Microsoft is exploring several improvements to the Windows 11 shell and user experience that will incorporate your smartphone into more aspects of the OS. According to my sources who are familiar with these plans, the company is working to expand and improve Phone Link's smartphone integration experiences so that they feel more native to Windows.
First up, I hear that the Phone Companion in Start is set to receive a handful of upgrades. It's gaining the ability to show more recent activities, with users being able to scroll through the list without needing to open the Phone Link app. I've also heard that users will be able to hover over activities to see more information, such as an entire message or photo.
I've also heard that a new dedicated smartphone flyout is being tested, which will exist on the Taskbar in the system tray. The phone icon will be present whenever your phone is connected, and clicking on it will open a flyout that provides the user with overview of their phone status.
It'll feature buttons to toggle things like do not disturb, vibrate mode, find phone, and more. You'll also be able to share files directly to your phone by dragging them to the icon.
Another feature Microsoft is looking into is syncing your clipboard history between your phone and PC using Windows 11's dedicated Clipboard feature. Currently, you can sync your clipboard from your phone and PC, but it only remembers the last thing you copied. Clipboard history would provide you with a synced list of everything that has been copied.
Microsoft is also working on a new dedicated Messages app for Windows 11 which will sync your phone's SMS conversations and let you respond and start chats with your contacts. This experience builds upon the messages feature already present in the Phone Link app, but will exist as a standalone app that can be pinned and launched from the Start menu.
Sources say that all of these features are being explored and prototyped internally, but that doesn't guarantee they'll ship as described. The company is likely planning to gather feedback from Insiders before committing to ship anything concrete.
I understand that the goal of these improvements is to slowly integrate Phone Link capabilities natively across the Windows shell. Phone Link has existed as a standalone app on top of Windows 11, but over the last year or so we've slowly seen new smartphone integration features added directly to the Windows OS, circumventing the Phone Link app entirely.
Features such as the ability to see your phone's file system and photos in the File Explorer app, or utilize your phones camera as a webcam on your PC are just two examples of how Microsoft have already been working to integrate your smartphone more seamlessly into the Windows 11 UX.
I don't know what the future holds for Phone Link app itself, but it's clear that Microsoft is not done with tying your phone to your PC. It's working on more improvements that will make your smartphone feel like a natural extension of your computer, with experiences that feel native to the Windows UX.
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