In this guide, we walk you through a few ways you can work with iMessage on your Windows and Android gadgets as well as some of the risks you may face when using these methods.
Ways to Access iMessage on Windows and Android
The different techniques to use iMessage on non-Apple devices come with varying degrees of difficulty, and just about every successful method requires you to already own an Apple device. However, there are some workarounds. What follows are some in-depth tutorials on how to use iMessage on your Windows PC or Android device.
1. Use AirMessage (Android Only)
AirMessage is a service that essentially forwards messages from your iMessage app to a browser or your Android device. You’ll need a Mac computer to get this method to work. To manually allow sending, navigate to “System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Automation” to enable it. To add the ability to read messages, head to “System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Full Disk Access,” then add the AirMessage app.
2. Use Chrome Remote Desktop
Similar to AirMessage, you’ll also need a Mac to get the Chrome Remote Desktop technique to work, since that’s the device you’ll be controlling through your Windows PC or Android smartphone/tablet. 4. To set up remote access, click the Download button. Note: The Chrome browsers on both your Windows and Mac devices should have the same Gmail account logged in. This also applies to your Android device.
The Risks of Using AirMessage or Chrome Remote Desktop
Both AirMessage and Chrome Remote Desktop feature advanced levels of encryption, so your information is quite safe while with both apps. The risk lies primarily in how secure your Gmail account is. For example, with Chrome Remote Desktop, anyone who has access to your Gmail account would be able to simply download the extension on a Chrome browser themselves and hijack your remote session if they figure out your PIN. From there, they’d have access to any information that’s stored on your Mac computer. AirMessage shares a similar threat since the app requires you to log in using your Gmail account, and you would need to give the program access to read information from your device. These issues can mostly be prevented by securing your Gmail account with an extra-strong password and steering clear of suspicious-looking emails and links. Also, always avoid giving out your account details to other people. Make sure you look up other Gmail security tips to keep your account safe.
1. Can I access iMessage through the iPadian app?
iPadian is an app for Windows that mimics the interface of an iOS device. Contrary to what many people think, iPadian is actually not an iOS emulator but a simulator. It just provides you with the look and feel of the iOS platform and doesn’t actually run the same environment as an iPhone or iPad. The developers of the iPadian app have made it perfectly clear that it does not support Apple’s iMessage service. In fact, they made sure to highlight it quite clearly on their official website. Actually, as an iOS simulator, iPadian struggles to run most iOS apps and comes with a $25 price tag to use all of the program’s features.
2. Can I use the Cydia method without jailbreaking my iPhone/iPad?
No. There’s a way that you can utilize the Cydia app to allow access to iMessage via a web browser on another device. It involves the downloading of the Remote Messages app from the BigBoss repo which can be found on Cydia. Unfortunately, there’s no way to use this method unless your iPhone or iPad is jailbroken.
3. Can I also use FaceTime on Windows and Android?
You can’t make a FaceTime call from a Windows or Android device. However, if someone with an Apple device initiates a FaceTime call and shares the link with you, you can join the call.
