Microsoft’s Your Phone app, which lets Windows users access some features of their Android phone on the desktop is being rebranded as Phone Link. In addition to the new name, Microsoft also gave the app a fresh coat of paint and a new tabbed interface.
“We see this experience as more than just bringing your phone into your PC but as a bridge between the two devices, so we are renaming the app to Phone Link. And to further celebrate this connection between your two devices, we have also renamed the mobile companion app from Your Phone Companion to Link to Windows for all Android users,” the company explained today.
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Here are the main changes to observe in the new Phone Link app:
Tabbed interface: The app now features phone notifications on the left, and the new tab navigation provides quick access to messages, photos, apps, and phone calls.
New app design: The app now follows the Windows 11 design language with rounded corners and updated iconography.
Setup improvements: The next Windows 11 update will let users configure Phone Link with a QR code during the out-of-box experience. Windows Insiders can already test this.
New market: Microsoft is making its Phone Link app available on Honor Magic V, Magic 4 series, and Magic 3 series devices in China.
“The journey doesn’t stop here, we’ll continue to bring more cross-device experiences to Windows through Phone Link,” Microsoft said today. For now, Phone Link still provides a more integrated experience on Surface Duo and select Samsung Galaxy devices. Recently, Microsoft has also started testing a new Recent Apps feature which lets users of Samsung devices see and launch the three most recently used apps on their Android phone on their PC.
dftf
<p>Not the first rename: go back to the original 1507 release of <em>Windows 10</em> and it was named "Phone Companion" then, and supported <em>Windows Phone, Android </em>and <em>iOS </em>devices.</p><p><br></p><p>I don’t think the current one in <em>Windows 11</em> supports <em>iOS</em> (within the <em>Settings</em> app right-now in <em>Windows 10 21H2</em>, it still says "Link your Android, iPhone", though if you launch the <em>Your Phone </em>app from the <em>Start Menu</em>, it only mentions <em>Android</em> there).</p><p><br></p><p>They might as-well just rebrand it "Android Link", as that’s really all it supports!</p>
dftf
<p>Not-even any <em>Samsung </em>tablets?</p>
dftf
<p>Yeah, I really don’t get why they persist with this <em>Samsung </em>partnership — if the APIs they rely-on to make the features work are standard to the latest versions of <em>Android</em>, they are just limiting who will bother to use the feature.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Samsung </em>phones often do come with apps like <em>Excel, Outlook, Word, OneDrive </em>pre-installed (or at-least the first time you tap the icon, it downloads the app) so I guess this is what <em>Microsoft</em> gets in return?</p>
dftf
<p>Unless <em>Palm </em>offered their own software, perhaps you’re thinking of <em>ActiveSync</em> ?</p>
dftf
<p>The nearest-equivalent on the <em>Apple</em> side might be <em>iTools</em>, which became <em>.mac</em>, then <em>MobileMe</em> and I think most of it just folded into <em>iCloud</em> later on (though some parts might now only be part of <em>Apple One</em>)?</p><p><br></p><p>Microsoft also had <em>SkyDrive </em>in the past, but had to change it due to legal-action from the <em>SKY</em> broadcasting company. <em>OneDrive</em> still sounds fine to me though: some-other alternative they could have gone with like <em>CloudDrive</em> or <em>AirDrive</em> sound worse, or had it launched thesedays they’d likely have gone with either <em>Drive365 </em>or <em>Microsoft Drive Online</em> or something!</p>
dftf
<p>I’d imagine that will be a trend on <em>Windows 10</em> now — can’t see many apps getting major new features now <em>Windows 11</em> is here. (Though it is unclear exactly where <em>W10</em> stands-now support-wise, as other-than the "October 2025" deadline, <em>Microsoft</em> haven’t said anything around whether they are treating it as "security and bug-fix only" or anything.)</p>
dftf
<p>I can’t see anything online from anyone saying it <em>doesn’t</em> work.</p><p><br></p><p>If you have a Microsoft Account, why not just give it a try? If it doesn’t, it’s only a case of then uninstalling the "Link to Windows" app off your device, then going into the Accounts settings on your phone and removing the Microsoft one (assuming you only added that account for this one purpose).</p>