Microsoft added a side panel to the Start menu in the Windows 11 2024 update last year that allowed Android users to get quick access to a phone’s battery status, notifications, messages, calls, and photos. Now, Microsoft is getting ready to bring a similar experience to iPhone owners with Windows 11 laptops or PCs.

Android users with Windows 11 computers have been able to preview a new feature that lets them see their phone directly next to the Start menu, where they can easily access texts, calls, and send files.

Microsoft is adding iPhones to its new Start sidebar, adding file sharing between the new platforms, too. Here's how it works.

Microsoft has started testing various improvements to the Phone Link integration in the Windows 11 Start Menu, including an easy way to share files across devices.