I WAS using iPhone to PC link for months. NOW? it won't work. :(

Shirley 5 Reputation points
2026-08-22T13:08:30.84+00:00

I've been using the 'link to windows' from my iPhone to my PC for months now... however, now, for no reason I can see.. it stopped working and gives me the message, 'failed...
I've tried a number of things; restarted both devices.
made sure the window on my PC was open and not asleep, etc.
Why now did this happen? an update perhaps? (Pc is relaunched and updated my cell as well..

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Connect Phone and PC

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-22T13:08:45.2766667+00:00

    A recent update is possible, but the supported causes in this scenario are usually connection state, Bluetooth Low Energy support, permissions, or the Phone Link app state.

    Try this reset-and-pair sequence:

    1. On the PC, open Phone Link and remove the iPhone if it appears under Settings > My Devices.
    2. On the PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices and remove the iPhone.
    3. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the (i) next to the PC name, and choose Forget This Device.
    4. Turn Bluetooth off on both devices, wait about 10 seconds, then turn it back on.
    5. Start the pairing again from the PC in Phone Link, choose iPhone, and follow the guided setup.
    6. Approve the Bluetooth pairing code on both devices.
    7. On the iPhone, make sure the PC entry in Settings > Bluetooth has Show Notifications and Sync Contacts enabled.

    Checks that matter for iPhone with Phone Link:

    • The PC must support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). A PC can pair in normal Bluetooth settings but still not work correctly in Phone Link if BLE is not supported.
    • iPhone support requires iOS 15 or later.
    • Phone Link for iPhone requires Windows 10 with the May 2019 Update or later, or Windows 11.

    If it was working for months and suddenly failed after updates, also do these app checks:

    1. Open Microsoft Store and check for Phone Link updates.
    2. If Phone Link is behaving inconsistently, open Start, search Phone Link, right-click it, select App settings, then use Reset.
    3. If the issue continues, use Feedback Hub with Win + F under Apps > Phone Link.

    If the failure is specifically with messages or syncing, missing content can also happen when:

    • the iPhone messages app is open
    • messages were sent directly from the iPhone instead of through Phone Link
    • the devices are not currently paired and connected
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Hendrix-V 18,605 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-23T01:23:45.0066667+00:00

    Hi Shirley,

    Since Phone Link was working previously and has now stopped unexpectedly, it may be worth checking whether the issue is related to your Windows profile or the Phone Link services rather than the device pairing itself.

    Try these quick checks:

    1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and confirm that Connected Devices Platform Service and Connected Devices Platform User Service are running.
    2. Create a temporary local Windows user account and test Phone Link there. If it works in the new profile, the issue may be isolated to your current Windows profile.
    3. Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application and look for any recent Phone Link or Mobile Devices related errors around the time the connection fails.

    If the problem started immediately after a recent Windows, iOS, or Phone Link update, monitoring for newer app or system updates may also help, as compatibility fixes are often delivered through regular updates.

    Hopefully these checks help narrow down the cause and get the connection working again. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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