iPhone will not pair with Phone Link after Windows update

Clear the existing Phone Link and Bluetooth records from both devices, reset Phone Link’s saved state, and then initiate a completely new pairing from Phone Link on the PC.

1. Fully remove the old connection

Since both QR and web pairing already failed, do not retry them until all prior pairing records have been cleared.

1. In Phone Link on the PC
   • Open Phone Link → Settings → Devices.
   • Open the menu beside the iPhone and select Remove.
2. In Windows
   • Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mobile devices → Manage devices.
   • Remove the iPhone if listed.
   • Return to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Devices and remove any remaining iPhone Bluetooth entry.
3. On the iPhone
   • Open Link to Windows → Menu → Settings → Account → Sign out.
   • Open iPhone Settings → Bluetooth.
   • Tap the information icon beside the PC and select Forget This Device.

These locations are Microsoft’s documented procedure for fully removing an iPhone from Phone Link, Link to Windows, and Windows device settings.^1^

4. Turn Bluetooth off on both devices, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Microsoft specifically recommends this after an incomplete iPhone pairing.^2^

2. Repair, then reset Phone Link

1. Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find Phone Link, select its More options (…) → Advanced options.
3. Select Repair first. This preserves the app’s data.
4. Open Phone Link and test setup.
5. If it still fails, return to the same page and select Reset.

Reset removes Phone Link’s local app data, so the devices must be linked again afterward. Windows documents this Repair/Reset sequence for malfunctioning apps.^3^

After resetting:

1. Keep the PC and iPhone nearby with Bluetooth enabled.
2. Start from Phone Link → iPhone on the PC rather than pairing manually in Bluetooth Settings.
3. Approve the matching pairing code on both devices.
4. On the iPhone, approve Share System Notifications, Show Notifications, and Sync Contacts when requested.^2^

If the final Pair button is not visible, maximize the Phone Link window; one matching Windows 11/iPhone case found that the button was rendered below the bottom of a smaller pairing window.^4^

3. If the Windows update changed the Bluetooth driver

Because pairing worked before the update, check the Bluetooth adapter driver next:

1. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
2. Expand Bluetooth.
3. Right-click the Bluetooth adapter—not the iPhone entry—and select Properties → Driver.
4. Select Roll Back Driver if available, follow the prompts, and restart Windows.

Microsoft documents driver rollback specifically for Bluetooth that stopped working after a recent Windows or driver update.^5^

If Roll Back Driver is unavailable:

1. Right-click the adapter → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
2. If no newer driver is found, install the latest Windows 11 Bluetooth driver supplied by the PC manufacturer.
3. Restart the PC and repeat the clean Phone Link pairing.

Do not uninstall the Windows update first. There is currently no publicly listed Windows release-health issue specifically confirming that a recent Windows 11 update broadly broke Phone Link pairing with iPhones.^6^

4. Report it if pairing still fails

Open Phone Link → Settings → Feedback & Community, or search Windows for Feedback Hub. Include:

• Windows edition, version, and OS build from Settings → System → About
• Phone Link version from Phone Link → Settings → About
• iPhone model and iOS version
• The installed update’s KB number
• The exact stage or error where pairing stops

References

1. Remove your mobile device from Phone Link, Link to Windows, and Windows Settings | Microsoft Support
2. iOS
3. Windows 11
4. Dell Inspiron running Windows 11 fails to connect to iPhone - Microsoft Q&A
5. Windows 11
6. Windows release health | Microsoft Learn