Windows 11 lets you integrate your iPhone into the Start menu to transfer files and messages
![Windows 11 Start menu now supports iPhone Windows 11: How the iPhone got into the Start menu](/media/post_big/csm_Windows_11_iPhone-Integration3_9318c03da2_1.jpg)
Windows 11 now lets users share files, messages, and other data between Android and iPhone smartphones right from the Start menu.
Here's What We Know
This is made possible by a new feature that integrates the iPhone into the Start menu, allowing you to check battery levels, read messages, and even make calls or write messages.
Since Windows 11 beta 4805, which was released in early 2025, users have been able to connect not only Android devices but also iPhones, including the latest iPhone 16. To use this option, you need to install the appropriate Windows 11 beta and click the corresponding button in the Start menu.
![Integrate iPhone into Windows 11 Integrate iPhone into Windows 11](/media/uploads/csmwindows11iphone-integration2ebf4079f69.jpg)
![Data exchange between iPhone and Windows 11 Data exchange between iPhone and Windows 11](/media/uploads/csmwindows11iphone-integration4bbe45b5b7.jpg)
![Integrate iPhone into Windows 11](/media/cache/14/55/145515860d774592ad8bc1a88fb39acb.jpg)
![Data exchange between iPhone and Windows 11](/media/cache/a5/65/a5652734485bb6b8fa625f8a7d834e1e.jpg)
Once the iPhone is connected, users will be able to see the battery level and the phone's signal strength. In addition, it will now be possible to send files directly from the Start menu, similar to Apple's AirDrop feature over a wireless Wi-Fi connection. This simplifies the process of exchanging data between a computer and a smartphone.
For those who do not want to use this feature, it is possible to disable smartphone integration in the system personalisation settings. To activate this option, the computer must support Bluetooth Low Energy, be linked to a Microsoft account, and have the Phone Link application version 1.24121.30.0 or later installed.
So far, Microsoft has not confirmed the exact release date of this feature for all users in the final version of Windows 11.
Source: Windows Insider Blog