Microsoft Testing Tweaks on Windows That Make Sharing Files to Android Easier

Users must have their phone paired to their Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android for the feature to work.

Microsoft Testing Tweaks on Windows That Make Sharing Files to Android Easier

Photo Credit: Microsoft

Phone Link app on Windows allows users to sync their phones with their PC

Highlights
  • The feature was announced as part of the new Windows 11 Insider Preview
  • Users can share files between Windows PC and Android via Phone Link app
  • The Windows 11 Insider Preview also includes other tweaks and fixes
Advertisement

Microsoft allows for greater synergy between a Windows PC and a smartphone, letting users reply to text, receive and make calls and check their phone notifications directly from the computer. The Phone Link app on PC, which syncs both Android phones and iPhone with Windows, also lets users share files between devices. Now, Windows is making file sharing from PC to Android more streamlined.

Windows share feature

As part of the new Windows Insider Preview, Microsoft is rolling out the ability to quickly share content to an Android phone from a share window on Windows PC. With the feature, hitting share on a file will now show up a quick share window that will display the user's Android phone that has been paired with the PC.

share window phone 1 windows share

Paired Android phones show up in the share window
Photo Credit: Microsoft

According to Microsoft, users must have their smartphone paired to their Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on their PC for the feature to work. Only paired Android smartphones will show up in share window and there's no indication yet if the feature will be extended to iPhone.

Currently, right clicking on a file on Windows and selecting Share opens the share window with the options to quickly send the file to your email contacts or share it via Nearby Share feature or other applications.

The feature was announced as part of updates rolling out to the Beta Channel with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785. These features may take time to be widely available to all Windows 11 users.

Windows 11 Preview Build

Other improvements being tested with the Preview Build include tweaks to the Windows Spotlight feature, in addition to other fixes for known issues. The update will make it easier for users to change images and engage with the Windows Spotlight experience on desktop.

Windows allows users to share files between Android devices and PC via cross-device copy and paste feature within the Phone Link app. The feature, however, is available only on Surface Duo and select Samsung, Honor, Oppo, and Asus devices.

Last month, a Windows Central report had claimed that the Phone Link app on Windows would soon be getting a new optical character recognition (OCR) feature that would enable users to copy text from images.


Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Manas Mitul
In his time as a journalist, Manas Mitul has written on a wide spectrum of beats including politics, culture and sports. He enjoys reading, walking around in museums and rewatching films. Talk to Manas about football and tennis, but maybe don’t bring up his video game backlog. More
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Leaked in Renders; Suggests 6.65-Inch Display, Triple Rear Cameras
Google Pixel 9's Tensor G4 Allegedly Spotted on Geekbench; Shows Lower Scores Than Tensor G3
Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat LinkedIn Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News

Advertisement

Follow Us
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »