System requirements

The Phone Link experience starts on your Windows PC and the Phone Link . From your PC, you can connect to select Android, Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, and vivo devices with the Link to Windows app that's either preinstalled on your device or that you can download from the Google Play or Samsung Galaxy Store.

This link between your Android device and PC gives you instant access to everything you love. Read and reply to text messages with ease, view recent photos from your Android device, use your favorite mobile apps, make and receive calls, and manage your Android device’s notifications right on your PC.

The Phone Link  requires the following to work:

  • A PC running Windows 10 (with the May 2019 Update or later) or Windows 11.

  • An Android device running Android 8.0 or later. For the best compatibility and performance, we highly recommend using Android 10 or newer.

  • Your phone and your PC both need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Note: Select supported Samsung Tablets please go to here for onboarding steps. 

We recommend always having the latest version of Windows installed to make sure you get the best experience with the Phone Link . 

Note: The Phone Link  doesn't currently support multiple Android profiles or work/school accounts. 

How to link your devices starting from Phone Link 

Make sure to have both your PC and Android device nearby, turned on, and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. 

If you start from your PC:

  1. In the search box on the taskbar, type Phone Link, and then select the Phone Link  from the results.

  2. You may be asked to sign in to your Microsoft account if you haven't already signed in with Windows.

  3. Install or open the Link to Windows mobile app on your Android device. To do this, open a web browser on your Android device and then enter the link that's displayed on your PC (www.aka.ms/yourpc).

  4. Sign into the mobile app with the same Microsoft account that you signed in to on your PC.

  5. Once you've signed in, go back to your PC, select the I have the  Link to Windows app ready check box, and then select Pair with QR code. 

    Note: If you'd like to pair your device without using a QR code, select Pair manually on your PC instead. You'll be prompted to enter a code on your Android device.

  6. A popup window with a QR code will appear on your PC screen.

  7. In the mobile app on your Android device, select Link your phone and PC. When asked Is the QR code on your PC ready? select Continue.

  8. You'll be asked permission for the app to access your camera. After accepting, an in-app camera will open. Use this camera to scan the QR code displayed on your PC.

  9. After scanning the QR code, you may be asked for additional Android permissions. These permissions allow you to access content from your phone on your PC.

  10. Follow the prompts on your Android device and then select Done. Then return to your PC to explore the Phone Link .

If you're adding another Android device:

  1. If necessary, open the Google Play Store, search for  Link to Windows, and then download the app.

  2. You'll be asked to scan a QR code that's displayed on your PC. To get to that QR code, open a browser on your PC and visit www.aka.ms/yourphoneqrc. 

  3. On your Android device, use the in-app camera to scan the QR code displayed on your PC.

  4. After scanning the QR code, you may be asked for several permissions. These permissions allow you to access content from your phone on your PC. 

If you encounter issues installing the app, troubleshoot them here.

How to install Phone Link if it's not already installed on your PC

Phone Link will be available by default on most PCs running Windows 10 or Windows 11. If it is not installed, you can install it through the Settings on your PC. After installation, your Phone Link will receive regular updates.

To install it on your Windows 10 PC:

  • Open Settings on your PC

  • Search for Phone Link

  • Select Enable or disable Phone Link

  • Turn on the toggle for Turn on Phone Link

  • A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to click on Install to add Phone Link to your PC.

To install it on your Windows 11 PC:

  • Open Settings on your PC

  • Search for Phone Link

  • Select Enable or disable Phone Link

  • Turn on the toggle for  Phone Link

  • A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to click on Install to add Phone Link to your PC.

Following these steps will ensure that Phone Link is successfully installed on your PC.

Linking your phone during PC setup or pairing in Phone Link  starting with your Microsoft account

During PC setup:

When linking your phone during PC setup, the Microsoft account you used while setting up your PC will be used for signing into your linked phone during the pairing process.

The Microsoft account you used while setting up your PC will be transferred to your linked phone during the pairing process. 

During pairing in Phone Link :

When linking in Phone Link  the Microsoft account you select will be used for signing into your linked phone during the pairing process. 

The Microsoft account you select will be transferred to your linked phone during the pairing process. 

During both:

When you complete the pairing of your phone to your Microsoft account, you will be able to access your phone when you are using Microsoft products and services. 

Your Microsoft account credentials will be transferred to your phone for seamless access to your contents when you give permission to link your phone to your PC.

Use your favorite apps, respond to texts, make calls, view photos, and more in the Phone Link  . After approving permissions to allow access to your phone, you can use your favorite apps, respond to texts, make calls, view photos, and more on your Windows PC. If you allow syncing contacts from your phone with your Microsoft account, you can enjoy seamless access to your phone-synced contact data on other Microsoft apps and services.

Learn more about privacy under Microsoft Privacy Statement.

Note: You can unlink your devices anytime completing the steps listed on Unlink a device

How to pair your Android device to Phone Link if it is already linked to our Microsoft Account

Start from your PC:

  1. In the search box on the taskbar, type Phone Link, and then select Phone Link from the results.

  2. Select Android as your device.

  3. You will be presented with a list of your linked Android devices under your Microsoft account. If no phones are linked, a QR code will be displayed for you to scan with your Android device and proceed with pairing your device to Phone Link

  4. If you see a list of Android devices, choose the one you wish to pair with Phone Link to access your favorite apps, respond to texts, make calls, view photos, and more from your PC

  5. Grant permissions on the Link to Windows app on your Android device

  6. You are all set to use Phone Link.

How to link your select Samsung tablet to your Microsoft Account 

Make sure to have both your PC and tablet device nearby, turned on, and connected to a Wi-Fi network.  

  1. Open Link to Windows app on your tablet

  2. You will have 2 options to sign in:

  • 1. Sign in with your Microsoft account: You will be prompted to Sign in with Microsoft account.

    If you have an existing Microsoft account on your mobile device then you will be asked to confirm your account, then click Continue. 

    If you don't have an existing Microsoft account on your mobile device then you will be asked to sign into your account or create a new one, then click Continue. 

  • 2. Scan the QR code 

    Go to your PC, open Phone Link, start the linking from the PC, follow the instructions and the QR code will appear in Phone Link. 

    Go back to your mobile device and scan the QR code from the Link to Windows camera. 

Why do I need to grant permissions during linking my devices?

Android 13 introduces a runtime notification permission. This permission is needed for data transfer and notification sending between your devices.

Why can't I approve notifications on Phone Link ?

The Android 13 requirement is to approve your notifications on your Android device. You can do it during the pairing process or go to System Settings > Apps >  Link to Windows> Notifications on your Android devices and toggle on the permissions. 

Why do I need to give notifications permission?

Notification permission allows data transfer and notification sending between your devices, which lays the foundation for cross-device features. By giving permissions, you can use your Android device on your PC with phone photo management, notification management and App usage (where it is supported).

How do I manage which features are available for me in Phone Link ? 

Phone Link  allows you to customize which features and content sync between your Windows PC and linked mobile device. You can control what syncs, how it syncs, and where it appears. 

To manage your features: 

  1. Open Phone Link  on your Windows PC.

  2. Go to Settings.

  3. Select Features.

  4. Toggle features on to enable or off to disable them based on your preferences. (Notifications, Messages, Calls, Photos, etc.)

Additional settings may be available depending on your linked mobile device: 

  • Transferred files will save to: Change the location where files received from your mobile device are saved on your linked PC.

  • Enable Audio player: Play audio from your linked mobile device.

  • Setup Instant Hotspot: Configure your mobile device as an instant hotspot.

  • Cross-device copy and paste: Enable cross-device copy and paste (when it is supported).

  • Wallpaper: Sync your mobile device’s wallpaper with your PC.

  • Sync your content over mobile data: Allow content syncing when Wi-Fi is unavailable or when preferred.

Note: Disabling a feature will stop syncing the related content until you re-enable it. For example, turning off the photos feature will stop syncing your photos from your linked mobile device. Similarly, disabling message syncing will prevent messages from your linked devices from appearing, and you will need to re-enable it to see and interact with new messages.

How to change “All File Access” on my linked Samsung device? 

All file access on a Samsung mobile device refers to the permission that allows an app to access all files on your mobile devices. This permission is pre-granted, however you have an option to manage this.  

To manage All File Access: 

  • Open Settings on your mobile device

  • Scroll down and click on Apps

  • Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner

  • Select Special access

  • Tap on All files access

  • Manage permissions under this setting: You will see a list of apps that have access to all files. You can disable Link to Windows ; however, if you do so, you will not have access to your photos and file sharing from your mobile device in Phone Link or Windows PC.

Why can't I turn Do Not Disturb on or off in Android 15?

With Android 15, Do Not Disturb has been updated to give you more control over your focus settings. However, you might notice that turning Do Not Disturb on or off doesn’t always work as expected. This can happen if:

  • Another app or mode (like Sleep or Focus mode) is managing Do Not Disturb.

  • Do Not Disturb for Link to Windows has been disabled on your device.

Who is affected?

This applies to all mobile devices running Android 15 or later.

How can I turn on or off Do Not Disturb?

If you are unable to control Do Not Disturb from Phone Link :

  1. Open Settings on your Android device.

  2. Go to Do Not Disturb > Mode (or Schedules, depending on your device).

  3. Make sure the toggle for Link to Windows  is turned on, if available.

  4. Check if another app or system mode is controlling Do Not Disturb. If so, you may need to disable or adjust that setting to allow Phone Link  to manage Do Not Disturb.

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