Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel can now test a Handoff-like feature that resumes Spotify playback from an Android phone directly on a Windows 11 PC. The capability arrives as part of build 26200.5761 (KB5064093) and marks Microsoft’s most explicit effort yet to close the continuity gap between mobile and desktop.

Alongside cross-device resume, the build adds several quality-of-life improvements: clearer battery indicators on the lock screen, a new two-finger gesture to invoke Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs, dedicated keyboard shortcuts for en and em dashes, pinning favorites in the Windows Share window, and more convenient controls for Automatic Super Resolution on Snapdragon-powered machines. A handful of targeted fixes address Settings load times, Windows Hello reliability, gaming overlay performance, and a critical Arm64 crash for WPF developers.

The Verge first reported on the cross-device resume rollout, confirming that the feature is gradually rolling out to both Dev and Beta Channel Insiders and currently supports only Spotify. Microsoft demonstrated the concept during a Build 2025 session and is now inviting app developers to integrate with the Resume framework so users can hand off tasks from phone to PC—whether listening to music, reading an article, or drafting an email.

Wait, what exactly is cross-device resume?

When your Android phone and Windows 11 PC are linked through the Phone Link experience, playing a song or podcast in Spotify on the phone triggers a “Resume” notification on the PC taskbar. Click it, and the Spotify desktop app launches—automatically picking up playback from the exact same point. If Spotify isn’t installed, Windows offers a one-click Microsoft Store install and sign-in flow.

The underlying technology leans on the existing Bluetooth & devices → Mobile devices connection path, not a separate runtime. That means users don’t have to install additional software; they just need the Link to Windows app running in the background on Android and the “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices” toggle enabled on the PC. The feature is also gated by Microsoft’s Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR), so enabling “Get the latest updates as they’re available” in Windows Update is the quickest way to see it appear.

Why start with Spotify? The music streaming service is a low-friction, high-usage app that demonstrates the handoff value without requiring complex state synchronization. Microsoft has already signaled that the long-term goal is to support a broad range of activities—reading, messaging, productivity—provided developers adopt the API. Public documentation and developer outreach are expected to expand alongside the feature’s maturation in the Insider program.

Other user-facing improvements in build 26200.5761

Lock screen battery status

When your PC wakes, the lock screen now shows refreshed battery icons with clearer shapes and percentage readouts. The change means you can gauge charge level before signing in—saving unnecessary wake-unlock cycles just to check if you need a charger.

Two-finger gesture for Click to Do (Copilot+ PCs)

Click to Do, the AI-assisted overlay that suggests actions for on-screen content, gets a touch-friendly speed boost. On Copilot+ PCs with touchscreens, pressing and holding two fingers anywhere simultaneously launches the overlay, selects what’s under your fingers, and presents relevant actions like visual search, background blur, or text summarization. Previously, invoking the feature required a keyboard shortcut or precise mouse click; the new gesture makes it feel more native on tablets and 2-in-1s.

En and em dash keyboard shortcuts

Power users who write frequently will appreciate a tiny but impactful addition: Win + Minus inserts an en dash (–), while Win + Shift + Minus inserts an em dash (—). If Magnifier is active, Win + Minus retains its zoom-out function, preserving accessibility priority.

Windows Share pinning

The Windows Share window now trials the ability to pin favorite apps. When you share a file or link, your most-used destinations stay pinned at the top, cutting down clicks and cognitive load.

Simplified Automatic Super Resolution controls

Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs get easier on-the-fly configuration for Auto SR. New toast notifications let you adjust upscaling behavior or turn it off directly without digging into Settings. This is a welcome change for gamers and creators who frequently switch between optimized and native resolutions.

Fixes and reliability improvements

Beyond features, this build includes several under-the-hood enhancements:

  • Settings performance: The Apps > Installed apps list loads noticeably faster, and a crash triggered by the “Copy current user settings to the welcome screen and system accounts” option in Language & Region has been resolved.
  • Windows Hello: Face recognition is more reliable. Previously, some users reported successful recognition followed by a sign-in failure that required a PIN fallback; that loop should now be closed.
  • Gaming overlays: Multi-monitor setups with mixed refresh rates see improved performance when running games with overlays like Game Bar.

For developers on Arm64 hardware, a particularly nasty bug has been squashed. After installing the KB5064402 .NET update, Visual Studio no longer crashes when working with WPF-dependent scenarios. This issue had caused frustration for those using Snapdragon X dev kits as daily machines, and the fix should accelerate Arm64 adoption among enterprise and enthusiast developers.

Known issues in this flight

No Dev Channel build is without rough edges. Microsoft flags the following caveats:

  • Recall in the EEA: Insiders in the European Economic Area might find Recall non-functional after upgrading. The recommended workaround is to reset Recall from Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall.
  • File Explorer: The Shared section under Home may appear even when there’s nothing shared.
  • Settings scanning: Temporary files scanning in Storage can hang, and “Previous Windows installations” might not be recognized.
  • Xbox controller Bluetooth: Some users encounter bugchecks when connecting an Xbox controller via Bluetooth. The temporary fix is to remove the oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf) driver via Device Manager’s “Devices by driver” view.

As always, the Dev Channel serves as an early proving ground; Insiders should expect occasional update rollbacks or installation hiccups. If you hit error 0x80070005 during update, Microsoft suggests using System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update.”

Hands-on: setting up cross-device resume with Spotify

If you want to test the Android-to-PC handoff as soon as it lights up for your account:

  1. Ensure you’re on Dev Channel build 26200.5761 and have toggled on “Get the latest updates as they’re available.”
  2. On your PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, enable “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices,” then use Manage devices to link your Android phone.
  3. On the phone, open the Link to Windows app and grant background permissions so the connection stays active.
  4. Start playback in Spotify on your phone. A “Resume from your phone” notification should appear on your PC’s taskbar.
  5. Click the notification. If Spotify isn’t installed, Windows triggers a Store install and sign-in; afterwards, playback continues from the same track.

Make sure you’re signed into the same Spotify account on both devices. Because the rollout is gradual, some Insiders may not see the prompt immediately—keeping the Link to Windows app running and the PC awake after the build settles often helps.

Competitive landscape: closing the Handoff gap

Apple’s Handoff has long been a selling point for the Mac ecosystem, letting users seamlessly transition activities across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Microsoft’s cross-device resume is a direct counterpunch, but with a pragmatic twist: instead of building a full mobile app runtime on Windows, it uses thin, context-aware handoffs that rely on apps you already use. The Phone Link backbone—already adopted by tens of millions of Windows users—provides the plumbing, so the user does not need to configure yet another service.

If Microsoft can persuade streaming, reading, messaging, and productivity developers to wire up Resume, Windows could materially narrow the continuity gap that has favored macOS for years. Spotify as the launch partner is a solid test; its high-frequency usage and well-defined state (song + timestamp) make it an ideal demo case. The real test will be how quickly broader app support follows.

Click to Do, meanwhile, parallels Apple’s Live Text and Visual Look Up but extends the concept of on-screen content into actionable shortcuts. The two-finger gesture on touch devices is deceptively important: it removes the discoverability barrier that has kept many users from trying AI overlays. Combined with ongoing improvements to text actions and visual search, Click to Do could evolve into a core shell interaction—provided performance and accuracy remain consistent across diverse hardware.

For developers: action items and ecosystem signals

  • WPF crash fix: Developers on Arm64 should install KB5064402 (.NET update) immediately after upgrading to build 26200.5761 to avoid Visual Studio crashes. This regression has been a point of friction for teams evaluating Snapdragon X as a daily platform, and its resolution clears a major obstacle.
  • Resume API integration: If you maintain a cross-platform app with Android and Windows clients, consider evaluating Microsoft’s Resume framework. Early adopters who deliver a seamless phone-to-PC transition can capture user goodwill and reduce context-switching friction.
  • Click to Do hooks: As Microsoft expands Click to Do, apps that expose content or actions through OS-level hooks could gain a discoverability advantage. Keep an eye on future Insider builds for new integration surfaces.

Practical tips for Insiders

  • Activate the “Get the latest updates as they’re available” toggle to land in earlier CFR waves for cross-device resume and Click to Do improvements.
  • On Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs, test Auto SR per application and pay attention to toast notifications that offer quick toggles.
  • If you rely on Recall and are in the EEA, bookmark the reset path and verify functionality after the flight.
  • If the Xbox controller bugcheck strikes, use Device Manager’s “Devices by driver” view to remove the offending driver until a patch arrives.
  • Image your test machine before installing; the Dev Channel remains a laboratory, and rollback readiness is key if mission-critical workflows are at stake.

Bottom line

Build 26200.5761 isn’t a flashy overhaul, but it’s a meaningful step toward a more fluid Windows experience. The ability to resume a Spotify session from your phone on your PC with one click shows how Microsoft can add value without demanding users change habits or adopt new services. Lock screen battery clarity, dash shortcuts, and Windows Share pinning are classic quality-of-life upgrades that seasoned users will feel immediately. The two-finger Click to Do gesture and streamlined Auto SR controls cater to next-generation Copilot+ hardware, while the Arm64 WPF fix brings relief to developers on Snapdragon X machines.

The known issues—regional Recall quirks, the Xbox controller Bluetooth bugcheck, and File Explorer hiccups—serve as reminders that the Dev Channel remains an experimental branch. But if you’re an Insider who opts into early feature rolls, this build is well worth installing on a test machine. It points Windows in the right direction: less friction between devices, more intelligent actions on screen, and steady progress toward a 25H2 foundation that feels faster, clearer, and more helpful.