iMessage on Windows

I guess I got your attention with that post title.

I was very happy with Pulse when I was using an Android phone.

But everyone knows that iMessage doesn’t work on Windows.

When I was looking for a high-speed way to backup photos from an iOS device, I came across this article:

[How to] Get iMessage to Work on Windows PC using Dell Mobile Connect on a non dell PC (archive.org)

I figured it was click bait. There’s no telling how many of those rabbits I’ve chased.

But not this one.

Here’s Dell’s page on Dell Mobile Connect (archive.org).

Now, don’t think that this is as capable as Pulse. For example, with messaging you can only see messages that have taken place while the PC was connected to the iPhone. History isn’t presented. For pictures, when you download them, the files are written into an obscure location that took me ages to find. Then the filenames are some random (to me) string.

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Packages\ScreenovateTechnologies.DellMobileConnect_0vhbc3ng4wbp0\LocalCache\Downloads\80_B0_3D_05_33_B5\IMA_1EAB1FD0–3E9B-4D7F-A478-BEA404478D61_L0_001\1EAB1FD0–3E9B-4D7F-A478-BEA404478D61L0001.jpg

But given what Dell had to work with, it works nicely.

Beyond messaging, Dell Mobile Connect also supports making and receiving phone calls on the PC as well as mirroring the iPhone screen to the PC.

Oh, you do have to install some Dell drivers on your PC.

Here are the steps:

1. Login to Windows App Store on your BROWSER, not the actual app store application on Windows.
2. Search Dell Mobile Connect
3. Click on the 3 dots located next to GET, and select add to cart.
4. Check out (it’s a free app, don’t worry)
5. After checking out and “purchasing,” open the Microsoft Store application on Windows.
6. Login if you haven’t logged in on the Microsoft Store app. Click the three dots on the top right hand corner, go to My Library and download Dell Mobile Connect.
7. Follow the instructions after you install it. It will also make you download the app onto your phone from the AppStore
8. After you install it, make sure you allow all the requested permission on your phone (again follow the instructions carefully), download the required Dell Mobile App drivers and restart.
9. Launch the app on your phone and Windows

Originally published at https://blog.benmoore.info.