Microsoft Phone Link can fail at several different points. The Windows app may not open, an Android phone or iPhone may refuse to pair, the device may remain stuck on Connecting, or the connection may work while calls, messages, photos, apps, or notifications do not.
Those symptoms should not receive the same repair. Phone Link uses Wi-Fi and a Microsoft account for its standard Android setup, while its iPhone connection depends heavily on Bluetooth Low Energy. Android permissions and battery controls can also break individual features without damaging the underlying pairing.
Start by identifying what still works, then repair only the failed layer.
Check the Requirements for Your Phone
Microsoft’s current Phone Link requirements differ between Android and iPhone.
| Requirement | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Windows 10 with the October 2022 update or later, or Windows 11 | Windows 10 with the May 2019 update or later, or Windows 11 |
| Phone software | Android 10 or later | iOS 16 or later |
| Main connection | PC and phone on the same Wi-Fi network | Bluetooth Low Energy on the PC and Bluetooth enabled on both devices |
| Phone app | Link to Windows, built in or installed from an official app store | Link to Windows is available but is not required for basic pairing |
| Account limitation | Personal Microsoft account; work or school accounts and multiple Android profiles are not supported | Personal Microsoft account; work or school accounts are not supported |
Windows 10 reached the end of normal support on October 14, 2025. Phone Link may continue working on a compatible Windows 10 installation, but an eligible PC should move to a supported Windows version. The Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade guide explains the supported upgrade paths.
Diagnose the Failure Before Resetting Anything
| What is failing | Likely cause | Best first action |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Link does not open or immediately closes | Windows app state or installation | Update, then Repair the app |
| Android device remains disconnected | Wi-Fi, account, background restriction, or permission | Check both devices and Link to Windows |
| iPhone will not pair | Bluetooth, stale pairing, or missing iOS permission | Check Bluetooth on both devices |
| Only calls fail | Bluetooth pairing or microphone access | Repair the Bluetooth and call permissions |
| Only notifications fail | Phone notification access or feature toggle | Restore notification permissions |
| Android works only while unlocked | Battery optimization is stopping background activity | Allow Link to Windows to run in the background |
| Phone Screen or Apps is missing | Unsupported device or feature requirement | Check Microsoft’s supported-device information |
| Everything worked until a phone, account, or PC change | Stale device association | Remove both sides of the old pairing and reconnect |
A phone that can sync messages but cannot make calls is not completely disconnected. Likewise, a missing Phone Screen button does not prove the core Phone Link connection is broken.
Restart Both Sides of the Connection
Close Phone Link on Windows. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Task Manager, and end Phone Link when it remains listed after the window closes.
On Android, close Link to Windows from recent apps. When it appears stuck, open Settings > Apps > Link to Windows and select Force stop, then reopen it.
On iPhone, close Phone Link on the PC, turn Bluetooth off and back on for both devices, then reopen Phone Link.
Restart the PC and phone when the connection failed after sleep, a router restart, an update, or switching networks. Do not unlink the devices yet. A temporary process or radio problem is easier to correct than a rebuilt pairing.
Update Phone Link and the Phone Component
Open Microsoft Store on the PC, go to Library, and install available updates for Phone Link. Also install pending Windows updates and restart.
For Android, update Link to Windows through Google Play, Galaxy Store, or the phone manufacturer’s system update process. Some supported phones include the app as a system component.
For iPhone, update iOS. When you chose to install Link to Windows from the App Store, update that app too.
An outdated component on one device can break pairing after the other device changes. Use only official Microsoft and mobile-platform stores, not modified installers or APK files.
Repair Phone Link When the Windows App Is Broken
Use Windows’ built-in Repair option when Phone Link will not launch, opens as a blank window, freezes, or closes unexpectedly.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Phone Link.
- Select its three-dot menu and choose Advanced options.
- Select Terminate when the app is still running.
- Select Repair.
- Open Phone Link and test it.
Repair attempts to fix the application without clearing its local setup, so it should come before Reset.
Select Reset only when Repair does not work. Reset clears Phone Link’s local Windows data and may require you to configure the connection again, but it does not erase messages, photos, or contacts stored on the physical phone.
Fix an Android Phone That Will Not Connect
The normal Android connection needs both devices online and on the same Wi-Fi network. Confirm the network name on the PC and phone, then test internet access on both.
Avoid guest, hotel, school, and workplace networks during diagnosis. Client isolation can prevent devices from communicating even when they share the same Wi-Fi name and both have internet access. Temporarily disconnect VPNs when their routing or local-network restrictions may be involved.
Next, confirm the Microsoft account:
- Open Phone Link and check the signed-in account under Settings.
- Open Link to Windows on Android and check its account.
- Make sure both use the intended personal Microsoft account.
This check is important when the PC has personal and work accounts, several linked phones, or a recently changed Windows sign-in.
Restore Android permissions
Open Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Permissions on the phone. Enable the permissions required for the features you want to use. The exact list varies by phone and Android version.
For missing notifications, search Android Settings for Notification access and make sure Link to Windows is allowed. Also confirm that notifications are enabled under Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Notifications.
Android 13 and later require notification permission during or after pairing. Phone Link cannot mirror a notification that Android itself has blocked.
Allow reliable background activity
Battery management is the strongest suspect when Phone Link works only while the phone is awake or immediately reconnects when Link to Windows is opened.
A common path is:
Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery
Choose Unrestricted, Allow background activity, or the closest equivalent when reliable syncing requires it. On Samsung Galaxy phones, also check Settings > Battery > Background usage limits and remove Link to Windows from Sleeping or Deep sleeping apps.
Do not disable battery optimization for every app. Change only Link to Windows, then test whether the connection remains active with the phone locked.
Fix an iPhone That Will Not Pair or Sync
Phone Link with iPhone uses Bluetooth and requires a Windows PC with Bluetooth Low Energy support. Keep the devices nearby and turn Bluetooth on for both.
When the QR code scans but pairing does not finish:
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices on Windows.
- Confirm that Bluetooth is enabled and remove a stale iPhone entry when necessary.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth on the iPhone.
- Tap the information button beside the PC and choose Forget This Device when the pairing is stale.
- Turn Bluetooth off on both devices, wait briefly, and turn it back on.
- Start the Phone Link iPhone pairing process again.
After pairing, tap the information button beside the Windows PC in the iPhone Bluetooth settings. Confirm the permissions requested for system notifications, notifications, and contact syncing. Missing iOS permissions can make calls, messages, or notifications fail independently.
Phone Link does not provide the same features for every Android phone and iPhone. Do not troubleshoot a feature that Microsoft does not offer for your device type.
Fix Phone Link Stuck on Connecting
A permanent Connecting message means the apps recognize the device but cannot complete communication.
For Android, check this order:
- Wake the phone and open Link to Windows.
- Confirm both devices use the same normal Wi-Fi network.
- Check the personal Microsoft account on both.
- Allow Link to Windows background activity.
- Restore the required permissions.
- Disconnect a VPN temporarily and retest.
- Restart both devices.
For iPhone, keep Bluetooth enabled, verify that the Windows PC remains in the iPhone’s paired-device list, and check the permissions attached to that Bluetooth entry.
Do not reset the entire Windows network stack because only Phone Link is connecting slowly. Network reset is appropriate when Windows has broader Wi-Fi or adapter failures. The Windows network-adapter troubleshooting guide covers those wider symptoms.
Repair Only the Phone Link Feature That Failed
Calls do not work
Phone Link calls depend on Bluetooth and Windows microphone access. Messages or photos can work while calls fail.
Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices and confirm that the phone is paired. Toggle Bluetooth off and on for both devices, then remove and recreate only the Bluetooth pairing when it appears corrupted.
Next, open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and make sure microphone access is available to Phone Link. Check the Calls settings inside the app as well.
When Windows refuses to remove the old pairing, use the Bluetooth device removal guide before resetting Phone Link.
Notifications do not sync
First confirm that the original notification appears on the phone. Then check notification access and app notifications for Link to Windows on Android, or the Windows PC’s Bluetooth permissions on iPhone.
Open Phone Link Settings > Features and make sure Notifications is enabled. Review which phone apps are allowed to appear on the PC. When only one app is missing, troubleshoot that app’s phone notification settings instead of rebuilding the entire Phone Link connection.
Messages do not update
Confirm the phone is connected and that Messages is enabled under Phone Link’s feature settings. On Android, restore the required Link to Windows permissions. On iPhone, check Bluetooth notification and contact-sync permissions.
Phone Link messaging does not replicate every encrypted third-party messaging service. Distinguish SMS or supported messaging from apps that do not expose their conversations to Phone Link.
Recent photos do not appear
The Photos experience is mainly associated with supported Android connections. Wake the Android phone, open Link to Windows, verify permissions, and remove aggressive battery restrictions.
Phone Link’s Photos view is not a complete cloud backup. A missing older image may be outside the recent-photo experience rather than evidence of a broken connection.
Phone Screen or mobile apps are unavailable
Phone Screen and mobile-app streaming have narrower device requirements than notifications, messages, and photos. A successful basic connection does not guarantee those buttons will appear.
Update Windows and both Phone Link components, then check Microsoft’s supported-device information for the specific feature. The Android screen-mirroring guide covers other ways to display a phone when Phone Screen is unsupported.
Unlink and Reconnect Only After the Safer Repairs
Re-linking is appropriate when the account or device association is stale, particularly after replacing the phone, changing Microsoft accounts, renaming the PC, or removing the Bluetooth relationship.
Before unlinking, record the personal Microsoft account in use.
In Phone Link, open Settings > Devices, select the affected phone, and choose Remove. Then remove the corresponding PC connection from Link to Windows on Android or forget the PC from iPhone Bluetooth settings.
Microsoft’s Phone Link troubleshooting page provides the current device-specific removal and pairing guidance.
Restart both devices before pairing again. For Android, use the same Microsoft account and same Wi-Fi network. For iPhone, keep the devices nearby with Bluetooth enabled and approve the requested permissions.
Re-linking every time a notification arrives late only creates more work. Use it after app repair, account, network, permission, battery, and Bluetooth checks fail.
Phone Link problems become manageable once the failed layer is clear. Repair the Windows app when it will not stay open, correct Wi-Fi and background access for Android connection failures, focus on Bluetooth and permissions for iPhone, and troubleshoot calls or notifications without destroying an otherwise working pairing. That approach preserves the setup and avoids broad Windows resets for a feature-specific problem.
