How to use Link to Windows on your Galaxy smartphone

Have you ever wished you had instant access to your smartphone’s notifications, texts, calls, photos and screen right on your Windows PC? Or that you could seamlessly connect your Galaxy Book or Galaxy Tab to a Samsung Smart Monitor? You can see them all if you know how to use Link to Windows and Copilot.

So what is Link to Windows? Samsung’s Link to Windows, also known as Microsoft Your Phone, is a powerful app that lets you view notifications, send and receive text messages, make calls, and view recent photos right from your desktop. You can even use it to mirror your Galaxy’s screen on your PC, giving you full access to your favorite mobile apps on a larger screen.

Getting started with Link to Windows

Link to Windows is natively integrated into Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones, including the new Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, and Galaxy S24 series, and you’ll find it conveniently accessible in your Quick Window.

If you’re tired of emailing yourself photos to transfer to your PC, or if you don’t want to have to search for your phone every time you want to send a text message or make a call, then learning how to use Link to Windows can be of great benefit to you.

Here’s a quick guide to setting up Link to Windows on your PC and accessing it on your phone, as well as how to use some key features.

Setting up the Your Smartphone app on your PC

Connecting your Galaxy phone to your PC is easy. If you’re using one of the latest Windows 11 PCs, the app will already be pre-installed, all you need to do is look for it. If not, you’ll need to install the Your Phone app on your PC first.

1. Install your phone: Go to the Microsoft Store, search for “Your Phone” and download it.
2. Start and connect: Your phone will boot on your PC and you will be asked to specify your mobile operating system. Select “Android” and click “Next”.
3. Scan the QR code: The app will display a QR code that you can scan with your phone. Now it’s time to set up the Link to Windows feature on your Galaxy smartphone.

Link to Install Windows on your Galaxy smartphone

Here’s how to set up your Galaxy mobile device with Link to Windows.

1. Access your QuickPanel: Swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal your Quick Control Panel and tap Link to Windows. You can also access the feature by opening Settings, tapping Connections or Advanced features and navigating down to Link to Windows. For other Samsung smartphones that don’t have Link to Windows, you can download and install the Your Phone Companion app from Google Play.
2. Activate and add computers: Turn on “Link to Windows”. Then tap “Add a computer”.
3. Scan QR code or log in: Now click on “Is there a QR code on your PC?” Then scan the QR code with your phone. Alternatively, you can sign in with your Microsoft account credentials. This will link your devices. Click through the prompts to allow the connection.
4. Complete the connection: You’ll see the Link to Windows settings open on your phone. This indicates that you’re connected to your PC. If the Your Phone app isn’t open on your PC, open it now.

You’re done! Once you open the Your Phone app on your PC, you can access your recent photos, screenshots, text conversations, apps, and notifications of incoming emails, texts, and calls.

Manage notifications from your PC

When you’re working on your PC, checking your phone for the latest notifications can be distracting. With Link to Windows, you can manage your Galaxy’s notifications right from your PC, so you can focus on what matters most during your busy day.

Click the Notifications tab and you’ll see all the recent notifications you’ve received on your Galaxy smartphone. If this is your first time doing this, you’ll need to tap the Open Settings on Phone button to allow your PC to access your notifications. Once set up, you can also manage your notifications. Simply click the little X icon to the right of a notification to clear it, and it will then disappear from your PC and your Galaxy device. With your notifications streamlined, you can pay more attention to the ones you want to see.

Send messages and make calls from your PC

Some of the best features of Link to Windows include sending text messages and making phone calls right from your PC.

Sending text messages is easy. Just click the Messages tab to see your recent conversations, just like you would on your phone. Choose a recipient, type a message, and click Send. You can also copy and paste content between your PC and your phone. Copy the content you want to share—for example, a block of text or an image in a Word file—and paste it into a message.

To make calls, you’ll need to pair your PC and phone via Bluetooth. You’ll be prompted to do this when you click the Calls tab on your PC. Simply press the Connect button to connect to your Galaxy smartphone. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on on your phone so it’s visible to your PC.

In the Calls tab, you’ll now see a log of your recent calls. There’s also a search bar that you can use to search your phone contacts. Note that when you make calls from the Your Phone app on your PC, the call will actually be made from your phone, but the audio will be transmitted through your PC.

Access photos on your PC

Constantly emailing photos to yourself to download to your PC is annoying – and unnecessary. Link to Windows offers Camera Continuity to simplify this process, and lets you access up to 2,000 of your most recent smartphone photos right from your PC.

Select Photos to see a complete list of recently taken pictures, then drag and drop the pictures you want to your PC. You can quickly transfer photos to your PC without interrupting your workflow.

View your mobile apps on your PC

Another nice feature is the ability to view your mobile apps on your PC and control them with your mouse. This can be great if you want to demonstrate an app to a group of people, or if you have apps you check throughout the day but want to have everything consolidated on one screen.

How to use Link to Windows to view apps on your PC

1. Open and approve apps. Click the Apps tab to begin. You may see a confirmation prompt on your phone. If so, click Confirm to allow the transfer to Windows.
2. Enjoy flexible app interaction. Once connected, you can see and interact with your apps using your mouse or touchpad.

Stay productive with the Link to Windows app

Once set up, Link to Windows is intuitive and easy to use. Native integration with Galaxy devices lets you connect and disconnect with a single tap on the Quick Panel.

The seamless integration of Microsoft and Samsung technologies can improve your workday. With Link to Windows, your notifications, messages, calls, and photos are just a click away, so you can stay focused and productive on your Windows PC.

What is Copilot?

Samsung is committed to providing a fully connected experience across all your Galaxy devices. A key feature that helps create this connection is Copilot, part of the Link to Windows feature. You can manage your tasks across all your Galaxy devices after enabling the phone plugin on the Copilot website.

With Copilot on PC, you can use text prompts to send news, web results, translations, and summaries to your phone. Copilot supports all Windows 11 PCs with 22H12 or later installed.

More control with Copilot

Copilot lets you control all your Galaxy devices with one mouse and keyboard if you have a smart monitor or smart TV released in 2024 or later. Copilot lets you share the mouse and keyboard inputs of your Galaxy Book or Galaxy Tab with a Galaxy smartphone, Samsung smart monitor, or Samsung smart TV, giving you multiple controls, making it easier to work across devices and enhancing your connected experience.

Link to Windows is just one of several smart integrations between Samsung’s Galaxy devices and Microsoft. Native Microsoft integration is just the tip of the iceberg of the new Foldable Samsung devices And Galaxy S24 series can support your workday. If you are not currently an Android or Galaxy user, make sure Try Galaxy for work on your current device today.