When the Phone Link app is linked to an Android device, you can sync notifications, messages, and files between the two devices. However, the app has some features you may not know about and should be using.
1 Control Music Playback
If you are playing music on your Android device from an app like Spotify or Amazon Music while connected to the Phone Link app, you can control the music playback.
You will see a mini audio player appear in the left sidebar. You can start and pause playback and switch between the next and previous songs using the controls.
You can also switch the playback device between your PC and Android device by clicking the device icon in the bottom right corner of the audio player.
If you don’t see the audio player, make sure you have the music app open on your Android. The audio player function in Phone Link should also be enabled. If it’s not, click the music icon button to enable it—it should be blue when on.
2 Turn On Instant Hotspot
The Phone Link app makes it easy to tether your Android device to your Windows PC. With the instant hotspot feature, you can easily connect your PC to the Android device’s hotspot without manual setup and passwords.
To enable the instant hotspot feature, open the Phone Link app on Windows, go to Settings > Features, and click the “Setup Instant Hotspot” button.
Click “Send Notification” in the pop-up for Phone Link to ask your Android device for permission to access the hotspot.
On your Android device, click “Allow” in the pop-up to grant Phone Link permission.
Open the Link to Windows app on your Android device and turn on the “Instant Hotspot” toggle.
You can now connect to the hotspot from the list of Wi-Fi connections on your PC.
3 Mirror Your Phone’s Screen on PC
You can also easily mirror your Android device’s screen to your Windows PC using the Phone Link app. Afterward, you can interact with your Android device (e.g., open apps and send messages) using your mouse and keyboard. Keep in mind that whatever you do while mirroring will be shown on your Android device’s screen.
To start a screen mirroring session, select the “Apps” tab in the Phone Link app and click the “Open Phone Screen” link.
On your Android device, tap “Start Now” in the pop-up to begin the screen mirroring session.
You should now be able to see your Android device’s screen in a separate window created by the Phone Link app.
4 Copy Text From an Image
If an image on your Android device has text you want to copy onto your computer, you can use the Phone Link app. It has OCR capabilities that can extract text from images on your Windows PC.
To use Phone Link’s OCR feature, open the image in the Phone Link app and click the “Text” option in the top menu. Highlight the text you want to copy and click “Copy Text” in the widget that appears at the top.
Now, you can paste that text on your computer where text input is accepted.
5 Cross-Device Copy and Paste
The cross-device copy and paste feature allows you to copy content, such as text and images, from one device and paste it into another. This significantly streamlines the process of sharing content between devices.
To use this feature, you just need to enable it in the Phone Link app. To do that, go to Settings > Features and turn on the “Cross-Device Copy and Paste” toggle.
With that enabled, you can, for example, copy text from a Wikipedia page in the Chrome mobile app on your Android and paste it into the Sticky Notes app.
The Phone Link app offers a range of powerful yet often overlooked features that can significantly enhance the connection between your Windows PC and Android device. By exploring these tools, you can create a more seamless and efficient workflow that can save you a lot of time and effort.
