These include viewing and responding to notifications, making phone calls and sending texts. The current iteration of Phone Link allows you to remotely access many of your phone’s most popular functions. It’s not quite on the same level as Apple devices, but useful nonetheless. As the new name suggests, this offers an easy way to link your Android smartphone and Windows desktop. A pop-up on your phone will make it easy for your PC to find your phone and pair with it via Bluetooth.Available for Windows 11 and Windows 10, Phone Link is one of the apps that’s pre-installed when you buy a Windows laptop or PC. The app on your PC will walk you through this process the first time you select Calls on the left-hand menu of the Link to Windows app on your PC. If you accidentally skipped through this, just select Notifications on the left-hand menu of the Link to Windows app on your PC, and follow the instructions.Īdditionally, if you're going to be making calls with the Link to Windows app via your PC, you'll need to get Bluetooth connectivity set up between your PC and your smartphone. You'll also need to grant notification access to the app, which can be done easily by selecting the 'See my notifications' button during the setup of the Link to Windows app on PC. That QR code is generated during the setup of the Link to Windows app on your PC, and will add your Microsoft account to your smartphone in order to manage all of your data wirelessly.Īfter pairing via QR code, you'll need to grant permission for the Link to Windows app to run in the background on your smartphone. The Link to Windows app uses your phone's camera to link with your PC easily via a QR code. Once you've got those set up (just follow the in-app prompts), you can move on with the setup. At the bare minimum, you'll need to grant access to the following permissions: The only permission the app doesn't need is your location. Upon first opening the Link to Windows companion app on Android, you'll be asked to grant permission for the app to access your text messages, contacts, and photos. Each app needs to be set up in order to get your PC and phone linked, but you'll want to start with the Android app first.

Upon opening it for the first time, you'll be directed to download the companion app on your Android phone. Microsoft does a great job at getting you set up through the Link to Windows app on PC.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

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