Link to Windows app Archives

Winsage

March 9, 2025

Microsoft Teams is removing Android SMS integration on Windows 11

Microsoft Teams will transition from Skype, with an automatic migration process starting soon. The platform will remove the SMS messaging feature that allowed users to send and receive SMS through a linked Android device by April 2025. Users will need to use the Phone Link app for similar capabilities. Microsoft has begun notifying users about the discontinuation of SMS integration in Teams. To use the SMS feature, users needed a PC with Windows 11 and an Android phone with version 7.0 or newer, along with the "Link to Windows" app. The SMS messages would appear in the Chats section of Teams after linking the devices.

Winsage

December 26, 2024

How to add your Android phone to Windows 11 File Explorer

To integrate your Android phone with Windows 11, you need a Windows 11 PC with the latest updates, an Android device running Android 11 or later, and the Link to Windows app installed on your phone. 1. Open the Link to Windows app on your phone and log in with your Microsoft account. Select ‘Go to device settings’ and tap ‘ADD COMPUTER’. Visit www.aka.ms/phonelink on your PC or scan the QR code displayed on your PC screen to establish the connection. 2. On your phone, grant permissions to view photos and send texts by selecting ‘View permissions’, then ‘Settings’, and enabling access for ‘Phone’, ‘SMS’, ‘Contacts’, and ‘Storage’. 3. In the Phone Link app on your PC, click ‘Open settings on mobile device’ to grant notification permissions on your phone by navigating to ‘Device and app notifications’, selecting the ‘Link to Windows’ app, and toggling on ‘Allow notification access’. 4. On your PC, go to ‘Settings’, select ‘Bluetooth & devices’, and enable ‘Allow this PC to access your mobile devices’ and ‘Phone Link’. In ‘Manage devices’, ensure your phone is toggled on and enable ‘Show mobile device in File Explorer’. 5. On your phone, go to ‘All file access’ settings, select the ‘Link to Windows’ app, and toggle on ‘Allow access to manage all files’. A confirmation message will indicate successful linking. 6. Your phone should now appear as a tab in File Explorer, allowing easy access to your mobile storage.

Winsage

November 29, 2024

OneUI 7 won’t support Samsung’s DeX app for Windows

Samsung announced that the upcoming One UI 7 will not support the DeX app on Windows. The DeX app, which allowed users to transfer files and mirror their Android phone's screen on Windows PCs, is being phased out in favor of Microsoft Phone Link, which offers similar functionalities and supports a broader range of Android devices. Users are encouraged to use the Link to Windows feature instead, which can be set up by downloading the Link to Windows app on their Android device and connecting it to the Phone Link app on their Windows 11 PC.

Winsage

October 31, 2024

New integration lets Windows manage Android files wirelessly

Microsoft has introduced a feature called Android in File Explorer, allowing Windows users to access their Android phone's storage directly through File Explorer. This feature is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users starting in October. It enables wireless browsing, managing, and transferring files from Android devices without a USB connection. Compatibility requires Android 11 or later and the Link to Windows app version 1.24071 or newer. Users can access their Android phone as a shortcut in the File Explorer sidebar, allowing file management similar to USB-connected devices. Deleted files go to a Recycle Bin on the Android device for 30 days. File transfers can reach speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps over Wi-Fi, and users can search for files on their Android devices from the Windows taskbar. This feature operates independently of the Phone Link app and is part of the broader Manage Mobile Devices functionality.

Winsage

October 30, 2024

Android phone files are now visible in Windows File Explorer without a USB connection

Windows is enhancing its Phone Link feature to allow users to view and edit files from Android phones directly within Windows File Explorer. This integration requires users to connect their Android devices using the Link to Windows app. The feature will be automatically deployed for Windows 10 and 11 users, with an update to the Cross Device Experience Host app needed from the Microsoft Store. Users will see their phones listed in the sidebar, providing easy access to files similar to local directories.

Winsage

October 29, 2024

Android files now appear in Windows File Explorer, no cable necessary

Microsoft has updated the Phone Link app to integrate Android storage directly into File Explorer for Windows 11 and 10 users, allowing access to Android phone files without a USB connection. Users can see their Android device in the left sidebar of File Explorer, navigate through its storage, and transfer files easily. Deleted files from the Android device are moved to a Recycle Bin folder for 30 days before permanent deletion. The Windows Search feature can be used to locate specific files on the Android device. To use this feature, users must have the latest versions of Windows 11 or 10, update the Cross-Device Experience Host in the Microsoft Store, ensure their Android device is running Android 11 or newer with the Link to Windows app updated to version 1.24071 or later, and verify that their phone is linked to their PC.

Winsage

October 5, 2024

Here’s How to Access Android Phone Storage Directly in Windows 11 File Explorer

Microsoft has introduced a feature that allows users to access their Android phone's storage directly through Windows 11 File Explorer. This is enabled by the Cross Device Experience Host, which also allows the use of an Android phone's camera as a webcam on Windows 11. To set it up, users must enable Phone Link in mobile device settings, install the Link to Windows app on their Android device, and grant storage permissions. Once connected, users can access their smartphone in File Explorer, enabling file transfers in both directions. The transfer speed is capped at approximately 9 MBps, and there may be delays in syncing changes made to files on the phone's storage back to File Explorer.

Winsage

September 26, 2024

Your Windows PC will soon better integrate with more Android phones

Xiaomi has preinstalled Microsoft's Link to Windows app on its latest flagship devices, the Xiaomi 14T and Xiaomi 14T Pro, to enhance user experience by enabling seamless integration between Android phones and Windows PCs. The app facilitates features like clipboard synchronization and app streaming, which improve workflow. The Xiaomi 14T Pro will receive the Link to Windows integration in the upcoming 1.0.10.0 update. The app is integrated into HyperOS, Xiaomi's customized Android version, enhancing its functionality. While the app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, preinstallation significantly boosts performance. Other smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung and OPPO, have also adopted the Link to Windows app, indicating a trend towards improved cross-device connectivity. Xiaomi's strategy is aimed at reinforcing its ecosystem, especially given its portfolio of Windows PCs.

Winsage

August 30, 2024

Microsoft’s AirDrop alternative for Android is baked right into Windows 11 — here’s how to get it

Microsoft has released an optional update for Windows 11 that enables file sharing between PCs and Android devices, similar to Apple's AirDrop. This feature requires users to set up Link to Windows on their Android device and Phone Link on their PC. The update allows sharing files directly from the Windows Share menu. Additionally, the update improves the responsiveness of Narrator's scan mode, enhances voice access for dictation and editing commands, and addresses issues with File Explorer's screen reader focus. The Widgets Board is also updated for better security and widget creation APIs. Users can download the update via Settings > Windows Update or manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog, with general availability expected next month.

AppWizard

August 29, 2024

Phone Link’s Instant Hotspot feature is no longer exclusive to Samsung phones

Microsoft's Phone Link app has expanded the Instant Hotspot feature to select OnePlus devices, including the OnePlus Open and OnePlus 12, which previously was exclusive to Samsung devices. The Instant Hotspot allows Windows PCs to connect to the Internet via a smartphone's mobile hotspot without manual activation or password entry. This feature is only available on Windows 11 PCs linked to Samsung devices running One UI 4.1.1 or later, due to Android's restrictions. Other manufacturers, like OPPO and OnePlus, also include the Link to Windows Service app, enabling some of their devices to support Instant Hotspot. However, not all devices are compatible; for example, the OnePlus 10 Pro does not support it despite running the same version of the Link to Windows app as the OnePlus 12. The Link to Windows Service app also provides other functionalities, such as app streaming and cross-device copy and paste, although some features remain exclusive to Samsung.