Windows 10 Preview Build Now Lets Link Your Android Phone to Your PC

Microsoft at its Build conference, a few months back, talked about PCs and phones working together, and the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview Build for tablets and PCs brings it to life. The company's latest Build 16251 for "Fast ring" users bring features that enable linking your Android phone to your PC. This is a follow-up to the company's previous Apple Continuity-like feature for Windows 10. At Build, Microsoft revealed a brand new feature dubbed Pick up Where I Left Off (PWILO) that Microsoft apps will support out-of-the-box.

The all-new Build 16251 for PC is focused on cross-device web-browsing. Currently, Microsoft is releasing the feature for Android devices only while support for iPhone is expected to arrive soon.

Windows 10 Insider Preview users in "Fast ring" to get started can go to Settings > Phone and link your phone, after installing the new build on the PC. After adding the Android phone to be linked, users will receive an SMS from Microsoft directing to install a test app called Microsoft Apps for Android that completes the link between the phone and PC.

After the phone is linked, users can start browsing the Web on their phones. When a user at a website wants to view on the PC, simply tap on the "Continue on PC" option to invoke the native sharing experience. Once invoked, it will first ask users to sign in with their Microsoft account. The company says that users will have to use the same account they are using on their PC. Next it will ask users if they want to Continue now or Continue later.

If the former is chosen, the website will open on the linked PC. If the latter option is tapped, the website will show up under Action Center for users to get to later when they're ready.

Apart from link feature, the new preview build also enhances Cortana's ability to show Web search results without opening the browser. Microsoft says that for some questions Cortana will expand its pane to show the results. It works with movies, celebrities, stock prices, weather, and flight statuses, to name a few.

"If Cortana doesn't have a quick answer for your query, the pane won't automatically expand," points out Microsoft. Additionally, Microsoft has enabled Cortana voice commands to perform some functions without the need to touch the PC. Currently, Cortana can perform lock, sign-out, shutdown, or turn off the PC. Users will need to use voice command, "Hey Cortana, restart PC" for restarting, and the same format for other functionalities.