Thanks for that Steve - I appreciate you taking the time to look at this. It confirmed that I was on the correct lines. With the browser open and just a single default tab showing, there are 4 instances of 'ChromeWidgetWin1'. Chrome For Rt free download - Google Chrome (64-bit), Google Chrome Portable, Google Chrome beta, and many more programs.
Consider this scenario: Everyone you know has an iPhone. You succumb to the peer pressure and not only buy a new iPhone, but eventually a MacBook. Problem is, you work on a Windows 10 device all day and the incoming text messages have you unlocking the iPhone every other minute. All that phone lifting interrupts your daily workflow. We show you how to text with iMessages on Windows 10 so your eyes stay glued to your PC.
Unfortunately, Apple doesn't offer a cloud-based solution similar to Android where you can load up a webpage and respond to texts. In fact, iMessages is a closed system requiring an Apple device. But there is a way to respond to iMessages on a Windows 10 PC without having to lift the iPhone: Chrome Remote Desktop.
The setup we describe here uses an iPhone X as the source messaging device, a MacBook Air serving as the host PC, and a Windows 10 laptop as the client PC. The beauty here is that this method isn't locked to just using iMessages. You can do mostly anything on your Mac using Chrome Remote Desktop, whether you're checking email, installing apps from the App Mac Store, listening to music through iTunes, and more. Playing games, however, is not recommended.
That said, you have complete access to the Mac if Chrome Remote Desktop is running in the background. You don't even need Google Chrome open on the Mac for this connection to work.
Let's get started on how to text with iMessages on Windows 10!
Messages for iPhone
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on your Apple IDaccount.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Make sure Messages is toggled on (green).
Now let's move on to the host MacOS device. In our example, we used a MacBook Air running MacOS 10.14.4 beta.
Messages for MacOS
1. Launch the Messages app from the dock, Launchpad, or desktop.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password. Enter a verification code if you have two-factor authentication activated.
3. Navigate to the app's Menu bar, click Messages, and then select Preferences.
Thanks for that Steve - I appreciate you taking the time to look at this. It confirmed that I was on the correct lines. With the browser open and just a single default tab showing, there are 4 instances of 'ChromeWidgetWin1'. Chrome For Rt free download - Google Chrome (64-bit), Google Chrome Portable, Google Chrome beta, and many more programs.
Consider this scenario: Everyone you know has an iPhone. You succumb to the peer pressure and not only buy a new iPhone, but eventually a MacBook. Problem is, you work on a Windows 10 device all day and the incoming text messages have you unlocking the iPhone every other minute. All that phone lifting interrupts your daily workflow. We show you how to text with iMessages on Windows 10 so your eyes stay glued to your PC.
Unfortunately, Apple doesn't offer a cloud-based solution similar to Android where you can load up a webpage and respond to texts. In fact, iMessages is a closed system requiring an Apple device. But there is a way to respond to iMessages on a Windows 10 PC without having to lift the iPhone: Chrome Remote Desktop.
The setup we describe here uses an iPhone X as the source messaging device, a MacBook Air serving as the host PC, and a Windows 10 laptop as the client PC. The beauty here is that this method isn't locked to just using iMessages. You can do mostly anything on your Mac using Chrome Remote Desktop, whether you're checking email, installing apps from the App Mac Store, listening to music through iTunes, and more. Playing games, however, is not recommended.
That said, you have complete access to the Mac if Chrome Remote Desktop is running in the background. You don't even need Google Chrome open on the Mac for this connection to work.
Let's get started on how to text with iMessages on Windows 10!
Messages for iPhone
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on your Apple IDaccount.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Make sure Messages is toggled on (green).
Now let's move on to the host MacOS device. In our example, we used a MacBook Air running MacOS 10.14.4 beta.
Messages for MacOS
1. Launch the Messages app from the dock, Launchpad, or desktop.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password. Enter a verification code if you have two-factor authentication activated.
3. Navigate to the app's Menu bar, click Messages, and then select Preferences.
4. Select the iMessage tab in the pop-up panel.
5. Enable your account if needed.
6. Enable Messages in iCloud if needed.
7. Activate the phone number and email addresses where you can be reached.
8. Select or de-select Sendread receipts.
Play Store App
9. Choose where you want new conversations to start (phone number or email address).
10. Click the Sync Now button.
Chrome for MacOS
With iMessages now up and running, the next step is to download Google Chrome for MacOS and the required components. We used Chrome 72 for MacOS in this guide.
1. Download Google Chrome.
2. Sign in to Google Chrome with your Google account.
3. Install the Chrome Remote Desktop extension. You may see a message requesting authorization.
4. Enter chrome://apps in the browser's address bar and click on the Chrome Remote Desktop icon. You may need to scroll through several app pages to find it. Once located, you can hold the Control button while clicking on the icon to pull up a menu. Select Create Shortcut to add a shortcut on the MacOS desktop for quick access versus coming back to the apps page.
5. In the pop-up window, click the Get Started button in My Computers, then Enable remote connections.
6. Select Accept and Install to acquire the necessary host software.
7. In a pop-up window, select OK to download the ChromeRemote Desktop Host Installer.
8. Locate the downloaded chromeremotedesktop.dmg file and open it. This file contains the Chrome Remote Desktop Host package you need to install. Double-click on this package and follow the steps.
9. After installation, re-launch the Chrome Remote Desktop extension again.
10. Click the Enableremote connections button.
Restore imac from backup. 11. Create a PIN containing at least six digits. Re-enter your Mac's password if prompted.
12. A pop-up window will appear stating remote connections are enabled.
With Chrome Remote Desktop up and running, make sure the Mac doesn't go into sleep mode when idle. Navigate to System Preferences > Energy Saver and confirm that the Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off option is checked. The Wake for Wi-Fi network access option should be toggled on as well.
Now we move on to the Windows 10 client PC you will use to remotely access your MacOS host PC.
Related: How to text from Windows 10 using an Android phone
Windows 10
This is a shorter version of the MacOS setup that doesn't require the host component.
1. Install Google Chrome if you haven't already.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. Install the Chrome Remote Desktop extension from the Chrome Web Store.
4. After installation, enter chrome://apps in the address bar and click the Chrome Remote Desktop icon. You may need to scroll through several app pages to find the icon. Once located, you can right-click the icon and add a shortcut to your Windows 10 desktop so you don't need to keep coming back to the apps page.
5. Click the Get started button found under My Computers.
6. The host MacOS machine should be visible on the list. Click on the MacBook.
7. Enter the PIN number you created on the MacBook.
BAM! You now have a window streaming your Mac's desktop on Windows 10. You should also see a small box at the bottom of the Mac's screen saying Your desktop is currently shared with (your email address) along with a Stop sharing button.
You can now remotely launch the Messages app and text through your iPhone via Windows 10.
Of course, if you plan on using your Windows 10 PC as a host in the future, you'll need to click on the Enable remote connections button on the Chrome Remote Desktop screen. This will download and install the required host software provided by Google like we did with the Mac.
Again, you can do mostly anything on your Mac remotely from a Windows 10 PC. Even more, the Mac and Windows 10 PC don't need to be on the same network as long as both have an internet connection and you're logged into your Google account.
If you have issues, Google suggests the following:
1. Allow outbound traffic in your antivirus software.
2. Allow inbound UDP responses in youre antivirus software.
3. Open TCP ports 443 (HTTPS) and 5222 (XMPP).
4. Use the latest version of Chrome or Chrome OS.
Chrome is powerful, versatile, and incredibly popular. Two thirds of everyone uses it.
And it's easy to install on all your devices.
The exact steps are slightly different from one device to another:
Install Google Chrome on a Mac
Start by downloading the installation file for Mac from here. The site will automatically detect your OS and offer you the appropriate download.
You'll download a file called googlechrome.dmg. Open it and find the Chrome logo:
Drag that file to the Applications folder. You may be asked for your computer administrator password. If you're not an admin, get someone who is to enter the password or drag the file to the desktop for now.
You should now be able to open Chrome. Find Chrome in 'Finder' and click 'Eject' to move the disk image off the desktop or out of the Downloads folder, or drag the disk image icon to the trash.
Make Chrome your default browser on a Mac
Open the Chrome menu and go to 'Settings.' Find the 'Default browser' section and click 'Make Google Chrome the default browser.'
Install Google Chrome on a Windows computer
Download the installation file from here. You should automatically be offered the installation file for Windows. If prompted, click 'Run' or 'Save.' if you clicked 'Save,' double-click the download to begin installing.
To start Chrome for the first time:
- On Windows 7, Chrome will start automatically once the installation process is complete.
- On Windows 8 and 8.1 machines, a 'Welcome' dialog will appear, and give you the option to set Chrome as your default browser before a Chrome window opens.
- Windows 10 machines will open a Chrome window once the installation process is complete.
Make Chrome your default browser on a Windows computer
Click the Start menu and open 'Settings.' Go to your default apps. In the original version of Windows 10, you do that by clicking 'System' > 'Default apps.'
In the 'Creators Update,' go to 'Apps: Default apps.' At the bottom, under 'Web browser,' click your current default web browser. If you've never changed it, this will be Microsoft Edge. In the 'Choose an app' window, click 'Google Chrome.'
Install Google Chrome on a Linux computer
Get Chrome For Windows 7
Your Linux build will have installer software. Use that to install Chrome once you've downloaded the installation file from here. You'll be asked for your administrator password.
Once the file is downloaded, click 'OK' to open the package and 'Install Package' to begin installation. Chrome will be added to your software manager so it stays up to date.
Install Google Chrome on an iPad or iPhone
Download Chrome for iOS from the Apple App Store from here.
Chrome is available for all iOS devices running iOS 10 or later, including iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches.
Once you've downloaded the file from the App Store, tap 'Install' to install Chrome. You'll be asked for you Apple ID Password.
Once Chrome is installed, you can open it by going to your home screen and tapping the app icon.
Make Chrome your default browser on an iPad or iPhone
You can't make Chrome your default browser on an iPad or iPhone, but you can add it to your dock. Drag the app up and release it onto your home screen. Then touch and hold the app, drag it down and release it onto your dock.
Get Chrome For Windows
Install Google Chrome on an Android phone or tablet
Get Chrome for Android from the Google Play Store here. Chrome is available for Android devices running Android 4.4 or later.
Tap 'Install' to download and install Chrome, then tap 'Accept.' Chrome will install. To start using Chrome, go to the Home screen or your device's 'All Apps' page and tap the Chrome icon.
Make Chrome your default browser on an Android phone or tablet
Find Google settings in 'Settings' > 'Google' or in a separate app called 'Google Settings,' depending on which Android device you have.
Tap 'Apps' and open your default apps. In the top right, tap 'Settings.' Under 'Default,' tap 'Browser app.' Tap 'Advanced' > 'Default apps' > 'Browser app,' and tap 'Chrome.'
Install Google Chrome on a Chromebook
Chrome is the default browser on Chromebooks—in fact, without extensive workarounds, it's the only browser, as well as the OS. You should never need to install Chrome browser on a Chromebook. But you can reinstall it, by powerwashing the device, or update it.
Get Chrome For Windows 10 Hp
Install Google Chrome on a smart TV
Chrome can only be installed directly on Android TVs. Other smart TVs, like Samsung or Sony TVs, will require workarounds. You can cast to a smart TV from another device that has Chrome installed. On Android TVs, there are a couple of methods for installing Chrome.
You can use your computer to download Chrome from the Play Store here.
First, click 'Install,' then choose your Android TV from the dropdown menu and click 'Install.'
Alternatively, turn on voice commands on your remote and say 'Launch Chrome.' Your smart TV will ask you if you want to install the app; click 'Agree' and Chrome will be installed and ready to use in a few seconds.
Pro tip: Whichever method you use, be sure to go to the Chrome menu and select 'Force Desktop Site' to get the best experience.
Reasons to choose Chrome
Sync with the Google ecosystem
Both Apple and Google offer complete ecosystems, of which users don't need to step outside. Want to play music? There's Play Music for that, or iTunes on Mac. Making a presentation? Slides or Keynote. Or PowerPoint, if you're a Windows user. Each company has you covered.
Windows is a little less cohesive, but with the introduction of Office 365 and Google's Chromebook rollout, the Big Three each offer you a productivity and communication ecosystem and an OS to run it on.
An organization that uses Apple's ecosystem is relatively rare. Many companies use Office 365. But it's much more common for tech companies and schools to use Google.
If you want an in to Google's ecosystem direct from your Mac or PC, Chrome is it. And if you're writing on Docs, emailing in Gmail, and getting into Sheets' newly-introduced ability to do pivot tables, it makes sense to get Chrome. Additionally, Chrome comes with some of Google's most useful tools (like Translate) built-in, meaning they're faster and easier to use.
Compatibility
It's pretty rare that anyone builds a website that works well in Chrome but not in Safari or Edge. But it does still happen. Most of the web is built Chrome-first.
Sync across devices
Another ecosystem issue: if all you use is Apple devices, it's less of a problem, but Safari is available only for Apple devices. Even Safari for Windows was discontinued back in 2012. And Edge is available for Mac, but uptake is low.
If you use a range of devices—Apple, Windows and Android—Chrome lets you carry your bookmarks, browser settings, and more across multiple devices. This device agnosticism is one of Chrome's major strengths.
Extensions, themes, settings, and flags
Safari comes from the 'one button' school of UI design beloved by Apple: it's simple to use, intuitive, and it runs out of the box. But if you want to modify it, good luck.
Edge isn't easy to modify either. Microsoft cautions: 'Microsoft Edge Extensions, available exclusively from the Microsoft Store, are the only supported mechanism to modify the end-user experience of Microsoft Edge, including the browser configuration and the content displayed in the browser.' The Edge Extension Store boasts 287 extensions, making Edge as difficult to customize as Safari.
Chrome isn't a very features-rich browser out of the box. But it has a huge library of over 10,000 extensions that give you control over everything from how the browser looks to how it displays websites, amongst other things. You get control over the browser settings, and access to experimental flags that let you toggle new functionality on and off.
It's also a much better browser for developers, thanks to extensive and ever-growing developer tools that are easy to access and use.
