How to Use Phone Link in Windows 11 to Connect Your Android

If you use an Android smartphone but work on a Windows computer, the constant context switching — picking up your phone to read a text, transferring a photo via email, or checking a notification — breaks your concentration. Apple users have long enjoyed tight integration between macOS and iOS. Microsoft provides a powerful equivalent for Windows and Android users through an app called Phone Link.

Phone Link bridges the gap between your PC and your smartphone over a Wi-Fi connection. Once set up, it allows you to read and reply to SMS messages, make and receive phone calls, view your mobile notifications, and instantly access your recent camera photos directly from your Windows 11 desktop.

Requirements

To use Phone Link, you need:

• A PC running Windows 11 (or Windows 10 with the May 2020 Update or later).
• An Android device running Android 8.0 or later.
• Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• A Microsoft Account.

Note: While Phone Link now offers limited support for iPhones, the integration is significantly more robust and feature-rich with Android devices, which is what this guide focuses on.

Step 1: Install and Open the Apps

1. On your Windows 11 PC, click the Start button, type Phone Link, and open the app. (It is pre-installed on Windows 11).
2. On your Android phone, download the Link to Windows app from the Google Play Store. (On some Samsung Galaxy and Microsoft Surface Duo devices, this feature is baked directly into the operating system settings).

Step 2: Pair Your Devices

The pairing process uses a QR code for security.

1. Open the Phone Link app on your PC. It will ask you what type of phone you have. Click Android.
2. The PC screen will display a large QR code.
3. Open the Link to Windows app on your Android phone.
4. Tap Link your phone and PC, then tap Continue to grant the app permission to use your camera.
5. Scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen using your phone’s camera.

Step 3: Grant Necessary Permissions

For Phone Link to function properly, your Android phone must grant it permission to access your personal data.

1. After scanning the QR code, your phone will prompt you with a series of permission requests.
2. You must Allow access to Contacts, Phone Calls, SMS Messages, and Photos/Media. If you deny these permissions, the corresponding features on your PC will not work.
3. The app will ask for permission to run in the background. Tap Allow so that the connection remains stable even when the app is closed.
4. Finally, you will be prompted to grant Notification Access. This requires you to enter your Android settings and toggle the switch for “Link to Windows” to On.

Once permissions are granted, your PC screen will update to show the Phone Link dashboard.

How to Use Phone Link Features

The Windows 11 Phone Link app is divided into several main tabs located at the top of the window.

1. Messages

Clicking the Messages tab displays your phone’s SMS and MMS inbox. You can click on any conversation to view the history and type a reply using your computer keyboard. You can also start a new conversation by clicking the new message icon. It functions almost exactly like a native desktop messaging app.

2. Photos

Clicking the Photos tab displays a grid of the most recent photos taken with your phone’s camera. This eliminates the need to email yourself photos or plug in a USB cable. You can simply click a photo, right-click, and select Save as to download it to your PC, or you can drag and drop the image directly into an email draft, a Word document, or an image editor.

3. Notifications

The sidebar on the left side of the Phone Link app acts as a mirror for your phone’s notification shade. When you receive a WhatsApp message, a calendar alert, or an app update on your phone, it appears here. You can clear notifications from this sidebar, and they will be dismissed on your phone simultaneously.

4. Calls

To use the Calls feature, your PC must have a microphone and speakers (or a connected headset), and Bluetooth must be enabled on both devices. Once connected via Bluetooth, you can dial numbers using the on-screen keypad and use your PC as a giant speakerphone. When a call comes in, a notification will pop up on your Windows desktop, allowing you to answer or decline it without touching your phone.

Advanced Features for Samsung Devices

If you own a compatible Samsung Galaxy device, Phone Link offers a powerful exclusive feature called Apps (Screen Mirroring). This allows you to launch Android apps installed on your phone directly on your Windows desktop. The apps open in their own separate windows on your PC, and you can interact with them using your mouse and keyboard as if they were native Windows applications.

By taking a few minutes to set up Phone Link, you can dramatically improve your productivity, keeping your hands on the keyboard and your eyes on your monitor throughout the workday.