We get bombarded with so many messages on our Android phones during the day. If you spend most of your time on your Windows computer, it’s only natural if you want to bring your messages directly to your Windows screen.
Fortunately, Microsoft introduced a feature that makes this possible, way back in 2019. Beginning as a test in April 2019, the feature was made possible by making Your phone the app syncs with the messages from the Android phone.
While the feature was introduced in Windows 10, Microsoft also kept it alive in Windows 11. In this short guide, we review the exact steps you need to follow to get your Android notifications on your Windows.
How to get or check your Android messages on Windows 10 or Windows 11
Before you dive in, though, make sure you first have your Android phone and an updated Windows right next to you.
The Phone Link app, formerly also called Your Phone, comes installed on the Windows operating system by default. As you may have guessed, it is the app that connects your Windows and Android. Therefore, to bring your Android messages to Windows, the first step will be to give Phone Link access to your Android messages. Here’s how you do it:
- Go to Start menu search bar, enter ‘phone link’ and select the best match.
- The Phone Link app will be launched. From the main menu, select Get started.
- On Android phone, open the browser and go to the URL below and install the Phone Link app from there.
www.aka.ms/your pc - On the Phone Link app on your PC, select the check box and click Pair with QR code. Select an email account and click Continue.
- Once you have logged in to the account, you will receive a QR code. Scan this code from your Phone Link app on your phone and you will be linked.
If you have been stuck on the QR code page for a while, go back to the previous screen on your PC and click on Pair manually, instead of pairing through a QR code. Then click Create PIN code.
Click on your smartphone Sign in with Microsoftenter your email address and password and press Next. Follow the instructions on the screen and enter the PIN code from your PC and press Enter.
Your device will be paired in a few seconds.
Now finish setting up permissions. click on Continue on your Android and select Allow all requests for permission you get on your phone. click on Continue again.
You will be asked if you want to run your app in the background. click on Allow to do it. Finally click on done. Your Android and Windows have been successfully connected now.
As you can see in the main menu of Phone link below, you get a wealth of different options to choose from, such as messages, photos or calls.
Now that you’ve connected your Android and PC, let’s take a look at how to view your Android messages on Windows.
Synchronizes your mobile messages
click on > sign located in the upper left corner of your screen, right next to it Messages section of your phone. From there, click on Open settings on the phone.
Then you will be led to Access to messages menu on your Android screen. Find and turn on the settings in the list of app Link to Windows possibility. As soon as you do this, you will get a pop-up for confirmation. click on Allow to move forward with it.
As you can see, my Android now gets all the messages on my Phone Link Windows app.
Access your Android messages on Windows 10 or 11
Now when you get a new notification on your smartphone, it will also be reflected on your Windows desktop. Since you have already activated the background app option, you can simply focus on your work – you will be pinged if there is a message.