Phone Link
The latest Phone Link coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Samsung Messages Is Dead — Here’s How Windows 11 Users Can Text from Their PC Now
Samsung’s built-in messaging app is officially dead on U.S. Galaxy phones, and that change reshapes how millions of Android owners text from a Windows PC. As of July 6, 2026, Samsung Messages...
Leaked Windows 11 Builds Hint at Start Menu Android Integration, Taskbar Flyout, and Clipboard Sync
Microsoft is testing deeper Android phone integration in Windows 11 that will surface phone activity directly in the Start menu, add a taskbar phone flyout, and synchronize clipboard history,...
Leaked: Windows 11 Phone Link to Get Taskbar Flyout and Standalone SMS App
Microsoft is quietly building a more immersive Phone Link experience for Windows 11, complete with a taskbar flyout that surfaces smartphone activity and a dedicated Messages app for synced SMS...
Windows 11 bug: Phone Link's Cross Device Service swallows up to 30GB of RAM
Windows 11 users have been dealing with a silent system drain since at least 2023: the Cross Device Service, a core component of Microsoft’s Phone Link functionality, is gobbling up staggering...
Microsoft Tests Spotify Handoff from Android to PC in Latest Windows 11 Insider Build
Microsoft on August 22, 2025, began testing a new Android-to-PC app continuity feature with Windows 11 Insiders in the Dev Channel, using Spotify as the first supported service. A “Resume alert”...
Phone Link’s Android App Now Lets You Prune Old PCs Without Touching Windows
Microsoft has pushed a small but genuinely handy update to the Link to Windows app on Android, now in beta: a “Remove PC” control that lets you delete stale or unwanted linked computers straight...
Windows 11 Start Menu Evolves into a Full-Fledged Dashboard with Deeper Phone Link Integration
Microsoft has been quietly transforming the Windows 11 Start menu from a simple launcher into a comprehensive command center, packing in pinned apps, personalized recommendations, an integrated...
Phone Link Brings iMessage to Windows 11 with Strict iPhone Limits
Microsoft’s Phone Link app now brings iMessage to Windows 11 PCs, but the bridge comes with a catch: you’ll need your iPhone nearby at all times, and group chats remain off-limits. First rolled...
iMessage on Windows 11 in 2026: No App, Only Phone Link or Mac Workarounds
Apple’s stubborn refusal to bring iMessage to Windows persists into 2026. There is no official iMessage app, no Microsoft Store listing, no hidden installer, and no web client. If you've been...
Phone Link for iPhone on Windows 11: No Group Chats or Media in iMessage
Microsoft’s Phone Link app finally delivers the most requested feature: iPhone messaging from a Windows 11 desktop. After years of Android exclusivity, users with iOS 14 or later can now pair their...
Repurpose an old Android or iPhone as a high-quality Windows webcam via USB or Phone Link.
A dusty Android phone from 2019 almost certainly has a camera that outshines your $200 Logitech webcam. With a few minutes of setup, it can become a high‑quality Windows webcam for Zoom calls,...
Microsoft Killed Windows Subsystem for Android. Here Are Your Best Alternatives Now
On March 5, 2025, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows Subsystem for Android, pulling the plug on the built-in method that let Windows 11 users run Android apps directly on their desktops....