A Phone Link alternative that works with iPhone and any PC
Phone Link ties an Android phone to a Windows PC behind a Microsoft account and a Bluetooth pairing. pastehere moves text and files to any PC — including a Mac or Linux — with full iPhone support and no account.
Microsoft Phone Link is solid for its core case: an Android phone and a Windows PC, showing notifications, calls, messages and recent photos on the desktop. But it needs a Microsoft account, the Link to Windows app on the phone, and a Bluetooth pairing; its iPhone support now includes file sharing too (added in late 2024, through that same Link to Windows app); and the PC side is Windows-only.
pastehere isn't a phone-mirroring tool — it won't show your notifications — but for getting text, links, images and files between a phone and a computer, it works with any phone and any computer, including iPhone-to-PC file transfers and Mac or Linux on the other end, with no account and nothing to pair over Bluetooth.
pastehere vs Microsoft Phone Link, side by side
| Feature | pastehere | Phone Link |
|---|---|---|
| Account required | No | Microsoft account |
| Install / pairing | Browser only | App + Bluetooth pairing |
| iPhone file sharing | Yes, in the browser | Yes, via Link to Windows app |
| Works without installing an app | Yes | Link to Windows required |
| Works with Mac / Linux PCs | Yes | Windows PC only |
| Send arbitrary files | Up to 15 MB/file | Yes, via share sheet |
| End-to-end encrypted | AES-256 | Not advertised as E2EE |
| Notifications / calls / SMS on PC | No | Yes |
Microsoft Phone Link facts last checked 2026-06-10. Features change — if something here is out of date, it's a mistake, not a dig.
When Phone Link is the better choice
If you have an Android phone and a Windows PC and you want notifications, calls and texts handled on the desktop, Phone Link is purpose-built for that and pastehere doesn't try to do it. For a daily Android-plus-Windows setup, it's a great fit.
It's also already installed on Windows, so for someone who only needs the Android mirroring features, there's nothing extra to find.
When pastehere fits better
The moment a Mac or a Linux box is involved, or you're on a computer where you can't install anything — a work machine, a friend's laptop, a hotel PC — Phone Link's requirements get in the way, and pastehere doesn't have them. No Microsoft account, no Bluetooth pairing, no Windows-only restriction, and every transfer is end-to-end encrypted.
Questions
How is this different from Phone Link's iPhone support?
Phone Link can transfer files with an iPhone since late 2024, but it needs a Microsoft account, the Link to Windows app installed on the phone, a Bluetooth pairing, and a Windows PC on the other end. pastehere needs none of that — any browser on both sides, a 6-digit code, and it works the same with a Mac or Linux machine.
Do I need a Microsoft account?
No. pastehere has no accounts at all. You pair two devices with a 6-digit code and that's it — no Microsoft account, no Link to Windows app, no Bluetooth pairing.
Can I use it with a Mac instead of a Windows PC?
Yes. Phone Link's PC side is Windows-only, but pastehere runs in any browser, so a Mac or a Linux machine works exactly the same way.