1. Install
Get Waslane on your Mac or iPad (App Store) and on your Android phone (Google Play).
Android × Mac
There is no Phone Link for Mac. There is this.
On Windows, Microsoft's Phone Link connects your Android phone to the PC: messages, notifications, photos, calls. On the Mac that piece is missing, and Apple only builds it for the iPhone. Waslane fills the gap: your Android on your Mac and iPad, local over your own Wi-Fi.
Free for 7 days. All local, no cloud, no account.
Why there is no Phone Link for Mac
The question comes up in every Mac forum as soon as someone with an Android phone moves over from a Windows PC. The short answer has three parts:
- Phone Link belongs to Windows. The app is part of Windows 10 and 11, the phone side is called "Link to Windows" and only pairs with a Windows PC. Microsoft has never announced a macOS version.
- Apple builds the counterpart for the iPhone only. iPhone Mirroring, SMS in Messages, Universal Clipboard, AirDrop: all Continuity, all iPhone. An Android phone shows up nowhere in macOS.
- The stopgaps are gone or cloud-based. Intel Unison, which briefly tried to bridge both, was discontinued in early 2026. What remains are cloud services like AirDroid, with an account, servers and a web interface, or DIY tools like scrcpy on the command line.
That gap is exactly what Waslane is built for: a native app for Mac and iPad from the App Store, a free Android app on the other end, and nothing but your Wi-Fi in between.
What a Phone Link replacement on the Mac has to do
| Waslane | Phone Link (Windows) | AirDroid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Mac and iPad | Windows only | Mac, Windows, browser |
| Mirror & control the phone screen | Yes, with mouse, keyboard and touch | Only with select Samsung and Honor devices | Yes, via AirDroid Cast |
| Read and answer SMS | Yes, with full history | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications with inline reply | Yes, from every app | Yes | Yes |
| Files in both directions | Yes, drag and drop | Only with select devices | Yes |
| Phone calls from the computer | No | Yes | No |
| Account and servers | None, runs only on your Wi-Fi | Microsoft account required | AirDroid account, data via their servers |
| Price | 7 days free, then €14.99/year or €34.99 once | Included with Windows | Freemium, subscription for the full set |
The honest line in that table is phone calls. Phone Link can take calls on the PC, Waslane cannot. If that is your main reason, a Bluetooth headset is still the way on the Mac today. For everything else, screen, files, SMS, notifications, clipboard, photos, you get more on the Mac than on Windows, and without an account.
How to set it up
2. Pair
Both devices on the same Wi-Fi, scan the QR code on the Mac with your phone. Takes under a minute.
3. Share
You decide per feature what the phone shares: screen, files, SMS, notifications, clipboard.
From then on Waslane reconnects automatically whenever both devices are on the same network. No account, no sign-in, no cloud in between. See all features
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Phone Link for Mac?
No. Phone Link is part of Windows 10 and 11, and Microsoft has never announced a macOS version. The Android app "Link to Windows" needs a Windows PC on the other end. On Mac and iPad, Waslane takes that role.
Can I use Link to Windows with a Mac?
No. Link to Windows only pairs with the Phone Link app on Windows. There is no counterpart on the Mac, so the app cannot pair there.
What does Waslane do that Phone Link does, and what doesn't it do?
Waslane mirrors and controls the phone screen, transfers files in both directions, shows SMS with full history, mirrors notifications with inline reply, shares the clipboard and shows photos, contacts and battery. Making phone calls from the Mac is the one thing Waslane does not do.
Do I need an account or a cloud?
No. Unlike Phone Link (Microsoft account) or AirDroid (its own account and servers), Waslane runs directly between your devices over your Wi-Fi, encrypted with TLS 1.3. No server, no account, no tracking. More on privacy
What does Waslane cost?
Try it free for 7 days, then €14.99 per year or a one-time €34.99 (lifetime, all updates included). The Android app is free, and one purchase covers Mac and iPad. See pricing
Phone Link and Link to Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, AirDroid is a product of Sand Studio. Waslane is not affiliated with either. Feature sets of Phone Link and AirDroid as of September 2026, according to the vendors.
Your Android on your Mac. Starting today.
Both devices on the same Wi-Fi, scan the QR code, connected. Free for 7 days, no account.
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