhone asks for fewer permissions during setup simply because there are fewer features to grant. If you want the complete Phone Link experience — app mirroring, clipboard sync, controlling the PC from your phone — that's Android territory.
Android: the deepest integration on Samsung
All modern Android phones (Android 10+) work, but Samsung Galaxy devices get the most complete experience, including the smoothest mirroring and the broadest feature support. Clipboard / cross-device copy-paste exists on Android but has to be turned on manually — see how to enable clipboard sync (aka.ms/MobileDeviceSettings).
Which setup guide do you need?
Android phone → aka.ms/PairPC setup. iPhone → aka.ms/startlinking setup. QR code giving you trouble on either → fix the QR code. Checking your device is up to it → requirements & recommended specs.
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FAQ
Can I send and receive iMessages on my PC?
No. Messages from an iPhone reach Phone Link over Bluetooth as plain SMS — no blue bubbles, no group threads, no photos or reactions in the conversation. It's a limitation Apple sets, not something Microsoft can switch on. The catch in full →
Why does Android get so much more than iPhone?
Because Apple keeps the APIs that would allow it closed. Android lets Link to Windows run as a proper companion app with deep permissions; on iOS the same app is limited to what Bluetooth and Apple's rules permit. Why the gap exists →
Does copy and paste between phone and PC work on iPhone?
No — cross-device clipboard is documented for Samsung Galaxy and select Surface Duo devices only. An iPhone owner isn't missing a hidden setting; the feature was never offered.
Can I mirror my iPhone's screen to Windows?
No. Screen mirroring and app streaming are Android-only, and even there only on phones with the preinstalled build. On iPhone the answer is a flat no on every model.
Should I switch phones just to get better Phone Link support?
Only if the missing features matter daily. An iPhone still gets calls, notifications, and after setup file transfer — a Samsung Galaxy gets the most complete experience, but that's a large decision to make over a desktop companion app.
Questions & answers
Comments are moderated — real questions get answered, spam and links are removed.
Keep reading: pair your iPhone (aka.ms/startlinking) · iPhone file sharing · features & real limits · is Phone Link safe?
A curious techy from Traverse City, Michigan. I built SyncYourDevice.com after hitting these setup snags myself. This iPhone-versus-Android comparison comes from actually running Phone Link on both — an iPhone 17 Pro Max and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 — and noting exactly which features each platform gets, cross-checked against Microsoft's, Samsung's and Apple's own documentation.
Verified August 30, 2026 against official Microsoft, Samsung & Apple documentation.
Article updates
August 2026
- Added the Android-only clipboard reality (and the ~1 MB image resize), and linked the Motorola mirroring escape hatch.
- Verified against Phone Link 1.26071.164.0, Link to Windows 1.26071.104.0 (Android) and 1.26081.28 (iOS).
- Tracking what changes across the apps themselves? That lives on the what's new in Phone Link timeline.
July 2026
- Reviewed and updated for the current Phone Link and Link to Windows versions.