If you’re like most people, you probably have an Android phone and a Windows 10 PC connected to your home network. But if you want to use your Android phone as a remote control for your Windows 10 PC, there are a few things you need to do. First, make sure that your Android phone is connected to the internet and that it’s running the latest version of the Android operating system. Second, create a Microsoft account and create a new computer account on Microsoft’s website. Third, connect your Android phone to the new computer and set up some basic settings. Finally, open the Microsoft Phone Link app on your Android phone and follow these steps:
- On your Android phone, open the Microsoft Phone Link app and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- On the main screen of the app, click on the link below to start using your android phone as a remote control for your Windows 10 PC: a) From anywhere in the world, use voice commands to change settings on your Windows 10 PC; or b) Use mouse clicks and touch gestures to interact with windows on your computer.
- After you’ve started using Microsoft Phone Link on your android phone as a remote control for your Windows 10 PC, be sure to check out our other tips for using this app: a) To learn more about how to use Microsoft Phone Link effectively, read our guide: https://www.microsoftphonelink.com/how-to-use-microsoft-phone-link/
We’ll start with the Android app. Download the “Link to Windows” app from the Google Play Store on your Android phone or tablet. Select Samsung Galaxy devices already have this app installed.
Open the app and tap “Link Your Phone and PC” to begin.
Next, open the Phone Link app on your Windows 10 PC and click “Get Started.”
On the next screen, select “I have the Link to Windows app already” and click “Pair With QR Code.”
Back on your Android device, tap “Continue” on the “Is the QR code on your PC ready?” screen and point the camera at the QR code on your PC.
After it connects, you’ll need to grant the Android app some permissions. Tap “Continue” to proceed.
You’ll need to grant the app permission to access your contacts, make and manage phone calls, access media, and send and receive text messages. Tap “Allow” to proceed with all of them.
With permissions out of the way, you may be asked to let the app run in the background to stay connected to your PC. Tap “Continue” to proceed.
A pop-up will ask if you want to allow the app to always run in the background. Select “Allow.”
That’s all there is to do on the Android side for now. Back on your Windows 10 PC, the Phone Link app will have a “Continue” button to click.
The Phone Link app will now guide you through setting up some of the features. We’ll show you how, too. First, tap “See My Notifications.”
In order for this feature to work, we must give the Link to Windows app permission to see Android notifications. Click “Open Settings on Phone” to get started.
On your Android device, a notification will appear prompting you to open the notification settings. Tap “Open” to go there.
The “Device & App Notifications” settings will open. Find “Link to Windows” from the list and make sure that “Allow Notification Access” is enabled.
That’s it! You’ll now see your notifications appear in the “Notifications” sidebar on the Windows app. When a notification appears, you can remove it from your Android device by clicking the “X” icon.
The “Messages” tab will automatically show your text messages from your phone, no setup is required. Simply type in the text box to reply to a message, or tap “New Message.”
The “Photos” tab also doesn’t require any setup. It will show recent photos from your device.
In the sidebar, you can see the battery level of your connected device, adjust some device settings, and control the media that’s playing.
You’ve now got the basics up and running. Phone Link is an extremely handy app, especially if you spend a lot of time on a Windows 10 PC all day. You now won’t need to pick up your phone so many times.
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