Phone LInk

Question

Hi, I’m trying to get Phone Link to auto-update notifications from my iPhone. I’ve set everything up correctly through Bluetooth, and the settings indicate it’s connected. However, in the app it still says notifications are not updating. They do not update automatically—I have to press the refresh button to see updates.

I’ve already uninstalled and reinstalled the app, unlinked and relinked the connection, cleared Bluetooth connections on both devices, and verified that all required settings are enabled. Still, nothing is working.

Can someone please help?

Answer 1

Hi Kavon H

Thanks for posting in the Microsoft Q&A Forum!

I know how frustrating it is when everything looks properly connected but Phone Link still won’t auto‑update notifications. You’ve already done a lot of the right troubleshooting steps, so here are a few fixes that might help this specific iPhone → Phone Link sync issue:

1. Re‑enable “Share System Notifications”

On your iPhone: Settings > Bluetooth > (i) next to your PC > Toggle “Share System Notifications” OFF and then ON

This forces iOS to refresh the underlying Bluetooth MAP notification channel.

2. Verify Focus / Do Not Disturb / “Deliver Quietly” Options

Check the following:

• Settings > Focus > ensure no active mode is blocking notifications
• Settings → Notifications → [each app]
  • Make sure notifications are not set to Deliver Quietly
  • Ensure banners + sounds are allowed

3. Turn Off Low Power Mode

Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode > Off

4. Update iPhone, Windows, and Phone Link

• Windows:
  • Settings > Windows Update > Install all updates
  • Microsoft Store > Library > “Get Updates”
• iPhone:
  • Settings > General > Software Update > Install latest iOS
• Phone Link: Ensure the latest version is installed via Microsoft Store

5. Be aware of current iOS limitations

Unlike Android, iOS does not allow deep system access for notification mirroring. Phone Link relies on the Bluetooth MAP profile, which Apple only partially supports. This means some iPhone models or iOS versions may not send real-time push notification events consistently, resulting in updates only appearing after manually refreshing.

Hope this can help. Let me know if anything comes up!

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