How to fix problems with Microsoft’s Phone Link app

Topic

New Reply

ISSUE 22.07 • 2025-02-17 WINDOWS 11 By Lance Whitney Phone Link pairs your iPhone or Android phone with Windows, but it doesn’t always cooperate. Here
[See the full post at: How to fix problems with Microsoft’s Phone Link app]

3 users thanked author for this post.

fisher75, rc primak, lmacri

Reply | Quote

Replies

Wow. Fifteen or more pages of tweaks and fixes to get a simple communication app working. This is typical of Microsoft software. I have yet to get a solid Bluetooth connection to my BT speakers that doesn’t require killing and restarting an app, power cycling my speakers, etc. And yet, instead of fixing the problem (and so many other frustrating Windows problems), Microsoft keeps adding features nobody asked for, all the while telling us how great Windows is.

Moderator Edit: to remove wording. Profanity not allowed on AskWoody.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Charlie, rc primak

Reply | Quote

Does not need bluetooth, my desktop hasnt got bluetooth. Phone link works with wifi no problems

 

 

2 users thanked author for this post.

rc primak, bbearren

Reply | Quote

Phone Link requires a Microsoft account? For my personal PC to connect to my personal iPhone? Not happening. Please consider updating the article to clearly state that.

3 users thanked author for this post.

DLivesInTexas, rc primak, rbailin

Reply | Quote

Paladium wrote:

Phone Link requires a Microsoft account?

No, it does not. Works just fine with a local account.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Texting to a group with Android/Windows 11 is a total FAILURE for Microsoft. The texts, especially if you include some sort of link, goes to a artificially created account (NOT your group), and never makes it to the group. I’m about 80% successful in posting messages. I wish they would have put more effort into making this work. Sad Microsoft’s standards have fallen so low…

2 users thanked author for this post.

Charlie, rc primak

Reply | Quote

Thanks, Lance! I spent the last several month trying to figure out why my phone wouldn’t connect to my PC (phone app said they were linked), until I went into Device Settings on the PC app and selected my phone (it was listed twice, along with another old phone). Thanks for the good advice!

Reply | Quote

I’ve never connected my Android phone to my PC using Bluetooth. I’ve used Wi-Fi from the beginning, and it works just fine. My messages app works, I can copy photos from my phone to my PC, open the phone directly and use the apps on the phone.

Phone Link starts with Windows sign-in, and my phone stays linked to my router, whether I’m signed in to Windows or not. I have Bluetooth on my PC, but Phone Link has automatically selected Wi-Fi to connect. Bluetooth sees my phone, but it’s neither paired nor connected via Bluetooth.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

1 user thanked author for this post.

rc primak

Reply | Quote

I find that Google Messages For Web works like a champ. I gave up on MS Phone Link quite a while ago.

Reply | Quote

bmeacham wrote:

I find that Google Messages For Web works like a champ. I gave up on MS Phone Link quite a while ago.

The only thing Google I use are a few throwaway gmail accounts when I need an email address to register on a website I want to visit.

Phone Link works just fine with my Android phone, and SMS works like a champ.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

I have to agree with @Paladium above. Although it’s not widely advertised, and (astonishingly!) no mention is made in Lance’s column, Phone Link needlessly routes all communication between your computer and your phone through Microsoft. There’s no excuse for this. The two devices are perfectly capable of talking to one another without data being sent to Redmond. This stinks. I’m still waiting for a capable program that does what Phone Link purports to do without phoning home to anyone. None of the usually-proposed alternatives like KDE Connect et al. have done the trick for me.

1 user thanked author for this post.

IBM1130

Reply | Quote

mguenin wrote:

Although it’s not widely advertised, and (astonishingly!) no mention is made in Lance’s column, Phone Link needlessly routes all communication between your computer and your phone through Microsoft.

That is simply not true.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Me: …Phone Link needlessly routes all communication between your computer and your phone through Microsoft.

@bbearren: That is simply not true.

 

Care to debunk this? https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/microsoft-phone-link-privacy.html

The author of that post claims

The Microsoft Phone Link … lets you access parts of your smartphone from within Windows. However, Microsoft has not built the service with your privacy in mind. Instead, the software behemoth relays your personal data through its servers, despite the app only working while your devices are connected to the same local network.

The Microsoft Privacy Statement (February 2023) doesn’t expressly state that Microsoft relays your personal data through its servers. The app‘s requirement for both devices to be on the same local network leads customers to believe that their data is transferred directly between their devices. That’s obviously how this should work, right?

The author queried Microsoft about that, and quotes the email response from Microsoft:

Once the Windows PC and phone are paired, a user’s content such as messages, photos, contacts, and notifications are relayed between the user’s devices (PC and Phone) through a Microsoft cloud service. This content is processed to transfer data between the requested devices and is not stored permanently on Microsoft servers.

Do you believe that last sentence? I don’t. Even if I did, their TOS could change tomorrow. More importantly, why are they running your stuff through a Microsoft cloud service at all? Once you’ve required those two devices to be connected to the same network, no “cloud service” is necessary.

Imagine you work at a company occupying one building, and the company has an intramural mail service, and you have an original document you need to send to the top floor. Why on earth would you put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, send it out to USPS, and let USPS deliver it to another office within the same building?

Taken at face value, having Phone Link route commands and data between my phone and laptop via a cloud service is a stupid design. But Microsoft is not staffed by stupid people. Therefore there’s something unstated or unspoken about this design that pleases Microsoft. Please tell me why this design is desirable for anyone else. Like you and me.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

Reply | Quote

I have found that ‘spam’ messages show up in my Phone Link on Win 11, but not on my Android phone.  It’s a curiosity…I found I can block those number on Phone Link and then ‘hide’ them via Settings menu.  But, there’s so many I’m beginning to think it’s a waste of time.  I’m thankful they aren’t showing up on my phone!!!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Will Fastie

Reply | Quote

I recently ran into a problem when I changed Samsung S21 to  S24 Ultra. I could not get it to link no matter what I tried. By trial and error I tried all the steps you mentioned. What finally worked was when I went to ‘Add or remove Programs’ -> System Components -> Phone link. I tried repair with no success. I finally reset the program and it linked up successfully and worked ever since.

HTH someone

Reply | Quote

I’m sorry, but using the Phone Link app with my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Windows 11 was more than a little aggravating. Specifically, Phone Link would not let me DELETE a text message that I wanted to get rid of. I could REPLY to it. I could HIDE it (whatever that means). But I could not DELETE it. Dumbest thing ever. I uninstalled Phone Link after 2 days. Never again.

Reply | Quote

Carl Baldasso wrote:

Specifically, Phone Link would not let me DELETE a text message that I wanted to get rid of. I could REPLY to it. I could HIDE it (whatever that means). But I could not DELETE it.

Just unlock your phone and open the phone screen. From the phone screen, you can accomplish anything that you can do directly from the phone.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

If you have an Android phone and are using the Google Messages app, which is the default on most devices, I recommend using the Google Messages web site. Works flawlessly for me whereas Phone Link on Windows has been horrible.

Reply | Quote

Since I use a Google phone number; I’ve used Google Voice on my PC. No linking necessary. Just logged in and using Voice chat is the same texting I use on my phone so I’m able to send and receive texts on my PC with ease.

Granted I lose the ability to search for ‘memes’ etc – but if I really want to send one of those I’ll use my phone. It’s so much easier using my keyboard to type a text.

And my contacts are there too. I don’t have a webcam or mic connected to my PC else I could use Voice to make/receive calls too.

And all photos are uploaded to Amazon and Google so I can always access those at anytime.

So while Link looks good – I’ll stick with what I’ve been using.

 

Reply | Quote

I used to use the Phone Link software all the time but in the past 6 months it would just randomly stop working. I can easily pair the phone to the app and it says it connected during the pairing process but the main app on the PC says it is offline and no amount of uninstalling and reinstalling the app does anything to fix that.

Reply | Quote