A Phone Link alternative that actually moves your files
Microsoft Phone Link is handy for calls and texts, but file transfer — especially from an iPhone — is limited, gated behind updates, and its official workaround is literally to plug in a USB cable. WeScanTransfer just moves the file: open the browser, scan a QR, and send both ways.
Transfer iPhone to PC free →Free · no sign-up · nothing installed · auto-deletes in 24h
In short
Phone Link's file transfer is limited and unreliable on iPhone (Microsoft's own guidance is to connect a USB cable), and it needs Windows 11 with the phone's companion app. WeScanTransfer is a browser-based alternative that works from any iPhone or Android to Windows or Mac — scan a QR to pair and send files up to 3 GB both ways, with no cable, no account, and auto-deletion after 24 hours.
What Phone Link does well
Great with Android
Calls, texts, notifications, photos and even app mirroring on your PC work smoothly for Android phones — a genuinely useful desktop companion.
Built into Windows 11
It's a first-party Microsoft feature with nothing to install on the PC, so it feels native and is kept up to date by Windows Update.
Messaging and calls from the desktop
Reply to texts and take calls without picking up your phone — something a file-transfer tool like WeScanTransfer deliberately doesn't do.
Free and integrated
Included with Windows at no cost and wired into the Start menu, notifications and sharing.
Where Phone Link falls short
iPhone file transfer barely works
Phone Link's iPhone support is limited and gradually rolled out; sending files often fails, and the official fallback is to use a USB cable.
Windows 11 + app required
It needs Windows 11 and the Link to Windows app on the phone. No Mac, no Linux, no ChromeOS.
A Microsoft account and setup
Pairing means an account and a multi-step setup. WeScanTransfer is a QR scan with nothing to sign into.
"Local Network" permission traps
iPhone transfers silently break without the right permission. A browser transfer over HTTPS has none of that fragility.
How to transfer files from iPhone to Windows without Phone Link
- 1
Open the site on your PC
Go to wescantransfer.com on Windows (or Mac). A QR code appears — no app, no account, no cable.
- 2
Scan with your iPhone or Android
Scan the QR with your phone camera and tap the link. The devices pair over the internet in seconds.
- 3
Send files both ways
Move photos, videos, PDFs and files up to 3 GB in either direction. Everything auto-deletes after 24 hours.
Why WeScanTransfer beats Phone Link for files
Reliable iPhone ↔ Windows
No Insider builds, no cable, no permission traps — the iPhone-to-PC transfer just completes.
Any platform, any OS
Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPhone, Android. It's a browser, so it isn't tied to Windows 11.
No account, no install
Scan a QR and go. Nothing to install on either device and nobody to sign up.
Up to 3 GB, private
Big files move freely, encrypted in transit, and hard-deleted after 24 hours.
WeScanTransfer vs Phone Link
| WeScanTransfer | Phone Link | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone → PC file transfer | Reliable | Limited / cable |
| Works beyond Windows 11 | Yes (Mac, Linux…) | Windows 11 only |
| Install required | No — browser | App on phone |
| Account required | No | Microsoft account |
| Max file size (free) | 3 GB | Limited |
| Auto-deletes | 24 hours | — |
Phone Link alternative — FAQ
Why won't Phone Link transfer files from my iPhone?
Phone Link's iPhone file transfer is limited and still being rolled out; it often fails, needs the right 'Local Network' permission, and Microsoft's own workaround is to connect a USB cable. A browser-based tool like WeScanTransfer avoids those limits entirely.
How do I transfer files from iPhone to Windows without Phone Link?
Open wescantransfer.com on your PC, scan the QR code with your iPhone camera, and send files both ways — no cable, no account, up to 3 GB.
Does it work on a Mac too?
Yes. Because it runs in the browser, WeScanTransfer works on Mac, Linux and ChromeOS as well as Windows — Phone Link is Windows 11 only.
Do I need a Microsoft account?
No. There's no account and nothing to install — the QR code is the entire setup.
Should I stop using Phone Link entirely?
Not necessarily. Phone Link is great for texts, calls and notifications, especially on Android. Keep it for those, and use WeScanTransfer specifically when you need to move files — above all from an iPhone, or to a Mac or Linux machine Phone Link doesn't support.
No catch — the honest answers
The six questions people ask before they trust a transfer tool.
Is it really free?
Yes. Sending files up to 3 GB is free — no sign-up, no credit card, no ads, and no watermark on anything. The free tier is fully usable on its own; an optional Pro plan just raises the limits.
How do you make money?
From the optional Pro subscription, and nothing else. We don't run ads, we don't sell data, and we don't monetize your files. Pro upgrades — not your content — fund the service, which is why the free tier can stay generous.
Are my files private?
Yes. A transfer travels over an encrypted connection, and the share link is a long unguessable code, so only someone with that exact link can receive the file. Your files are never opened, indexed, read, or shown to anyone else.
Are files stored forever?
No. Every transfer is hard-deleted after 24 hours — both the file and its database record — and you can remove it instantly with Delete Now. Nothing lingers on our servers.
Are files used to train AI?
Never. Your files are not used to train AI models, build datasets, or improve any product. They are relayed to the recipient and then deleted — that is the entire lifecycle.
Is my data encrypted?
Yes — encrypted in transit with TLS 1.3 and at rest with AES-256. The only credential is the unguessable link, and it expires along with the transfer.
More detail on encryption, retention and deletion: how your files stay private →
Move your file now — scan, drop, done
No account, no install, nothing kept. It just works.
Transfer iPhone to PC free →