A Complete Guide to Setting up and Using Microsoft Your Phone
Most iPhone and Mac users appreciate the tight integration of Apple hardware and software. The same can’t be said for Android and Windows users. Many companies have tried to bridge the gap between Android and Windows to fail or fail. So Microsoft changed that and rolled out the Microsoft Your Phone app. The Your Phone app lets you control your Android phone’s notifications, calls and messages directly from a Windows PC.
The good news is that Microsoft seems committed to the Your Phone project. The software giant has steadily improved the functionality and stability of Your Phone since its introduction. And it works with millions of Windows 10 and Android devices. Most OEMs like Dell, Samsung, ASUS, etc. used to restrict this integration with their devices.
In this article, we are going to walk through the complete guide to setting up and using the Microsoft Your Phone service. Let’s start.
Required configuration
Before starting the guide, it is important to understand the system requirements for successful connection between Windows 10 and Android devices using the app.
The Your Phone app requires the following to work:
A PC running Windows 10 April 2018 Update or later. If you’re currently running the April 2018 update, you’ll need to install the Your Phone app from the Microsoft Store. Any version of Windows after the April 2018 update will have the app preinstalled.
Android device must be running at least Android 7.0 (Nougat).
How to link your devices
Make sure your PC and Android device are nearby, turned on, and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Follow the steps below on your Android device.
Step 1: Install the Your Phone app from the Play Store.
2nd step: Follow the guided setup process. If you’re prompted to sign in to the Your Phone Companion app, make sure you’re using the same Microsoft account you use on your PC.
Now follow the steps below on PC to set up your phone.
Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for your phone and select the Your Phone app from the results.
2nd step: You will be prompted to sign in to your Microsoft account. You will need to sign in to the same Microsoft account on your Android device to pair the two devices.
Step 3: Go through the guided setup process and grant the necessary permissions.
Step 4: The service will ask you to connect your Android or iPhone (Your phone works best with an Android device because iOS support is quite limited). Select Android and tap Continue.
Step 5: Open the Your Phone app on Android and it will automatically connect to your phone on PC. You will notice a notification for a successful connection.
Features of your phone
The hard work is done. From now on, whenever your phone and PC are connected to the same network, Your Phone on PC app will connect to the Android device. All you need to do is open the Your Phone app on the Windows 10 device, and it will sync data from the connected Android phone.
Let’s take a look at all the features of the Your Phone service.
Notifications: Every time you get a notification on your Android device, the Your Phone app mimics the same notification on your Windows PC. This is a godsend as you won’t have to pick up the phone to see the latest notification.
Another cool thing is that you can also act on notifications. You can pin a notification on top, erase it, and even use these quick actions on Android phones.
For example, if you receive an email on the Outlook app, you may have the option to archive, delete, or reply to mail directly from the Your Phone app on Windows 10. Likewise, users get the End and Snooze option when they receive a task notification from the Microsoft To-Do app.
Messages: Users will appreciate this integration. With the Messages tab, the Your Phone app will display all messages from the Android device on the Windows PC. You can also compose a new message directly from the desktop.
Pictures: The Photos tab will display all the photos from the device gallery on the Windows PC. You can quickly transfer media files from a phone to a PC using the Your Phone app.
Calls: You can access the recent calls list, answer calls, and even call your friends using the dial pad in the Your Phone app.
Send web links: This one is useful when browsing the web on mobile and wants to send the web links to the desktop to read it on a bigger screen. Just press the Share button in any browser, select Your phone and send it to the connected PC.
In addition to these major functions, you can also check the battery level of the connected phone and view unread notifications from the taskbar.
Personalize your phone experience
- Microsoft did not stop there. You can personalize the experience of your phone. For example, you can go to Settings on your phone> Features and selectively turn off notifications for specific apps.
- Another cool tip is that you can change the view of the notification banner using the app customize option.
- If you use transparency effects in Windows, you can make the app background the same as your Android phone wallpaper.
Connect your phone
Microsoft is working on the Link to Windows feature to take advantage of all the Android apps installed on the big screen. Currently, the feature only works with selected Samsung flagship devices.
Your phone service in its current form is very useful for Android and Windows users. Whether you need to quickly respond to a conversation, reply to your social posts, or order food, you can do it quickly using your large screen, keyboard, mouse, stylus, and touchscreen. PC alongside your other PC applications. Go ahead, give it a try, and share your experience in the comments section below.
Then:
Microsoft Launcher is another great tool to bridge the gap between Android and Windows devices. Read the full guide below to set up and use Microsoft Launcher on Android.
Last updated on Oct 12, 2020
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