The collaboration of devices in the Apple ecosystem has always been its advantage, with AirDrop and Handoff allowing you to easily transfer files, send URLs, and synchronize clipboard operations on Mac and iOS. But if you are using a Windows 10 computer and an iPhone, is there any way to get a similar experience?
As a dual platform user, in this article I will share a few practical tips to find ways to achieve seamless collaboration between your Windows 10 and iOS.
File transfer: Windows and iOS also have “airdrop”
Space delivery is a practical feature for wireless file transfer between Apple devices. On Windows 10 and iOS, many people use IM tools such as WeChat and QQ to send files. Although this method is simple, it is not as convenient to operate as one click sending through air.
The reason why airdrop is useful is that it can be sent directly from anywhere between the phone and the computer. Using the sharing menu on the phone and right-click directly on the computer is undoubtedly the most efficient way without the need for redirection.
There are many third-party file transfer tools on the market now, and the minority has also introduced many before. After trying almost all file transfer tools between Windows and iOS platforms, I ultimately chose Send Anywhere.
Expanding reading: How to efficiently transfer files between mobile phones and computers? Horizontal review of 10 cross platform transmission applications and services
To use Send Anywhere, the corresponding client needs to be installed on iOS and Windows. On iOS, Send Anywhere does not require opening the client to import files, and can be sent directly using the sharing menu. Taking an album as an example, when using it for the first time, select the photo you want to share, then find Send Anywhere in the sharing menu. After clicking, Send Anywhere will generate a 6-digit sharing code, and then input it on the computer for pairing and transmission. Afterwards, Send Anywhere will remember the device you have selected, so there is no need to enter the sharing code every time.
It is also very simple on Windows. Right click on the file you want to share, and then click “Share with Send Anywhere” (or directly select the device you want to share). Your phone will receive a notification. Click on the notification to receive the file.
Although many similar tools have similar functions, they all need to select “Open in XXX” in the sharing menu to import and send files. And Send Anywhere can achieve a similar effect to airdrop, sending with just one click.
It should be noted that when you use 6-bit shared code transmission, Send Anywhere uses LAN peer-to-peer transmission, and files will be directly sent to the corresponding device. If you choose a device or use link sharing during transmission, the file will be uploaded to the Send Anywhere server and saved for 48 hours (after which it will be automatically deleted).
However, if you have a need to transfer a large number of files, or if you need to transfer files with a larger volume, it is more recommended to use the method of connecting to the SMB service in the iOS File App for transfer. This method requires a certain level of hands-on ability. After setting up a shared folder on Windows, when two devices are on the same LAN, they can transfer directly. There is a detailed introduction to this in the Minority Power+Paid section. If you are interested, you can read it.
Paid section: How to make iOS and Windows easily exchange documents, comparable to AirDrop
Send URL: Let Safari and Edge also “relay”
The default browser on Windows 10 is Microsoft Edge, and the default browser on iOS is Safari. To send web pages viewed on your phone to your computer, there is a faster method besides copying and pasting them into chat tools.
Search and download “Continue on PC” in the App Store, a small tool developed by Microsoft for sharing web pages.
Open the webpage you want to share in Safari, select Continue on PC from the sharing menu, log in to the Microsoft account you logged in to on your Windows 10 computer, select your computer, and once the sharing is successful, the computer will automatically open the webpage you want to share using Edge.
In addition to Edge, Chrome and Firefox also support similar features. However, you need to download Chrome and Firefox browsers on iOS, and log in to the same Google and Firefox accounts on both your computer and phone. Compared to Edge, both not only support sending from mobile phone to computer, but also from computer to mobile phone.
Clipboard synchronization: Windows can also have a “universal clipboard”
A clipboard synchronization tool that supports Windows and iOS synchronization. A few have been introduced by a minority before, and some domestic input methods also support cloud clipboard functionality. The problem with these methods is that you cannot copy and paste content directly onto your phone like Apple’s universal clipboard on Windows, or do you need to enter the app or switch input methods to paste.
If you want to achieve a similar “universal clipboard” effect on Windows and iOS, we recommend trying Bark. Using iOS push notifications, it can push the text content you copied on Windows to your phone and automatically copy it to the clipboard. The entire process only requires downloading Bark’s client on iOS, and then downloading a script on Windows for simple configuration before use.
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For specific operation methods, please refer to Bark’s introduction article before Minority Faction:
Expand reading: Customize push content, synchronize Windows clipboard… Play with iOS push notifications: Bark
If you need bidirectional clipboard transfer, MFiles is a tool that can help you. It is a small tool that supports multi platform file transfer and also has the function of clipboard synchronization.
Firstly, you need to download the application on Windows and iOS (¥ 18) and pair it. Copy a piece of text from a computer or phone, click on the “Transfer and Paste Board” in the Windows client or the “Transfer Transfer and Paste Board” in the iOS client to transfer the content of the clipboard. Simply paste it directly on another device.
Extended reading: Let Android use airdrop, you can try MFiles across all platforms
Office File Relay: Continue editing documents on your phone on your computer
There are many people who often need to deal with Office three piece sets in their work. Nowadays, many people are accustomed to using their phones to view Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files sent by others, but if you need to edit documents, it is still more convenient to use a computer. If you have the need to synchronize Office files opened on iOS to Windows for continued editing, this technique can help you.
Download the new version of the Office app from the iOS App Store, which can help you open and edit Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files on iOS. Use it to open the Office document you need to edit, and then save it to your OneDrive (Office 365 users have 1TB of OneDrive space, and each Windows account comes with 5GB of free OneDrive space).
Go back to your Windows computer, open system settings, find “Activity History” in “Privacy”, and enable the options inside.
Then press Win+TAB to open the task view. At this point, you will find a timeline below, where you can see the files you have recently saved and opened. Afterwards, as long as you open or edit the Office files in OneDrive on your phone, you can see the records here. Click on the document in the timeline to continue editing on the computer. Compared to file transfer or using other cloud storage, this method is closer to the “relay” user experience. Both sides will automatically synchronize your modification records, ensuring that you can start working anytime, anywhere.
The above are the four iOS and Windows 10 collaboration techniques that I often use. In addition, some computer manufacturers also provide specialized synchronization tools to help you collaborate, such as Dell Mobile Connect, which allows you to view iPhone notifications and text messages on a Windows computer, and make phone calls directly on the computer. If you need it, you can give it a try.
