Windows 11 Phone Link app is losing Photos feature, Android gallery moving to File Explorer
November 7, 2025
The Microsoft Phone Link app is undergoing a significant change, as it will soon disable the ability to view photos directly from your phone’s gallery. This shift is part of a broader strategy to streamline user experience by consolidating photo access within File Explorer. Microsoft has indicated that maintaining photo visibility in two separate locations was not practical, especially since the feature was introduced in File Explorer last year.
As reported by Windows Latest, users will encounter an alert when accessing the “Photos” section of the Phone Link app. This notification informs users that the photo viewing capability is transitioning to File Explorer, which Microsoft touts as an upgrade. The rationale behind this move is that File Explorer provides a more robust photo management experience, complete with features such as multi-select, copy and paste, and drag-and-drop functionality.
Unlike the Phone Link app’s Photos section, which is limited to images, File Explorer allows users to access the entirety of their mobile storage, including videos. Currently, the Phone Link app does not support video viewing or access to other storage folders on your mobile device. The alert within the Phone Link app emphasizes the advantages of this transition: “Photos is moving to File Explorer. Enjoy a better Photos experience in File Explorer. Now you can view videos and easily manage files with multi-select, copy/paste, and drag and drop.”
If users do not see their mobile device storage in File Explorer, they can navigate to the “Manage mobile devices” settings page and activate the “Show mobile device in File Explorer” toggle.
File Explorer’s mobile integration is a different game, and I am not sure if it really offers a Phone Link-like experience
In tests conducted by Windows Latest, it was observed that Windows 11 integrates paired phones into File Explorer as a virtual shell location, facilitated by the Cross-Device Experience Host. Upon selecting this option, File Explorer communicates with a broker on Windows 11, which translates file actions into remote requests directed to the mobile device via the “Link to Windows” service.
This integration operates seamlessly, allowing users to view all files stored on their mobile devices. However, the Phone Link app’s Photos section redirects users to File Explorer, where the camera folder is displayed. For instance, the path in File Explorer for mobile storage appears as follows:
This directory showcases all photos captured on the mobile device, including those taken with third-party applications. While this user experience is functional, the design of the Phone Link app’s Photos section offers a more streamlined approach for quick access. The Phone Link app presents an app-level gallery that queries Android’s MediaStore for recent media, encompassing screenshots and other images alongside camera captures.
In contrast, accessing screenshots or images beyond the Camera gallery in File Explorer requires navigating back through directories to locate the screenshot folder. The Phone Link app simplifies this process by aggregating all images in one accessible location, akin to the gallery app found on Samsung devices.
As the Phone Link app phases out its photo viewing capability, users will need to adapt to File Explorer, which, while powerful, may present a steeper learning curve. The question remains: do you prefer the File Explorer interface for managing mobile photos, or does the Phone Link’s Photos view resonate more with your needs? Your thoughts are welcome in the comments below.
Windows 11 Phone Link app is losing Photos feature, Android gallery moving to File Explorer
The Microsoft Phone Link app is undergoing a significant change, as it will soon disable the ability to view photos directly from your phone’s gallery. This shift is part of a broader strategy to streamline user experience by consolidating photo access within File Explorer. Microsoft has indicated that maintaining photo visibility in two separate locations was not practical, especially since the feature was introduced in File Explorer last year.
As reported by Windows Latest, users will encounter an alert when accessing the “Photos” section of the Phone Link app. This notification informs users that the photo viewing capability is transitioning to File Explorer, which Microsoft touts as an upgrade. The rationale behind this move is that File Explorer provides a more robust photo management experience, complete with features such as multi-select, copy and paste, and drag-and-drop functionality.
Unlike the Phone Link app’s Photos section, which is limited to images, File Explorer allows users to access the entirety of their mobile storage, including videos. Currently, the Phone Link app does not support video viewing or access to other storage folders on your mobile device. The alert within the Phone Link app emphasizes the advantages of this transition: “Photos is moving to File Explorer. Enjoy a better Photos experience in File Explorer. Now you can view videos and easily manage files with multi-select, copy/paste, and drag and drop.”
If users do not see their mobile device storage in File Explorer, they can navigate to the “Manage mobile devices” settings page and activate the “Show mobile device in File Explorer” toggle.
File Explorer’s mobile integration is a different game, and I am not sure if it really offers a Phone Link-like experience
In tests conducted by Windows Latest, it was observed that Windows 11 integrates paired phones into File Explorer as a virtual shell location, facilitated by the Cross-Device Experience Host. Upon selecting this option, File Explorer communicates with a broker on Windows 11, which translates file actions into remote requests directed to the mobile device via the “Link to Windows” service.
This integration operates seamlessly, allowing users to view all files stored on their mobile devices. However, the Phone Link app’s Photos section redirects users to File Explorer, where the camera folder is displayed. For instance, the path in File Explorer for mobile storage appears as follows:
This directory showcases all photos captured on the mobile device, including those taken with third-party applications. While this user experience is functional, the design of the Phone Link app’s Photos section offers a more streamlined approach for quick access. The Phone Link app presents an app-level gallery that queries Android’s MediaStore for recent media, encompassing screenshots and other images alongside camera captures.
In contrast, accessing screenshots or images beyond the Camera gallery in File Explorer requires navigating back through directories to locate the screenshot folder. The Phone Link app simplifies this process by aggregating all images in one accessible location, akin to the gallery app found on Samsung devices.
As the Phone Link app phases out its photo viewing capability, users will need to adapt to File Explorer, which, while powerful, may present a steeper learning curve. The question remains: do you prefer the File Explorer interface for managing mobile photos, or does the Phone Link’s Photos view resonate more with your needs? Your thoughts are welcome in the comments below.