In 2019, Microsoft and Samsung announced a special partnership that would see many Microsoft apps and services be preloaded onto millions of Galaxy handsets worldwide. That partnership has continued to this day, with the latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Flip 7 handsets continuing to ship with Microsoft apps like Outlook, Office, Phone Link, and OneDrive pre-installed.

The partnership also resulted in OneDrive being deeply integrated into Samsung's ecosystem, becoming the default cloud backup solution for photos taken and stored using Samsung's included Gallery app. Samsung dropped its own cloud-backup solution in favor of Microsoft's, and that's what has powered photo backups on all Galaxy phones since.

Now, Android Authority reports that it looks like Samsung is gearing up to drop support for OneDrive, 6 years after it was first introduced. Strings spotted in the OneUI 8.5 version of the app appear to confirm that Samsung is preparing to sever ties with OneDrive, with strings such as "Sync with OneDrive ending soon" being present.

Instead of OneDrive, it looks like Samsung wants to start using its own cloud backup solution. Samsung Cloud has existed for many years, and now it wants Samsung Cloud to handle your photos too. OneDrive integration will be ripped out of the Gallery app, though you'll still be able to backup photos to OneDrive using the dedicated OneDrive app if you want.

Most users have moved away from using OneDrive as a photo backup solution these days. OneDrive used to be great for this, but competing services like Google Photos and iCloud have improved a lot in recent years, to the point where most users just choose to use whatever comes as default on their phone.

OneDrive still exists for those who want it, and it's a great cloud backup solution for files and documents. It's also good for photos if you use it as a secondary backup service in addition to the one that comes on your phone. That's how I use it, and it works well.

What are your thoughts on Samsung dropping OneDrive as its photo cloud backup solution? Will this impact you? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft has officially announced its new Start menu experience for Windows 11, which features a new, more customizable layout and deeper integration with Windows Phone Link.

The new Start menu first leaked last month, revealing that the company was working on a unified layout that combined the all apps list with the main Start menu interface.

That new Start menu is now official, announced as part of a wider wave of new features coming soon to Windows 11. The new Start menu includes three different views for the all apps list, which now appears at the very bottom of the main Start menu page.

There's the traditional list view, a new grid list view, and a new category view, which will automatically group your installed apps into "folders" similar to the App Shelf on iOS and iPadOS.

On the right, the Phone Link companion shows an overview of your smartphone, including current battery level and connection status, along with recent photos and messages. The companion can be hidden from view at any point by pressing the collapse button next to the search bar in the Start menu.

The new Start menu is more customizable, too. It allows you to show all your pinned apps by default. You can also hide the Recommended feed, meaning you can make the Start menu show a complete page of pinned apps above your all apps list if that's something you want.

"Start is getting personal – with more options to customize and organize your apps" says Navjok Virk, CVP of Windows Experiences at Microsoft. "The new all apps category view automatically sorts based on the apps and categories you use most, so you can quickly access all your favorites. And now with the phone companion in Start, your connected Android or iOS device is only a click away."

Microsoft has announced that the new Start menu will be made available to test via the Windows Insider Program shortly, and will roll out in a non-security preview update to Windows 11 later this year.

The new Start menu is part of a larger wave of new features announced for Windows 11 today, including an AI agent in Settings, more AI experiences across Photos, Paint, and more.

With Skype on the way out, Microsoft has officially pointed people toward Teams. But by the time Skype support ends in May, Teams will have already lost a feature.

Starting in April 2025, also known as just a few weeks from now, Microsoft Teams will no longer support sending and receiving SMS text messages.

At the moment, the feature allows you to connect an Android device to Microsoft Teams. After setting it up, Teams will show SMS text messages in Chats under the Recent section.

A Microsoft document notes the end of support for linking your Android device to Microsoft Teams.

"Important: Starting April 2025, sending and receiving SMS messages from your Android device will no longer be supported in Teams. To continue using this feature on Windows, please use Phone Link. Learn more here," states the document.

Microsoft did not share the reason this feature is going away. My guess is people preferred to use Phone Link or other alternatives rather than connect Teams to SMS messaging.

How can I send SMS text messages from a PC?

While Teams will soon lose the ability to link to an Android device, people will still be able to send and receive text messages on a Windows PC. They'll just have to use Phone Link instead.

Phone Link has been around for years, though it used to be known as Your Phone. The feature lets you sync text messages, photos, and other content between your phone and your PC.

The exact features you'll have at your fingertips depend on which type of phone you use. For the best experience, you'll need a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Select OnePlus phones also integrate deeply with Phone Link.

Other Android devices still have quite a few options for syncing content between your phone and your PC. Those with an iPhone will have the most limited set of features, but Phone Link still supports making and taking calls and replying to texts.

Back in 2022, our Managing Editor Jez Corden said that Phone Link is the best new Windows feature of the past decade.

If you rely on SMS messaging and phone calls, Phone Link is an excellent tool. If you find yourself firmly in other ecosystems, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, you may not find Phone Link as useful.

Windows 11 will soon have a new way to interact with a connected iPhone. Microsoft is now testing an integration with the Start menu and Phone Link that shows a connected phone's battery life, connectivity, and some notifications. The extension of the Start menu, also known as the floating sidebar, now has a section for sharing files between a PC and a phone as well.

Much of this functionality has been available for Android devices for a while, though some of it has been limited to Windows Insiders during testing. Even sending files from a Windows 11 PC and a phone has been in testing since December 2024, but the initial rollout of the feature was not integrated with the Start menu.

Generally, Microsoft's Phone Link has more features when connected to Android devices. Apple has limits on what an app like Phone Link can do, limiting the features of the app if you connect an iPhone to your Windows 11 PC. But Microsoft has worked to close that gap over the years and some of the best Phone Link features now work with both iOS and Android.

Microsoft began testing the new option for iPhone users with Windows Insiders recently. The ability to share files between a connected phone and a PC through the Start menu also entered testing at that time.

The integration between the Windows 11 Start menu and Phone Link is a bit controversial. Some have called the feature cluttered and criticized its reliance on opening the Phone Link app. In its current form, the floating sidebar for Phone Link is redundant. If you have your phone connected for the Start menu integration, you already have Phone Link installed and set up.

I'm on the fence about the feature. I think it has potential if it becomes more interactive and gains more functionality. The fact that Microsoft has worked to connect iPhones through the floating sidebar is promising. It shows the tech giant is interested in making the feature more useful. Microsoft has a track record of making features somewhat similar to this integration and then abandoning them, including Your People, Meet Now, Chat, and the Copilot sidebar. I'd like to see a longer investment from Microsoft this time around.

Luckily for those who dislike the feature or don't find it useful enough to attach to their Start menu, it's possible to disable the floating sidebar through the Windows 11 Settings app.

Windows Phone Link is one of Windows 11's best features, but with the latest Android 15 update, it's about to get a little less useful. With Android 15, Google has implemented a new behavior that automatically redacts sensitive notifications from being sent to "untrusted" notification listeners, and this will affect Phone Link on certain devices.

Microsoft has started warning users who are affected that as of the latest Android OS update, some notifications will no longer appear in Phone Link. This includes 2FA codes and other sensitive information. Here's what the warning says, displayed within the Phone Link app:

"With the latest Android updates, Phone Link no longer shows notifications that contain sensitive information for your protection."

This change will only affect users who have downloaded the Link To Windows app from the Google Play Store. According to Android expert Mishaal Rahman, phones that come with Link To Windows pre-installed should be able to continue syncing sensitive notifications if correctly configured to do so by Microsoft and the phone maker. Samsung Galaxy AI devices are still able to continue syncing these sensitive notifications, for example.

But if you use a phone that doesn't come with Phone Link, it appears you are out of luck. That means if you use a device like the Google Pixel, Sony Xperia, or Nothing Phone, you will no longer be able to see 2FA codes and other sensitive notifications when connected to Windows Phone Link, once you update to Android 15.

Phone Link has been shipping as part of Windows since Windows 10, when it debuted as Your Phone. It's a feature that lets you see your phone's notifications, apps, messages, and phone calls directly from your computer, reducing the need to take your phone out of your pocket when working on Windows.

Most recently, it lets you use your phone's camera as a webcam for your PC, and now even lets you sync files between your PC and phone within the File Explorer. It's a very powerful tool, but the recent Android 15 changes will mean it's about to become a bit less useful for a lot of people.

What you need to know

• The Samsung DeX Windows app will no longer be supported on Samsung phones with the upcoming OneUI 7 update.
• DeX for Windows enabled the ability to turn any Windows PC into a DeX device, powered by your Samsung smartphone.
• Now, Samsung recommends users switch to Microsoft Phone Link in place of Samsung DeX.

Samsung is killing off DeX for Windows, an app that let you turn any Windows PC into a Samsung DeX environment powered by your phone. While DeX itself is sticking around, Samsung users will no longer be able to use a Windows PC to access DeX starting with OneUI 7 coming next year.

Curiously, Samsung is recommending that DeX for Windows users switch to Microsoft Phone Link, which offers similar (but not identical) functionality. This is mentioned in a footnote on the Samsung DeX website:

"The DeX for PC on Windows OS will end support from One UI 7 version. We encourage customers to connect mobile phone and PC through the Link to Windows feature."

Microsoft Phone Link lets you sync your phone's notifications and text messages to your PC, and even lets you run individual phone apps directly on the Windows 11 desktop.

It doesn't offer direct access to the DeX environment, however, so users looking for that functionality will need to source dedicated DeX peripherals to regain that functionality. Microsoft and Samsung have worked in close partnership on Phone Link, with Samsung phones often getting early access to new features first.

Phone Link for Windows is genuinely great, but it's no DeX replacement as it doesn't offer direct access to the DeX desktop environment. With that said, the number of people who were using a Windows PC to access Samsung DeX was likely very low to begin with, which is likely why Samsung is killing support for DeX for Windows.

Samsung DeX itself isn't going anywhere it seems. You'll still be able to access DeX by plugging your phone into a large TV or monitor, or a device like the NextDock which is designed specifically for devices that offer a DeX-like environment. Of course, DeX is the modern day Continuum, Microsoft's own version of a PC in your pocket back in the Windows Phone days.

(via Android Authority, The Verge)

What you need to know

• The latest optional update for Windows 11 includes an integration that makes it easy to share files from a PC to an Android device.
• The integration, which relies on Phone Link, is similar to AirDrop within the Apple ecosystem.
• Users can install the optional update now or wait until the same changes make their way to general availability next month.

Microsoft has released an optional update for Windows 11 that will soon be available to everyone through an upcoming Patch Tuesday update. The most notable change is that sharing content to an Android device through Windows Share is now possible. Doing so requires setting up Link to Windows and Phone Link and connecting your devices. That experience became available to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel recently, and it is now making its way to more users.

Sharing files between Android and Windows devices has been possible for years, but this new integration should be a bit simpler. If you've set up Link to Windows and Phone Link, you can share files through the Windows Share menu. It's the closest thing to Apple's AirDrop on Windows, at least when it comes to direct OS integration. The connection also works in both directions, much like AirDrop.

Note that the new sharing method is not the "cross-device copy and paste" feature, which has existed since 2020.

The optional Windows update also improves Narrator, Voice access, and File Explorer. The Widgets Board also sees changes in this update, though the largest changes are for users in EEA regions.

There are a few ways to grab this update. You can go through Settings > Windows Update to grab Windows 11 build 22621.4112 and 22631.4112 (build dependent on which version of Windows you're running). Since this is an optional update, you must opt-in to receive it. You can also grab the update through the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual installation. Assuming there aren't any significant issues with the update, the same changes should ship to everyone on Tuesday, September's patch, so you could also just wait a couple of weeks to update your PC.

Microsoft lists the highlights and changes in the update in a support document:

Windows 11 optional August update

Windows Share

• You can now share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. Use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.

Narrator

• This update makes scan mode respond quicker. This is especially helpful when you use Microsoft Edge and read large documents. To use scan mode, you must turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then, turn on scan mode by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.

Voice access

• You can now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed. You also have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text.

File Explorer

• When you press Windows logo key + E, a screen reader might say a pane has focus, or the focus might not be set at all.
• When you press Ctrl + F, sometimes the search does not start.
• Keyboard focus sometimes might get lost when you press Shift + Tab.
• Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items that are in a breadcrumb of the Open or Save dialog.
• Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items in the column header.

Widgets board

• We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon.

What you need to know

• Streaming apps from your Samsung smartphone to your PC just got much easier.
• Samsung phones running One UI 6.1.1 no longer require you to press a button every single time you want to stream and app to your PC through Phone Link.
• Starting with Android 14, Phone Link required a button press every time you wanted to stream an app due to a change made to improve the operating system's security.
• It appears Phone Link / Link to Windows now uses a different method to stream apps, which gives you the option to always allow app streaming.

A change to how Microsoft's Phone Link and Link to Windows work streamlines the process for streaming apps from a phone to a PC. Devices running One UI 6.1.1 now give the option to always allow screen mirroring, removing the need to click "Start now" every time you want to stream an app. The change was flagged up by Android Authority recently, and the outlet also shared a technical breakdown of why the behavior has changed.

Starting with Android 14, those streaming apps from a support Samsung phone to a Windows PC had to select "Start now" each time that they wanted to stream an app. That change occurred due to a change in the Android operating system that improved security. Securing devices is always important, but the change did add quite a bit of repetition to the app streaming process. With the rollout of One UI 6.1.1, it's now possible to select "Always allow" for mirroring Link to Windows to your PC.

You still need to have your Android device on and unlocked to stream apps to your PC unless you have Extend Unlock enabled. That feature can tell when you are holding your device, near your home or a trusted place, or when a trusted device like a smartwatch is nearby. Requiring your phone to be unlocked (or to have Extend Unlock enabled) is a security measure to protect your credentials and private information.

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Why the change?

Older versions of Android only required you to select "Start now" once, at least until you rebooted your phone. Android 14 changed that, adding extra steps to the process. Android Authority explained that the new behavior occurred because Android 14 closed a loophole that let Link to Windows and other apps bypass the need to ask for permission repeatedly.

Link to Windows used to use the MediaProjection API, which was meant for recording a screen or casting content to another device. Google did not seem to like the loophole that allowed apps to reuse someone's prompt input and closed the loophole with Android 14.

Microsoft appears to have shifted to Android's Companion App Streaming API, which is also used by the Chrome OS Phone Hub. Android Authority deduced the API change and noticed that Link to Windows now lets you choose between "Always allow," "Only this time," and "Don't allow," when it comes to app mirroring.

At the moment, One UI 6.1.1 is only available for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, so people with other Samsung smartphones will have to keep pressing "Start now" each time they want to stream an app. One UI 6.1.1 will eventually make its way to some older Galaxy devices, such as the S22, S23, S24, and older Fold devices.

Microsoft recently started rolling out a preview of the new floating sidebar experience for the Start menu, which brings direct access to your mobile device using the Phone Link app on Windows 11. However, this feature doesn't seem to be the best approach or even necessary, and here's why.

The problem

First, the company touts the experience as a feature that allows you to stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device. However, the interface is nothing more than a collection of links to features inside the Phone Link app. 

The interface dynamically shows a few notifications from emails and messages and some phone details like battery and Bluetooth, but nothing more. You cannot interact with your messages, photos, or calls. Anything you click will open the Phone Link app on that specific feature, including opening a photo, sending or reading a text, or making and receiving calls. 

In other words, aside from the few alerts, you cannot do anything with this experience since you still have to open the Phone Link app to perform any task.

Also, if your phone is already connected to your computer, you probably already have the Phone Link app running on the desktop. As such, having multiple entry points for the same features seems redundant. Furthermore, remember that once you set up your phone, notifications will appear on the desktop and in the "Notifications" panel.

Even further, most users keep their most frequently used apps pinned in the Taskbar, which means that trips to the Start menu are less frequent. Therefore, if you depend on this integration to access your phone, you'll have to access the Start menu more often. Otherwise, you'll be better off using the Phone Link. (Personally, sometimes, I go days without opening the Start menu.)

I understand this is an early preview, and the design might change in the future. However, Microsoft has a history of calling "integration" simple interface elements that only provide links to drive users to other apps and services, which makes me skeptical and wonder if we're not already seeing the final design of this feature.

For instance, when the Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat) feature was added to the operating system, the company marketed it as an integration. However, it was simply a button that opened the Microsoft Edge browser on the Copilot web page. (To this day, clicking that "Copilot" button from the Windows Search homepage behaves like a link that opens the chatbot AI on the web browser.)

The other issue I notice often is that even though the company rolls out early previews of new features to testers in the Windows Insider Program to get feedback, here is when I think many times Microsoft misses the opportunity to make a feature awesome from the get-go. 

The reason is that the company usually quickly builds and rolls out new features. As a result, sometimes, these features are rushed to users and later improved through updates, but more often than not, when those updates arrive, users are no longer interested because the feature wasn't complete from the beginning, and then we end up with features getting deprecated. 

We have seen many features added and later removed, such as Your People, Meet Now, Chat, and the Copilot sidebar — to name a few.

The good news is that the "Start" settings page also has a new "Show mobile device in Start" toggle switch to turn this feature on or off when connecting a phone to your computer. 

The solution

In my opinion, the Phone Link sidebar for the Start menu is unnecessary since it's redundant and adds more clutter. In this particular case, Microsoft should be working on bringing back Live Tiles within the menu, the ability to resize the Start menu, or other ways to customize the experience without adding more clutter. 

However, if the company is internally planning to open up the sidebar to allow other apps to show different elements, then Microsoft should make a better effort to communicate while developing new features. (I still think the floating sidebar is not a good interface design approach.)

For example, Microsoft should say something along the lines of: This is the design we have today, and you can now perform these actions. However, our plan is to build these tools and settings so you can perform these tasks and make the feature work this way. Also, here's a mockup of the final version we intend to release. 

If the company were to lay out the plan for a feature clearly, users wouldn't be quick to rush to a conclusion about a feature.

It's important to note that an early version of this new sidebar interface for the Start menu was previously found in preview builds of Windows 11, and the design suggests that the company may not limit the sidebar to the Phone Link app. Instead, the feature will open to third-party apps, so developers can add widgets and other functionalities to the right or left side of the Start menu. 

The Phone Link sidebar for the Start menu is currently available for users with devices enrolled in the Beta Channel. It's only available for Android phones, but the company is also working to bring the support to iPhone.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources: 

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Recently, Microsoft Copilot (not to be confused here with Copilot+) quietly rolled out a new plugin to a wider audience. Simply labelled as "Phone" it promises the ability to dive into your smartphone's text messages and contacts. 

The catch? It only works on Android. It's not all that surprising, but still potentially disappointing for iPhone owners. 

It's actually a pretty nifty little feature and works pretty well. Better still, once it's been set up, it doesn't matter what machine you're on. I've set it up on a Windows 11 laptop and then accessed my messages through the web browser on a Chromebook successfully. 

Here's how to get it rolling on your phone. 

How to set up and use the Phone plugin on Copilot

The first thing you have to do is to link your Android phone to a Windows 11 PC using Phone Link. Doing this will also register your Microsoft Account to that same phone, which is how the magic happens when you're using Copilot on a different machine. 

Once your phone is linked to your PC, you then need to open up Copilot. Either use the new app on Windows 11 (not the slide-out version) or through the web browser. Click on Plugins and then make sure that Phone is enabled. If you're already in a Copilot chat session, you'll need to start a new one in order to enable the Phone plugin. 

Once all this is done, you simply have to prompt Copilot to go look in your messages or your contacts. 

Where this feature really shines is by being able to use the power of AI to parse your messages for information, besides just blanket reading them all out to you. For the latter, you'd be wondering why you wouldn't just open up Phone Link if you're at your PC, and that's a fair point. 

But because you're using Copilot, you can use AI to parse the information in your messages and make it work for you. In the image above, I asked Copilot to find the messages I'd been sent recently from my carrier regarding deals on a Google Pixel. Instead of just showing me all my recent messages, Copilot can find the specific topics. 

If you can prompt Copilot to extract the right information from your messages, you can then use it to act on that data just as you would any other. Extract dates, ask just for unread messages, a message from a specific date or contact, there's a lot of manipulation you can do, just as with any other data source in Copilot. 

When it comes to sending messages, there's one big caveat. Copilot will only be able to send a new message to someone that's in your contact list. If you just enter a phone number, you'll get an error. 

But otherwise you just need to tell it who to send the message to, and what you want to put in it. It's not limited to your own creations, either, as in the image above I asked Copilot to send a text message containing a joke to, er, myself. You know, for testing. 

For now, it's limited to contacts and messages from the stock messaging app on your phone. It can't for example, interact with Telegram or WhatsApp. But, I can see a future where this could happen, and other data points on our smartphones. 

My biggest gripe is that you have to enable it every time you want to use it, and if you entered a single character in the chat box, even if you deleted it and didn't send, you have to create a new topic. Hopefully this is just an operational issue that can be ironed out, but as it works so far, it does what it says it will. Janky on occasion, but it's there, and it's better than you'd think. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft just began testing new Phone Link features among Windows Insiders.
• Key features include being able to view phone information in the Start menu and picking up where you left off when switching from your phone to your PC.
• To try the new features, you need to be a Windows Insider in the Beta Channel.

Microsoft is testing several major additions to Phone Link that will connect your smartphone and your PC. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel can now try three new features for Phone Link: viewing phone information in the Start menu, accessing phone messages, calls, and photos from the Start menu, and picking up where they left off when switching between a phone and a PC.

The new features are rolling out gradually to Beta Channel Insiders running Windows 11 Build 22635.3790 or later. The new features require Phone Link version 1.24052.124.0 or higher as well.

There are three key features on the way to Phone Link outlined by Microsoft:

• Effortless Connectivity: View your phone’s battery status and connectivity right from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PC.
• Unified Communication: Access your phone messages, calls, and photos directly from Start, ensuring you never miss an important update or moment.
• Continuity of Experience: Pick up where you left off with the latest activities from your phone, all seamlessly integrated into your Start menu experience.

Phone Link already allows you to connect your smartphone and your PC in several ways. The exact feature list depends on if you have an Android device or an iPhone. There's also some variation between different Android phones when using Phone Link. But the new features in testing integrate Phone Link more deeply with Windows 11, bringing information from your smartphone directly into the Start menu.

Though Microsoft has not announced it officially, the tech giant is also working on a feature that lets you navigate files from your smartphone through Windows 11's File Explorer when connected wirelessly.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is adding a new feature to the Phone Link app on Windows 11.
• The new feature introduces AI-powered suggested replies when responding to SMS messages.
• You will now see three contextually relevant replies above the SMS text box, which you can select to instantly send. 

Microsoft is rolling out a new preview update for the Phone Link app on Windows 11 that introduces AI-powered suggested replies when sending SMS messages on your computer. If you have an Android phone linked to your PC, you will now be able to utilize AI to automatically generate a response based on the most recent message.

"With Suggested Replies, you’ll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message," Microsoft said in a blog post. The feature does utilize Microsoft's cloud-based intelligent suggestions model, meaning the contents of the recipient's message will be sent to the cloud to be analyzed for a response to be generated. 

Suggested replies is the latest AI feature to be added to Phone Link. Just recently, the app gained the ability to copy text directly from photos viewed directly in the Phone Link app using OCR technology, something the Windows Snipping Tool has had for some time. 

RELATED: How to use Phone Link to share pictures

Microsoft is also adding AI to other in-box Windows apps, including Notepad and Paint with new "cocreator" features that will help you draw out a sketch as you draw it. Windows 11 is also gaining a new "Recall" app which uses AI to take snapshots of your computer and turn everything you do into a searchable memory using natural language.

The latest Phone Link update with suggested replies is rolling out in preview to all Windows Insider channels now, and will likely be made available officially in the coming weeks. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft Phone Link will soon support copying text from images.
• OCR (optical character recognition) technology was already available in several Microsoft applications and is now rolling out to Phone Link.
• The feature detects any text within an image, allowing you to copy that text for easy pasting elsewhere.
• Release Preview Channel Insiders can already test out the capability in Phone Link.

Microsoft Phone Link will soon support copying text from images. The feature uses OCR (optical character recognition) to detect text within an image. You can then copy that text for easy pasting into any app you would like. Those in the Release Preview Channel can test out the new feature now.

The feature works within the Phone Link app on Windows, so it's not dependent on if you have a certain type of phone. When viewing images in the Photos section of Phone Link, you'll an icon labeled "Text." Clicking that will detect any text within an image. There are then options to select all text or copy all text.

RELATED: How to use Phone Link to share pictures

OCR (optical character recognition) is a handy feature that's available in several apps, including Microsoft's mobile Office app and the since-discontinued Office Lens. Microsoft started testing text recognition functionality in Snipping Tool toward the end of last year and later rolled it out to general availability. Now, Phone Link has the same capabilities.

We saw the text extraction option when running the latest version of Phone Link that's in the Release Preview Channel. Assuming all goes well with testing, text extraction should roll out to everyone in the near future.

What you need to know

• Select phones, including certain Samsung and OnePlus devices, support casting their screens to Microsoft Phone Link on a PC.
• Since the update to Android 14, casting a phone to Phone Link requires you to press a button on your phone.
• Using a third-party application can grant permissions that will let Phone Link cast your phone screen to your PC without an additional tap.
• A recent video from Shane Craig shows the setup in action and talks through some of the tools you need to replicate it.

Microsoft's Phone Link is a handy way to connect your smartphone to your PC. If you have the right smartphone, you get extra benefits and features, such as casting the screen of your phone to your computer. While casting is handy, it now requires an extra tap. After the update to Android 14, phones require an additional tap of a button to grant permission to cast your screen, and this needs to be done every time you cast your screen.

The change was likely made to improve security, which is fair enough. But if you keep your phone at your desk and cast its screen to your PC often, you may want to skip the extra tap the Android 14 update added. Thankfully, you can do so with a third-party app and setting things up once.

A recent video by Shane Craig shows how to bypass the need to tap your phone each time you want to cast its screen. The setup centers around an app called App Ops - Permission Manager. While the app works without having to root your smartphone, it does require ADB (Android Debug Bridge). I'd prefer a way to do this without having to use ADB, but that's not available at this time. I hope Microsoft finds a way to add this permission option natively.

Craig's video isn't a how-to guide, though it does talk about how to set your phone up with App Ops - Permission Manager. It also points you to a full guide, in case you want to replicate the setup.

Late last year, OnePlus announced integration between devices running OxygenOS 14 and Microsoft Phone Link. Select devices now support screen casting and other features, delivering arguably the best integration between an Android phone and Windows 11. Of course, Samsung and its continued partnership with Microsoft offer the same features plus some other options.

Regardless of if you use a flagship Samsung or OnePlus device, you can deeply connect your phone and your PC.

Replacing Surface Duo

With the original Surface Duo out of support and the Surface Duo 2 set to reach end of support later this year, many are on the hunt for a new dual-screen Android phone. Our Managing Editor Jez Corden called the Galaxy Z Fold 3 his favorite phone since the Nokia Lumia 1520. Some looked to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 as a Surface Duo replacement after Samsung unveiled its latest foldable in 2023. Others looked toward OnePlus to fill their dual-screen phone void.

The OnePlus open is an interesting device. Our colleagues at Android Central said the phone is "the best foldable you won't buy" in their OnePlus Open review. The foldable earned high marks for its design, hinge, performance, multitasking features, battery life, and cameras. But it was also criticized for its buggy state at launch, scaling issues between screens, and lack of certain Android features. Overall, the OnePlus Open earned a 4/5, which is respectable but leaves room for growth in the next generation.

Ultimately, there isn't a Surface Duo 3 and there are tradeoffs on any device. Even if there is such a thing as a perfect phone, the price tag of that phone would be high. But between Samsung and OnePlus, there are some solid foldable options on the market, all of which serve as a refuge for Surface Duo lovers who hate the limits of a single small screen.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has announced that it's bringing the ability to use your smartphone camera as a webcam natively to Windows 11.
• Users will be able to setup the feature in the Windows 11 Settings app, paired with the already available Link to Windows app on Android.
• The feature is rolling out in limited preview now, and is expected to be made available to everyone over the coming months.

Microsoft is continuing its crusade to integrate your smartphone with your Windows 11 PC with a new feature that's rolling out in preview today that will let you use your smartphone's cameras as a webcam natively on Windows 11. This is a feature that Mac and iPhone users will be familiar with, and now it's coming to Windows 11.

The feature can be set up in the Windows 11 Settings app, and paired with the Link to Windows app available on Android. Once linked, you can enable the "connected camera" feature in the mobile devices settings area, which will pop up a dedicated interface for switching between cameras and enabling effects such as HDR mode.

This is how Microsoft describes the feature:

"With this feature, you’ll be able to wirelessly enjoy the high quality of your mobile device’s camera on your PC with flexibility and ease. Some of the abilities include being able to switch between front and back camera, pausing the stream during interruptions, and enjoying effects provided by your mobile model."

When enabled, your smartphone will appear in the list of webcams available on Windows 11, and from there it's as simple as selecting it in whatever app you might be using with a webcam. It should appear universally across the OS as a native webcam. All you need to do is make sure you've got a stand or clip that lets you position your phone's camera in a place for it to be useful as a webcam.

The feature is rolling out as a limited preview today in all Windows 11 Insider Channels and is expected to roll out generally over the coming months. Just recently, Microsoft added the ability to see photo notifications directly on your PC, offering a one-click solution for transferring a photo you've just taken from your phone to your PC without needing to open the dedicated Phone Link app.

What you need to know

• OnePlus just announced that devices running OxygenOS 14 will integrate with Microsoft Phone Link.
• The integration allows you to mirror your phone's screen onto your PC and to use Android apps from your phone on your Windows 11 PC.
• Phone Link also supports interacting with phone notifications, viewing your photos, and making and taking calls from your PC, though those features aren't exclusive.

OnePlus makes many of the best Android phones on the market. Those devices have a passionate following in part due to OxygenOS, OnePlus' version of Android. OxygenOS 14 adds global search on the home screen, improves the lock screen, and adds a unified security dashboard. It also adds a new integration with Microsoft Phone Link that lets you connect your phone to your PC.

OxygenOS 14 will make its way to quite a few OnePlus devices, dating all the way back to the OnePlus 8T. Our colleagues over at Android Central have a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about OxygenOS 14. We'll leave it to them to go through all of the new features in that update and instead just focus on the new Phone Link integration.

OnePlus promises a "seamless integration with your Microsoft Windows PCs, enabling rich cross-device experiences and redefining how you work on anything, from anywhere, with any device."

The new features for OnePlus phones will sound familiar to anyone who has used certain Samsung Galaxy phones recently. While Phone Link can be installed on any Android phone, devices with Phone Link built in get access to exclusive features. Now, that includes OnePlus phones running the latest version of OxygenOS.

What is Microsoft Phone Link

Phone Link is an app from Microsoft that connects your smartphone and your PC. When using an Android phone, you can reply to messages and notifications, take and make calls, and view the last 2,000 images from your phone camera roll on your computer.

Select devices have a much deeper integration with Windows 11. Several Samsung phones and now OnePlus phones can show your phone's apps on your PC. They also support mirroring a phone onto a PC, allowing you to interact with every element of your smartphone from your computer.

You can also copy and paste content between your OnePlus phone and Windows PC through the Phone Link experience, though it's worth noting that's also possible by using SwiftKey.

Phone Link also works with iPhones, but to a lesser extent. Apple restricts some of the integrations required for more advanced functionality. The best experience regarding connecting your smartphone and your PC is to use a device with Phone Link built in, such as Samsung or OnePlus phones.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just released Windows 11 Build 23590 to Insiders in the Dev Channel.
• The update adds previews for natural voices, allowing people to listen to the voices before having to download them.
• Windows 11 Build 25997 is also available now for Insiders in the Canary Channel, though it is a smaller update.

Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary Channels have new builds of Windows 11 to install. Build 23590, which is available for Dev Channel Insiders, is the larger of the two builds. It adds previews for natural voices, allowing people to try the voices out before having to download them. That same update also brings an enhanced image consumption experience in Narrator, including support for navigating between images with a keyboard command.

Build 25997 is available for Canary Channel Insiders. It has some smaller changes, such as the option to disable Phone Link entirely.

Here's everything that's new and changed, as outlined by Microsoft:

Windows 11 Build 23590: What's new

Natural Voices Previews in Narrator

We are introducing previews for natural voices of 10 new locales launched in September 2023. As a reminder, those natural voices include Chinese, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), Japanese, English (UK), French, Portuguese, English (India),German and Korean.

These previews will allow the users to listen to the natural voices before downloading the voice model. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection. Please note to listen to the previews, an internet connection is required.

1. Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + CTRL + N hotkey.
2. Under Narrator’s voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
3. Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
4. The preview will play automatically once you navigate through the list.
5. If you like the preview , click on “Download and Install”. The new voice will be downloaded and ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your internet download speed.
6. When the new voice has downloaded, in Narrator settings select your preferred voice from the drop-down menu in Narrator’s voice > Choose a voice.

Enhanced image consumption experience in Narrator

We are improving the image consumption experience with Narrator. There are two major changes:

• We have introduced a new keyboard command for navigating between the images/graphics on a screen/page. Now, you can use the keys “G” or “Shift + G” to navigate forward or backwards between images in Scan mode (Narrator key + spacebar).
• Recognition of text in images, including handwriting, is improved along with improvements to overall image descriptions. You can try the enhanced experience by navigating to the image and pressing Narrator key + CTRL + D key combination when the focus is on an image. This feature requires an active internet connection, and the setting to get Image Descriptions must be enabled in Narrator Settings.

Windows 11 Build 23590: Changes and Improvements

General

• Steps Recorder will not receive further updates and is planned for removal in a future Windows release. Starting in this build, Steps Recorder (PSR.exe) will display a new banner notification to guide users towards alternative options. We encourage our users to explore other options in Windows 11 such as Snipping tool, Xbox Game bar or Microsoft Clipchamp. For more, see this article.

Windows Share

• The Windows share window will now only show apps under “Share using” that are tied to the account you are signed into Windows with – either Microsoft account (MSA) or Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Active Directory). If you are signed in with an MSA, you will see Microsoft Teams (free) instead of Microsoft Teams (work or school) and not both for example.
• If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts will appear in the Windows share window to quickly share to.

Nearby Sharing

• If you turn on nearby sharing via quick settings or directly in Settings and you have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off, it will turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on so nearby sharing will work as expected. If you turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it will also turn off nearby sharing

Narrator

• In Microsoft Word, Narrator will now announce the presence of a draft comment, a resolved comment, a bookmark, or the availability of accessibility suggestions when reading text in the document.

Windows 11 Build 25997: Changes and Improvements

Windows Share

• If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts will appear in the Windows share window to quickly share to.

Settings

• We are beginning to roll out a new option under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Phone Link to disable Phone Link all together in Windows 11. This setting will prevent Phone Link from communicating with your mobile devices.

Another week has whizzed by. That means more Microsoft news to catch up on. This week the EU approved Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard, Bing Chat got some major upgrades, and Windows 11 users gained access to iMessages through the Phone Link app. We also saw the announcement of Mortal Kombat 1 and Overwatch 2's co-op PvE mode get canceled.

Here are all of this week's biggest stories, plus a collection of our reviews, editorials, and deals we covered.

EU approves Microsoft purchase of Activision Blizzard

It seems like major news about Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard drops every week. Just a few days ago, the European Commission approved the $69 billion deal. The governing body had previously shared concerns about the acquisition, but it is satisfied with the remedies provided by Microsoft. Namely, Microsoft offered a free license for users in the EEA, which includes the EU and other countries, to stream current and future Activision Blizzard titles.

"The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services," said Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith "This will apply globally and will empower millions of consumers worldwide to play these games on any device they choose.” 

With the EU on board, a magnifying glass was placed on the UK CMA blocking the deal. UK parliamentary oversight committee posed several tough questions to CMA, which has doubled down repeatedly on its decision. Our Managing Editor Jez Corden recalled the key points of the saga and added insight on the situation.

Bing Chat changes and improvements

A ton of changes rolled out to Bing Chat this week, and even more are on the way. Bing Chat can now be used without a Microsoft account, though you are limited to five turns per conversation unless you sign in. Microsoft also added a new way to share messages from Bing Chat, including downloading them as text files, PDFs, or Word documents.

Several features that Microsoft announced earlier this month are now live. Charts, graphics, and improved formatting should make Bing Chat a more visual experience, helping people absorb additional information.

On the mobile side of things, Microsoft is rolling out an update to the Bing app that adds a widget for the application. That means you can pin Bing to your home screen on iOS and Android to quickly jump into a search. The ability to continue conversations across devices also shipped with the update, as did improvements to multilingual chats.

The Edge mobile apps on iOS and Android received a major update as well this week. It adds contextual capabilities that let Bing view the contents of the webpage you're on. The search engine can then respond to questions about what's on the site you're visiting.

Overwatch 2 co-op PvE mode canceled

Blizzard announced that its originally planned PvE campaign mode in Overwatch 2 has been canceled during a livestream. The news surprised many, which is understandable given the fact that visions of the mode have been shown since 2019. Instead of a single PvE release, Blizzard will make co-op experiences part of its roadmap. The updated Blizzard roadmap shows PvE story missions as part of Overwatch 2 Season 6.

Following the confusion regarding the status of PvE content, Overwatch 2 Executive Producer Jared Neuss said:

"A clarification that I wanted to make is that, while we made the decision to cut Hero Mode + Talents, we have a lot of great PvE content coming this year," wrote Neuss. "Big story missions, new cinematics, co-op events and single player Hero Mastery missions are all on the way."

The news shocked gamers and others in the industry. Our Brendan Lowry shared feelings that are likely shared by many in the community:

"There's really no beating around the bush here: this is a massive disappointment, and I'm genuinely shocked that Activision Blizzard would cancel its plans for Overwatch 2's dedicated PvE campaign experience. Not only was it used to advertise the game, but a vertical slice was even put into player hands at BlizzCon 2019.

I'm at least glad that Blizzard isn’t completely scrapping co-op and will blend new missions into Overwatch 2's live service content updates. But it's still heartbreaking to know that we'll never get the deep PvE gameplay with exciting hero upgrades and progression systems that was promised years ago. There's a massive amount of potential here that’s not being capitalized on, and that sucks"

Surface Duo with stock Android

Microsoft's Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 currently run Android 12L, not the newer Android 13 or Android 14. That fact has caused quite a bit of frustration, and it feels like Microsoft has left the Surface Duo line behind. A former Microsoft engineer has taken it on themselves to get a more recent version of Android onto the Surface Duo.

Thai Nguyen posted a video on Twitter of the Surface Duo running stock Android. Impressively, the operating system recognizes the postures of the Surface Duo, which isn't something Android does out of the box.

The project is still in its early days, but it looks promising so far. If work on stock Android on the Surface Duo continues to progress well, it could be a way to give life to the forgotten foldable.

Mortal Kombat 1

Last week we exclusively revealed details about Mortal Kombat 1, a full reboot of the iconic franchise. This week, the game was officially announced, confirming our previous reports and giving us a glimpse of what's to come. While no gameplay of Mortal Kombat 1 was shown off, the announcement trailer set the stage for the reboot.

The plot of Mortal Kombat 1 centers around the events at the end of Mortal Kombat 11, so make sure you're up to date on that or expect to be spoiled in the announcement trailer.

If all this talk of a reboot makes you nervous, fear not. Based on the trailer, Mortal Kombat 1 will be as gory and violent as its predecessors that made the games unique.

Preorders for Mortal Kombat 1 go live on May 19, 2023. Those that get the Premium Edition will get early access on September 14, 2023. The game will then launch for everyone on September 19, 2023.

iMessage on Windows 11 PCs

Windows 11 PCs just gained the ability to send and receive iMessages. The new functionality came courtesy of an update to Microsoft Phone Link. That update also added the ability to send and receive calls and to see iPhone notifications on a PC.

While the new features are a welcome addition, there are several limits on Phone Link when connected to an iPhone. Most notably, you will not be able to see a full chat history of your iMessages. Group chats through iMessage are not supported either. As a result, Phone Link is much less capable when connected to an iPhone compared to when used with an Android phone.

Review Roundup

Our experts love to get their hands on gadgets, gizmos, and games. This week our team looked at the Dell UltraSharp 6K monitor, the Syntech 6-in-1 docking station for the Steam Deck, and much more.

• FlexiSpot BS11 Pro review: Breathable mesh makes this ergonomic office chair a dream
• Review: The GameSir T4 Kaleid would be perfect — if it worked with Xbox
• Review: Astro A30 Wireless — good enough, but far from a great headset
• Syntech 6-in-1 docking station review: An ultra-budget Steam Deck dock with unusual quirks
• Dell Ultrasharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) review: All the pixels and a fantastic 4K UHD webcam make this one AMAZING display
• Redmagic 4K Gaming Monitor review: This Mini-LED monitor is magnificent for gaming
• Razer Nommo V2 Pro review - The PC speakers that take you from 'That's just a game' to 'IT'S. ABOUT. TO. GO. DOWN

Deals of the week

Tech is great. Spending a ton of money on it isn't. That's why we scour the web for deals and discounts. Here are some of the most popular sales from the past week that are still live.

What you need to know

• A recent scandal warns iPhone users of an apparent danger related to the Windows Phone Link app.
• Implying to be at risk of spying cyberstalkers, the supposed exploit requires physical access to a victim's phone and the relevant passcode.
• Using Windows Phone Link poses no inherent danger to iPhone users, only sharing messages and notifications generated while connected.

If you've recently updated to take advantage of iOS support for Phone Link, you might have seen a recent implied security threat trending around the web. Based on sensational headlines, you could be discouraged from using the app entirely in fear of hijackers stealing personal information through 'spying' — but the reality is more in the realms of common sense than international espionage.

Connecting an iPhone to your Windows laptop or desktop computer with the Phone Link app isn't as extensive as its Android counterparts, but you can at least send and receive iMessages from the desktop. Regarding the apparent scandal, Phone Link also displays a list of your call and message history and any notifications received when it was connected.

Before you rush to disconnect your devices, the humdrum requirements for a potential cyberstalker to access your data may put your mind at ease. A malicious attacker would need physical access to hold and use your phone and knowledge of any passcodes required to unlock it. Simply put, anyone who knows the password to a particular iPhone could take and use it in the same way the owner could. Wild.

To put some legitimacy on the issue, the reasons for accessing this information are more nefarious than the methods needed to get it. Anyone with access to your phone who you don't wholly trust could leverage your data in any way available to you as the owner. Connecting an Apple iPhone to Windows Phone link does not immediately transfer a complete transcript of your activity; this is simply a matter of responsible device usage and data protection.

Can I safely use my iPhone with Phone link?

Pairing your iPhone to a Windows 11 laptop or PC via Bluetooth does not inherently expose your data to immediate risks from outside parties. You control who has access to your physical devices, and you should never share passcodes with anyone you don't trust. Only messages sent and received while connected to Phone Link will remain onscreen alongside notifications, and the app requires new iOS devices to be unlocked during the pairing process.

If you're still concerned, you can check paired devices in the Bluetooth submenu of your iPhone's settings. You can remove the pairing and immediately break any connections if any devices appear that you don't recognize. Phone Link may improve with extra features for iOS devices in the future, but you can continue to use the app with the same security awareness as you would with any other.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's Phone Link now supports connecting an iPhone to a Windows 11 PC.
• Support for iPhones started rolling out a few weeks ago, but it is now available for everyone in supported markets.
• The available feature set when using an iPhone is limited when compared to using an Android phone.

Most people in the Apple ecosystem know how to send iMessages on their iPhone or iPad. But until now, the iconic blue bubbles have been limited to Apple hardware. That's no longer the case... at least kind of. An update to Microsoft's Phone Link brings support for sending and receiving iMessages from a Windows 11 PC. The app is limited in several ways, but it does bring at least some form of iMessaging to PCs.

Phone Link support for iPhones starting rolling out in the end of April 2023. Microsoft announced today that the rollout is complete, meaning everyone in supported markets can use the feature on Windows 11.

Using an iPhone with the Phone Link app on Windows 11 won't get you all of the features you'd see if using an Android phone. Phone Link with iOS supports sending and receiving texts through iMessage, making and receiving calls, and seeing phone app notifications. 

While you are able to send and receive iMessages through Phone Link, it is not the same as using iMessage on a Mac. You won't see a chat history of your iMessages and the app doesn't support group messages through iMessage. This is due to limitations put in place by Apple, but it will still be frustrating for some.

Phone Link connected to an iPhone is more like a quick way to handle things from your phone rather than a way to extend your phone to your PC.

Photos won't sync between your iPhone and PC either. You'll have to use the iCloud integration with the Windows 11 Photos app instead. You also can't use iOS apps on your PC the way you can mirror Android phone apps on your computer through Phone Link.

On Windows 11, the Phone Link app is an app that allows you to connect your Android phone (and now also your iPhone in a more limited fashion) to your computer to send and receive text messages, make and receive calls, access notifications, control features, and access your pictures gallery. 

As part of the ability to access your images, the Phone Link app allows you to share pictures and videos from your phone to your computer, removing the extra steps of emailing files to yourself or using cables to connect the phone to your computer. 

The only caveat about this feature is that it's not available for iPhones. However, you can use the Photos app with iCloud integration to manage your iPhone pictures on Windows 11.

In this how-to guide will walk you through the steps to download files from your phone to your computer using the Phone Link app on Windows 11.

How to share photos from phone to computer from Phone Link app

Before sharing files to your computer from your phone, you must set up the Phone Link experience. The app should already be available on Windows 11, but you can always download it from the Microsoft Store.

Set up Phone Link on PC and mobile

To configure the Phone Link app on Windows 11 and Android, use these steps:

1. Open Phone Link app.
2. Click the Android button.

3. Check the "I have the Link to Windows app ready" option.
4. Click the "Pair with QR code" button.

5. On your Android phone, open the Google Play Store by following this link.
6. Click the Install button for the "Link to Windows" app.
7. Click the Open button.
8. Click the "Link your phone and PC" button.
9. Click the Continue button.
10. Scan the barcode from the computer.
11. Click the Continue button again.

12. Click the Allow button to permit the app access to your contacts, notifications, phone calls, photos and videos, and allow the app to run in the background.
13. Click the Done button.
14. On Windows 11, click the Continue button.

Once you complete the steps, you can proceed to transfer files from your phone to your computer.

Share photos from phone to PC

To download photos and videos from your phone to your computer, use these steps:

1. On Windows 11, open Phone Link app.
2. Click the Photos tab.
3. Click the Send notification button and allow access to photos and videos (if applicable).
4. Option one: Drag and drop the photo or video from the gallery to the local folder.

5. Option two: Right-click the file, choose the Save as option, select the local folder location, and click the Save button.

7. Option three: Click on the picture or video, click the Save as button, select the local folder location, and click the Save button.

After you complete the steps, the file will download to the location you specified. You may need to repeat the steps to download additional files as necessary.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

What you need to know

• Microsoft Phone Link is now rolling out to iOS.
• Phone Link for iOS includes support for calls, messages, and access to contacts.
• Support for Phone Link for iOS is rolling out gradually, so you may not receive access for a few weeks.

Microsoft Phone Link now works with iPhones. The app, which has been available and fully supported with Android devices for years, can now be used to connect Windows 11 PCs and iPhones. Microsoft just announced that Phone Link for iOS is rolling out to global audiences, including 39 languages across 85 markets.

While the app helps connect PCs and iPhones, Phone Link for iOS is basic when compared to Phone Link for Android. The version for iOS can't run phone apps, which is something you can do with Phone Link for Android. Photos aren't supported either on the iOS version. Microsoft recommends using the iCloud integration with the Windows 11 Photos app instead.

The limitations of Phone Link are likely due to the closed nature of Apple's ecosystem. iMessage and other interoperability features between iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are major selling points for Apple hardware. Microsoft getting Phone Link to work with iPhones at the level available now could be considered an accomplishment.

As broken down by The Verge, Phone Link intercepts messages by using a Bluetooth connection. This setup allows the app to send messages through iMessage (blue bubble gang rejoice). It does have limitations, however, such as not supporting group messages through iMessage.

In order to use Phone Link for iOS, your phone needs to be on iOS 14 or higher and your PC needs to be on Windows 11. The feature not support iPad or macOS, so your only option is to have an iPhone and Windows 11 PC.

Phone Link comes preinstalled on Windows 11, so it's likely already on your PC. Opening the app on your computer will present you with a guide on how to connect the app to your phone. As a reminder, you may not see the option to connect an iPhone to Phone Link for a few weeks since support is rolling out gradually.

With over a billion PCs running some form of Windows, there's plenty of news about the operating system each week. But it's rare to see stories about Windows 12, Windows 11, and Windows 10 within the span of seven days. That's exactly what happened, however, as three major versions of Windows made headlines this week.

In addition to Windows news, we saw Lenovo show off a laptop with a rollable display at Mobile World Congress 2023 and Dell launch its XPS 15, 17, and Desktop.

Windows 11 Feature update

The first major feature drop for Windows 11 of the year shipped this week. The update doesn't have an official name, but it brings several new features and enhancements to the operating system. Windows 11 has a touch-optimized Taskbar, Tabs in Notepad, and preview support for Phone Link for iPhone. Here's a quick rundown of what's new:

• Bing Chat in Windows Search
• New search bar options for the Taskbar
• Touch-optimized Taskbar for tablets and 2-in-1 devices
• Modernized Taskbar system tray overflow menu
• Phone Link for iOS (preview)
• Tabs in Notepad
• Screen recording in Snipping Tool
• Search in Task Manager
• Energy recommendations in Settings
• Voice access improvements
• Redesigned Quick Assist app
• Full-screen Widgets panel with third-party widget support
• AI powered file recommendations in Start for AAD joined devices
• Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings

We have a guide on how to get the new Windows 11 feature update right away. If you'd rather wait, the update will ship on March 14, 2023 to supported PCs.

Windows 12 leak

Leaked information that emerged this week suggests that Microsoft is working on Windows 12. A since-deleted tweet by @leaf_hobby, who has a track record of revealing information about Intel hardware, stated that Windows 12 is on the supported OS list for Intel's upcoming Meteor Lake-S desktop chipset.

This isn't the first that we've heard of Windows 12, but it's another piece of information that suggests a new OS is in the works by Microsoft. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden reported that Microsoft moved to a new Windows development cycle back in July 2022. In that same report, Bowden shared that the next major version of Windows is in its early planning stages and could come out in 2024.

Windows 10 gaining users

With Windows 12 reports in the news and Windows 11 getting an update, it may come as a surprise that Windows 10 made headlines. According to Statcounter, the older operating system gained a significant market share in January 2023, increasing from 68.86% to 73.31%.

While several factors could be at play, it seems likely that the uptick occurred due to both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 reaching end of support last month. PCs that shipped with those operating systems are unlikely to meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11, leaving Windows 10 as the only option.

Bing gets a tone change

Bing Chat continues to get new features on a regular basis. This week, Microsoft rolled out the ability to change the tone of Bing Chat between more creative, more balanced, and more precise. The chatbot will adjust its priorities to being factual, entertaining, or in-between at the push of a button.

Microsoft also added turn counters to the chat experience within Bing, making it easier to keep track of how close you are to the limit of six turns per session.

Rollable Lenovo laptop

Mobile World Congress 2023 ran throughout the week, and one of the most interesting PCs at the event was a concept rollable laptop by Lenovo. Our colleague MrMoble (Michael Fisher) went hands-on with the device.

The laptop has a 12.7-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio in its normal mode. It can then extend to make a 15.3-inch display with an 8:9 aspect ratio.

While the device is only a concept, Lenovo said to MrMobile that it prefers "to develop concepts that we have a hope of selling." While we may not see this exact form factor make its way to consumers, Lenovo could release a similar PC in the future. The company has a track record of shipping experimental PCs, such as the ThinkPad X1 Fold. The Yoga Book 9i.

Dell XPS Desktop, 15, & 17

Dell refreshed its XPS 15, XPS 17, and XPS Desktop with the latest internals from Intel and NVIDIA this week. All of the PCs were announced at the beginning of the week. The XPS Desktop launched first and then the XPS 15 and 17 went up for sale a few days later.

The XPS 15 and 17 feature 16:10 displays and run on 13th Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40-Series graphics. The XPS Desktop also runs on a 13th Gen Intel Core CPU and RTX 40-Series graphics, but they're the desktop versions of those components.

With the new XPS lineup launching, last year's models got discounted (XPS 15 & 17, XPS Desktop).

Reviews & Editorials

Our experts keep a close eye on the latest news, gadgets and games. This week, our Senior Editor shared his criticism of how Bing Chat is implemented on Windows 11. Our team also reviewed the Dell XPS 2-in-1 and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

• Microsoft's implementation of Bing Chat AI on Windows 11 is complete trash
• Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (9315) review: Better looking than a Surface, but not longer lasting
• Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review — Don't sleep on this stylish high-octane Soulslike

Update: March 3, 2023 at 6:35 AM ET

This piece has been updated with a link to the Microsoft Update Catalog, which provides another way to install the latest version of Windows 11.

Windows 11 has a new feature update on the way. The update does not have an official name, but it includes several significant features, including Bing Chat in Windows Search, a new search bar for the Taskbar, and a touch-optimized Taskbar for 2-in-1 devices.

Full-screen Widgets, tabs in Notepad, and screen recording in Snipping Tool also arrive with the new Windows 11 feature update, as does Phone Link for iOS (in preview).

The new features will make their way to all supported Windows 11 PCs as part of the March 2023 security update that will start shipping on March 14, 2023. But if you don't want to wait that long, you can install the features earlier through an optional update.

Following the steps outlined below will get you the new Windows 11 features sooner, but you can't force your PC to see the optional update. As a result, you may not see the update right away. If you wait a bit, it should be available soon.

You also have the option to download the update through the Microsoft Update Catalog.

I didn't see the update and first but our Editor-in-Chief was presented with the option to upgrade around 1 PM ET.

How to get Windows 11 February 2023 Update

1. Open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC.
2. Click Windows Update.
3. Click Advanced options.
4. Click Optional updates.
5. If there is an update available, check the box next to it.
6. Click Download & install.

Your PC must restart once you've installed the new feature update. Likewise, after you restart, open the Microsoft Store and check for app updates, as many new features (like Notepad tabs, Snipping Tool, etc.) require app updates to gain the new functions. 

Here are the new features you'll receive with the update:

• Bing Chat in Windows Search
• New search bar options for the Taskbar
• Touch-optimized Taskbar for tablets and 2-in-1 devices
• Modernized Taskbar system tray overflow menu
• Phone Link for iOS (preview)
• Tabs in Notepad
• Screen recording in Snipping Tool
• Search in Task Manager
• Energy recommendations in Settings
• Voice access improvements
• Redesigned Quick Assist app
• Full-screen Widgets panel with third-party widget support
• AI powered file recommendations in Start for AAD joined devices
• Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings

What you need to know

• Microsoft has finally announced iPhone support for Windows 11's Phone Link app.
• Phone Link for iOS is available starting today in preview for Windows Insiders.
• This first preview includes support for notifications, messages and photos.

It's finally happening! Microsoft has today announced that its Phone Link app on Windows 11 is gaining support for the iPhone, with a limited preview rolling out starting today for select Windows Insiders. This marks the first time since Phone Link was first announced that iPhone users will be able to sync their iPhone notifications, messages, and calls with Windows PCs natively.

Phone Link for iOS uses Bluetooth to function, unlike Phone Link for Android which functions with a companion app that is installed directly onto the phone. For an iPhone, setting up Phone Link is as simple as connecting to your PC via Bluetooth and following the setup process in the Phone Link app.

This first preview only supports messages, calls, and notifications. Replying to group messages and sending media messages is not supported by Phone Link for iOS currently. There's also no screen sharing functionality either, but that's understandable for a first preview.

Phone Link for iOS was announced alongside the unveiling of Microsoft's first Windows 11 feature drop for 2023, which includes a handful of other new features including a tablet-optimized Taskbar, a full-screen widgets panel, improvements to in-box apps such as Notepad and Snipping Tool, Bing Chat in Windows Search, and much more.

The Phone Link update is only available in limited preview with select Windows Insiders in any of the three Windows Insider Channels, which include Release Preview, Beta Channel, and Dev Channel. This means this functionality isn't (yet) available as part of this new Windows 11 feature drop, but it should hopefully begin rolling out to more users over the next several weeks and months. 

Adding support for iPhone finally allows Phone Link to compete with other smartphone syncing applications available on Windows, such as Intel Unison. That said, Intel Unison is still ahead in terms of features, with support for viewing photos and transferring files, both of which Phone Link is still missing with iPhone.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has unveiled new features coming to Windows 11 users starting today.
• New features include Bing Chat in Windows Search, a new tablet-optimized Taskbar, and many other features and enhancements.
• Users can manually download the update today, or have it automatically installed with the March 2023 security update.

Microsoft has unveiled the first big Windows 11 feature drop for 2023, which brings with it a handful of new features and changes that are designed to enhance the Windows 11 user experience. The update is available starting today and will roll out to all users as part of the March 2023 security update on March 14.

Microsoft's Chief Product Officer, Panos Panay, unveiled the new update in a blogpost earlier today:

"It’s an exciting time in technology, not just for our industry but for the world. The Windows PC has never been more relevant in our daily lives, and this is increasingly the case as we approach the next wave of computing led by the mass adoption of AI. Today’s major update to Windows 11, that I am pumped to introduce meets this new age of AI and reinvents and improves the way people get things done on their PCs."

Microsoft touts several new features as part of this release, including an optimized Taskbar for tablets and 2-in-1 devices, an updated Teams Chat interface, full-screen Widgets, tabs in Notepad, and screen recording in Snipping Tool, among many other additions. The company has also announced Phone Link for iOS, which will roll out later in the year but is available in preview for Windows Insiders starting today.

Microsoft is also highlighting a new search box interface on the Taskbar, which ties in with Microsoft’s recent Bing Chat AI launch. The search box can now display the Bing Chat icon, and the Search panel now features the new Bing with the ability to launch into a chat session with suggested chat prompts quickly.

For business customers with PCs managed by Active Directory, the Start menu is being updated with AI that will better surface files and content that it thinks might be most relevant to the user. There’s also the new Cloud PC app, which lets businesses create PCs in the cloud for employees to connect to.

These new features arrive as part of Microsoft's commitment to "continuous innovation" on Windows 11, which lets the company regularly update the OS with new features and enhancements. The last feature drop arrived in October and introduced Tabs in File Explorer along with other minor additions.

Microsoft's next feature drop for Windows 11 is internally scheduled for sometime in May or June. For now, here's what's new in today's feature drop:

What's new in the Windows 11 February 2023 feature drop?

Here's a quick rundown of what's new in this second feature drop for Windows 11:

• Bing Chat in Windows Search
• New search bar options for the Taskbar
• Touch-optimized Taskbar for tablets and 2-in-1 devices
• Modernized Taskbar system tray overflow menu
• Phone Link for iOS (preview)
• Tabs in Notepad
• Screen recording in Snipping Tool
• Search in Task Manager
• Energy recommendations in Settings
• Voice access improvements
• Redesigned Quick Assist app
• Full-screen Widgets panel with third-party widget support
• AI powered file recommendations in Start for AAD joined devices
• Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings

How to get the Windows 11 February 2023 update

If you'd like to install this update now, you can head to Windows Update and install the optional cumulative update that should be waiting. If you don't see the update, it might still be rolling out, so you'll have to wait a short while. (The update is now live as of 1 PM ET.)

All users will automatically get these new features as part of the March 2023 security update rolling out on March 14.

What you need to know

• Windows 11 build 25290 is now available for Insiders in the Dev Channel
• It includes new widgets for Spotify and Phone Link apps
• There's also a new Start menu alert for incomplete account settings

Microsoft has unveiled two new widgets for Windows 11 users that are now available to test in the latest Windows 11 preview build 25290, which just rolled out to Insiders in the Dev Channel. The two new widgets are from Spotify and Phone Link, which give the user quick access to recently played music, and recent phone notifications.

In addition to the new widgets, which can be accessed by installing Windows 11 build 25290 and updating both Spotify and Phone Link apps via the Microsoft Store, the company has also announced a new user account alert that will appear in Start when the user has incomplete account settings.

Such alerts include things like setting up OneDrive cloud backup for local files, and will appear as a badge above the user account profile picture within Start. Below is the full changelog for Windows 11 build 25290:

Windows 11 build 25290 changelog:

• Last week, we promoted a preview of the widget for the Messenger app. Spotify and Phone Link are now rolling out preview versions of their widgets as well. To give them a try, go to the widgets collection in the Microsoft Store and update to the latest version of the apps. Then open the widgets board and navigate to the widgets picker by clicking the “+” button at the top-right of the board to pin your widgets.
• Back in October with Build 25227, we started trying out a small change to the Start menu where some Insiders saw badging on their user profile notifying them that certain actions need to be taken. We concluded that initial exploration in November. Starting today, we are starting a new exploration of badging on the Start menu with two new treatments that some Insiders in the Dev Channel will see. If you see one of these treatments, give us feedback on what you think. As a reminder, it is normal for us to try out different concepts in the Dev Channel to get feedback.
• We fixed the issue causing Arm64 devices to fail to resume from sleep/hibernate when running Build 25281 and getting stuck at the OS boot logo.
• Fixed an issue where some Insiders may have issues accessing websites and other resources via VPN connections. If you used the workaround documented in this forum post, please reverse those changes once you have this new build installed.
• Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience freezes when using the browser and certain other apps in recent Dev Channel builds.
• Fixed an explorer.exe crash which could cause the taskbar not to load for some Insiders.
• Fixed an issue where the search box would randomly disappear sometimes when you clicked it (leaving a blank space on the taskbar).
• Fixed an issue where the search box was shifting to the side slightly when you clicked it.
• Fixed an issue where the data content area of the Processes page might flash once when theme changes were applied in the Task Manager Settings page.
• Fixed an issue where some dialogs did not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
• Fixed an issue where properties in the Memory section of the Performance page were getting truncated even though there was space to display them.
• Reduced the transparency of graph colors in the Performance page, and adjusted the borders, to help make them stand out more.
• Fixed a few issues causing Task Manager crashes.
• Typing F in the search box should work again now.
• You now shouldn’t have to make Task Manager be as wide before the navigation pane appears.
• If text scaling has been increased, the search box shouldn’t overlap with the title bar text anymore.
• Made some tweaks to address cases where text in dialogs was getting cut off when text scaling was increased.
• Fixes an issue where certain parts of the title bar couldn’t be used to drag the window.
• We fixed the issue causing some people to not get a consistent refresh of images on a daily basis.
• Fixed an issue where the preview for Sans Serif Collection in Personalization > Fonts was displaying broken glyphs.
• Fixed an issue that was preventing Narrator from announcing dropdown lists in Excel.
• Fixed an underlying issue which could cause Snipping Tool screenshots to become stretched out and distorted in the last few builds if you had multiple monitors.
• Fixed an issue which could cause a bugcheck with SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION.
• Fixed an issue which could make the Open With dialog crash on launch.
• Fixed an issue where the Open File dialog would hang if you clicked it while using an IME after having selected “Choose an app on your PC” from the Open With dialog.
• Fixed an issue which could cause Group Policy Editor to unexpectedly show “An error has occurred in the script on this page” with an invalid character error when editing a group policy.
• If you have OpenSSH Server set to start at boot (instead of manual), that preference should be remembered across OS upgrades now. Please note, you need to be on a build with this fix before it will take effect with your next upgrade.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has rolled out a new Windows 11 preview build for Insiders in the Dev Channel.
• It includes a handful of fixes and improvements.
• There's also a new Phone Link update that adds support for hotspotting mobile data.

Microsoft has started rolling out a new Windows 11 preview build for Insiders in the Dev Channel that brings with it a handful of fixes and improvements, including a new Phone Link feature that lets users connect to their phone's mobile hotspot directly from the Windows 11 Wi-Fi panel, just like you can between an iPhone and Mac.

The new feature currently only works for Samsung devices running OneUI 4.1.1 or above, though we suspect this will come to Surface Duo devices in the future too. Microsoft has been working to better integrate Android phones with Windows, and it's features like this that go a long way to making that happen.

Here's the changelog for today's preview build, which is build 25231:

• The change that began rolling out with Build 25179 to the spelling dictionary so that it now uses a language-neutral word list and syncs across all devices that use the same Windows account is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Users can toggle this feature via Settings > Accounts > Windows backup > Remember my preferences > Language preferences. This currently only works with Microsoft accounts today with AAD support coming later.
• Tablet-optimized taskbar which began rolling out with Build 25197 is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, as is the System Tray improvements that began rolling out with Build 25211 that include drag and drop.
• The cloud suggestion feature Simplified Chinese IME that began rolling out with Build 25217 is now available for all Insiders in the Dev Channel.
• When moving your mouse over the sound icon on Quick Settings, the tooltip will now display when spatial audio is in use – not just that it is enabled.
• Removed the backplate from UWP app icons in Apps > Default apps and Apps > Apps for websites.
• Fixed the font used on the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings when Wi-Fi was off, so that it’s consistent with the other text in Quick Settings
• Fixed an issue believed to be the root cause of certain network cameras unexpectedly not being added when you selected them under Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.
• Improved DPI-awareness when launching setup.exe from a mounted ISO, so the initial logo while it’s preparing should no longer be blurry in certain cases.
• Fixed a rare issue where FindWindow and FindWindowEx might return an unexpected window.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes you wouldn’t be able to use FIDO to unlock your PC if it was connected to an external display with the laptop lid closed.
• Fixed an issue which sometimes led to crashes in certain apps (like Paint, and Windows Terminal) when attempting to display a tooltip.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 haven't exactly revolutionized the Windows experience, by and large part just iterating on everything we know and love about Windows. Windows 11 has gradually begun to streamline the visual experience, unifying outdated UI elements under a single design language, although the pace of improvements arguably leaves a lot to be desired. 

Windows 10 emerged on the tail end of Microsoft's phone platform, which sadly met its end with the Lumia 950 line and Windows 10 Mobile. Since then, Microsoft embraced Android as its primary mobile platform, going as far as building its own phones in the form of the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2. 

As an Android user, I'm generally satisfied with Microsoft's support of the platform across OneDrive for cloud storage, Edge for internet syncing, SwiftKey for cloud clipboard, and so on. However, one unique app I feel deserves a shoutout for how much it has become a part of my daily workflow, and that is Microsoft's "Phone Link," which enjoys special treatment in the Samsung Galaxy Android OS. 

A more streamlined workflow

For those who may be unfamiliar, Phone Link (formerly known as Your Phone) is a feature baked into Windows 11, and Windows 10, that bridges the gap between your PC and your phone. You can access Your Phone via an app called Link to Windows on Google Play, but some devices like modern Samsung Galaxy phones and Surface Duo tablets have it baked directly into the OS, usually accessible via the settings menu. Apple devices aren't really supported in the same way, sadly, because the company restricts how competitors can integrate with its platforms. For Windows users, the obvious choice is always going to be Android. 

I use Phone Link with my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Galaxy Note devices before then. Essentially, the app creates a secure pipeline between your mobile device and your PC, surfacing content from your mobile device to your PC. In essence, it turns your PC into a Swiss army knife, allowing you to take calls, receive and send text messages, grab your camera roll photos with ease, and impressively, directly control and type right onto your phone's display. 

Windows has been supplanted by mobile devices in certain aspects of computing, although the apocalyptic collapse of the PC market some predicted decades ago has yet to materialize. The reality is PCs are just better for some parts of one's digital life, but a small pocketable device may be better for others. Communication on the go is an obvious way phones beat out PCs, which is why laptops with sim card support remain relatively niche outside of business use cases. Phone Link, however, bridges that gap, dropping text messages and even phone calls directly onto your PC, meaning you don't have to reach for your phone at every interval to receive a 2FA code or react to a call. Phone Link also gives me reams of notifications for apps that simply aren't available on Windows PCs. PWAs like Instagram on the web have helped to some degree, but the notification support still feels a bit iffy. Being able to manage those notifications from Your Phone ensures that I don't miss out. 

As someone who takes product shots for work and does a lot of research on my phone late at night, the ability to quickly and easily grab photos from my camera roll via Phone Link is another welcome benefit. I tend to screencap info that isn't easily emailed or typed up, and know that I can just pull them down from the Photos tab on Phone Link when I come to do some writing later. 

Valid privacy concerns and errors frustrate

One of Phone Link's headline features is the ability to stream your entire display to a Windows PC, and interact with Android using a mouse and keyboard. This is a potentially awesome feature, allowing you to use apps like Snapchat which simply have no presence on PC with total ease. You can even use it to play games with low latency intensity like Hearthstone. 

Phone Link even allows you to pin specific apps you use regularly to your taskbar or start menu, making the process even more seamless. At least, in theory. There are some Android limitations that sadly prevent this feature from being so seamless. 

Indeed, Phone Link is by no means perfect. The app streaming model Microsoft the app utilizes, while great when in use, requires constant permissions checks, which eliminates some of that "streamlined" promise. I'm not exactly sure why you need to repeatedly set permissions checks for this feature — there may be a very valid security reason, or it may be a specific limitation of Android. Either way, it's a speedbump that sees me using the feature a lot less than I otherwise would.

Phone Link enjoys a high degree of connectivity between Galaxy and Surface phones and Windows PCs, but connectivity can waver on occasion. While I don't have non-Galaxy phones to test it myself, friends have said to me that connectivity is sometimes intermittent on Google Pixel and OnePlus devices that use the Phone Link app rather than full OS integration. On certain network conditions, it seems that even Galaxy and Duo phones suffer from some intermittent connectivity, too, which could be down to home Wi-Fi security settings, but it's hard to say for sure. 

I'd like to see more features hit the app, too, within reason. I wish I could access Microsoft Authenticator codes through it, although that might present a security risk in some scenarios. Perhaps more transparency on privacy through the app wouldn't go amiss either, which is a concern people have put forward to me about Phone Link, and frankly, Windows 11 in general. Phone Link is not end-to-end encrypted. Microsoft is generally a bit lackadaisical towards privacy, frankly. Skype is notoriously lacking in end-to-end encryption, for example, which has seen it fall out of favor for programs like WhatsApp and Telegram encrypted chats. If you're particularly privacy-conscious, I can see why and fully appreciate that you wouldn't want to use this feature. 

The promise of Windows Phone endures

I was fairly late to the Windows Phone party, jumping in around the launch of Windows Phone 8. I was sold on the promise of a family of devices that would connect via the cloud, and create the seamless workflows and synchronicity we're seeing today with tools like Phone Link. I recall this fun Casio organizer I had as a kid, that was essentially just a calculator and calendar that could store very short strings of text. I had no idea we'd one day have full-blown pocket computers, able to function as a full conduit to our digital lives. 

Windows Phone may have died, but the promise persists thanks to apps like Phone Link, services like OneDrive, and tools like SwiftKey cloud clipboard. There are still imperfections to iron out, but Phone Link has become a daily part of my workflow now, for me, destined to be as taken-for-granted as the Start Menu itself someday. Long may it live, and hopefully improve. 

What you need to know

• Your Phone on Windows is being renamed Phone Link.
• On Android, Your Phone Companion changes to Link to Windows.
• Microsoft cites the evolution of the app, noting it's "more than just bringing your phone into your PC but as a bridge between the two devices."
• In addition to Surface Duo and Samsung partnerships, Honor Magic V, Magic 4 series, and Magic 3 series devices now support Phone Link with deeper integration.

It's been more than three years since Microsoft announced the Your Phone app for Windows. The app paired Android phones (and at the time, Apple iPhones with fewer features) to Windows PCs for essential functions like viewing photos, managing notifications, sending text messages, and making calls. Since then, the app has evolved with many new abilities, including smartphone settings, supporting multiple Android phones, and 'Apps,' which lets users run their phone's Android apps directly on the PC.

Now, Microsoft is further evolving the experience with some new names, announced today, which corresponds to the app's recent Windows 11 design refresh.

The PC app, Your Phone, is now called Phone Link. Correspondingly, the Android app goes from Your Phone Companion to Link to Windows.

As to the reason for the rechristening, Microsoft notes that "we see this experience as more than just bringing your phone into your PC but as a bridge between the two devices." Of course, one could also guess that Phone Link is straightforward in its name and function versus Your Phone, which was always odd: Having two apps, Phone Link and Link to Windows, is simpler. Microsoft also mentions how both apps will now use the same icon.

Ironically, there is no change here for those with Surface Duo or Samsung Galaxy phones. Microsoft always had two experiences on Android, with Link to Windows being reserved for devices with OS-level integration with the service (the app is built into Android and Settings with added functionality). All other Android phones were Your Phone Companion. Now, Microsoft uses the same name, Link to Windows, with all supported Android phones.

The Phone Link design is not changing any further, but Microsoft did mention its redesign for Windows 11, which is now being deployed. The refreshed app features "updated controls, color palette, and overall look and feel to deliver a native app experience on the new Windows 11 OS. New app design changes include rounded corners, fresh illustrations, and updated iconography."

New OOBE experience coming soon

Although today's announcement is mainly focused on renaming, Microsoft did reveal that a new feature is coming to Windows 11: Easier setup with Phone Link.

During the out-of-box experience (OOBE), where users configure Windows 11 for the first time, usually during a new PC setup, Microsoft will have a part where Phone Link configuration is offered. The method will be simple QR code scanning where a user's Android phone will fetch the Link to Windows app from the Google Play Store and link it to the PC with little user effort.

Honor joins the party

Until now, only Samsung and, later, Surface Duo devices supported deeper integration with Link to Windows. The most significant changes are the app being built into the OS with access to the notification shade's quick tools, configuration options in the OS Settings, and Apps support (instead of screen mirroring).

Samsung phones also recently got the ability to more easily launch frequently used apps via the Windows 11 System Tray.

Today, Microsoft is announcing that Honor phones, which are very popular in China, are also getting such integrations. The phones supported will be Magic V, Magic 4 series, and Magic 3 series devices, "with more to come." Presumably, those phones will get this deeper integration with future OS updates from Honor, which is required to bring those features forward to the user.

Phone Link / Link to Windows – What's next?

Although the world waits with bated breath for Google's Fast Pair for select Android phones (sarcasm detected), where does Microsoft take Phone Link next?

Microsoft hasn't talked much about any forthcoming features, which makes sense since it may be hitting a wall with how much it can do with Android and Windows. The app already makes calls, handles SMS, notifications, apps, photos, contacts, media controls, and a few system toggles.

What other features would you like to see come to Phone Link? While support for iPhone would be excellent, Apple won't play ball with Microsoft to allow deeper access to functionality, so that seems unlikely. Let us know where you think Microsoft can continue to improve its "bridge" between your phone and PC.