Want iMessage for Android or Windows? Unfortunately, you’re out of luck. Apple’s Messages app works only on Apple devices like Macs, iPhones, and iPads. No third-party apps can connect to iMessage. However, some good alternatives have similar functionality.
Apple doesn’t offer Messages on the web, either. That’s a shame—it could be part of the iCloud website like iCloud Drive, Notes, and Find My iPhone are.
Solutions That Don’t Work (Stay Away from iPadian)
Search for “iMessage on PC” or something similar on the web, and you’ll discover many websites offering a handful of bad solutions for running iMessage on a Windows PC. Here’s why they don’t work.
Some websites recommend you use Chrome Remote Desktop or another remote desktop tool. Yes, if you have a Mac, you can leave that Mac running, access it remotely from a PC, and use the Messages app (or any other Mac app) over the remote desktop connection. If you have a spare Mac lying around, this will work—but you probably don’t. This is a silly solution for almost everyone.
The same websites recommend you download something called “iPadian,” which is an “iOS and iPad simulator.” At first glance, it looks like a way to run the iPad’s iOS operating system on your desktop. But that’s deceiving. It isn’t an emulator—it’s a “simulator” that can’t actually run real iOS apps. You can’t run Messages or any other apps. You can run some fake apps designed to look like an iPad. For this, the company behind iPadian charges money.
Stay away from iPadian. It doesn’t work at all, and it’s a waste of money. Sadly, there’s no way to run iMessage on a PC.
How to Use iMessage on Android (with a Mac)
If you own a Mac and have an Android phone, here’s a solution you can look into. AirMessage promises “iMessage for Android,” and it delivers. It’s a little complicated, though, and involves conscripting a Mac you own to function as a server.
Here’s how it works: You need a Mac, where you’ll install the AirMessage server. That Mac must remain running and connected to the internet at all times. You then install the AirMessage app on your Android phone. You can access iMessage through AirMessage on Android—your Mac does the heavy lifting; the AirMessage app communicates with it. As the device that’s actually connected to iMessage, your Mac is just sending messages back and forth.
For Mac owners with Android phones, AirMessage could be tempting. But you’ll want an always-on Mac with a stable internet connection. It’s an ordeal.
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Source : Can You Use iMessage on a Windows PC or Android Phone?
