In this guide, we’ll show you how to use various Apple services on your Windows computer for a seamless experience alongside your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Apple services like Apple Music, iCloud Mail, and iCloud Photos are designed primarily for Apple devices, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them on a Windows PC. Whether you want to access your iCloud Drive files on your PC, sync your iPhone photos, or enjoy Ted Lasso and Severance on your Windows computer, there are official ways to do all that, as shown below.
We have covered nearly all of these tips in their own dedicated tutorials. To see the exact steps in detail, with screenshots, please follow the linked guides.
Apple Music
You can use Apple Music on your Windows PC through its official app that Apple makes available on the Microsoft Store. It will show your entire library, playlists, albums, artists, etc. You can also access songs and albums purchased from iTunes Store through the Music app. And if you like listening to classical songs, you can enjoy Apple Music Classical in a web browser.
Apple TV
Just like Apple Music, there is an official Apple TV app for PC that lets you stream all hit TV+ movies and TV shows like The Family Plan, Severance, Ted Lasso, Silo, Shrinking, etc. You can also stream MLS games, and other live sports Apple has partnered with on their platform.
Podcasts and audiobooks
Unlike iOS and macOS, Apple doesn’t yet have a dedicated Podcasts or Books app for PC. So, when it comes to accessing Apple podcasts and audiobooks, you’ll have to use the good old iTunes app on your Windows PC.
iCloud Photos
Apple makes it super easy to set up iCloud Photos inside the official Microsoft Photos app and File Explorer on your Windows PC. After set up, you can access your existing photos and videos as well as upload new ones. All the changes you make here will sync to your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, Apple TV, and the web.
iCloud Drive
Just like Photos, you can also set up iCloud Drive on your Windows PC to access your current files and folders in File Explorer. You can also add new files to iCloud Drive, or delete existing ones, and the changes will reflect on all your Apple devices.
iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendars
The official Outlook app makes it seamless to access your Apple email account, calendar events, and contacts on your Windows computer. The process is simple and involves signing in with an app-specific password for your Apple Account. Click on our linked guide for a detailed walk-through.
iCloud Passwords
Thanks to the iCloud app, you can import and access your existing login passwords on your Windows PC. This makes it easier to sign in to services in Microsoft Edge and Chrome on your PC using the credentials saved to the Passwords app on your Apple devices.
Safari bookmarks
You can again use the official iCloud app to import your bookmarks from Safari to Edge, Google Chrome, or Firefox on your Windows computer.
iCloud Notes
One of the best ways to use iCloud Notes on a Windows PC is to sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID in a web browser like Edge, Chrome, or Firefox. Additionally, you can add your Microsoft account to the Apple Notes app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and then the notes you create there will show up in Outlook on your PC and vice versa.
Text and call from your iPhone through your PC and get iOS app notifications
The official Microsoft Phone Link app lets you pair your iPhone or Android phone to your PC and then make phone calls, send and receive texts, and even get app notifications on your computer.
Find My
If you misplace your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and want to know its location, play a sound, or put the device in lost mode, you can do so by accessing Find My using your iCloud account on your Windows desktop.
Other iCloud web features
iCloud’s web app gives you access to Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Drive, Notes, Reminders, Apple Invites, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. You can use these things in a web browser after signing in with your Apple Account. The changes you make on the web will sync to your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices.
Manage your iPhone or iPad
The official Apple Devices app for Windows PC is the successor of iTunes. You can use it to sync music, videos, photos, and files to your iOS device. Among other things, it can also back up your iPhone or iPad or help restore it in case your device is bricked.
Request a copy of your Apple data
If you need to download all of your data Apple has saved, including things like iCloud Photos and Apple Pay transactions, you can go to Apple’s Privacy and Data page in a web browser on your PC and request access.
Is there some missing Apple service you want on your Windows machine?
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