Do you remember the time when you had to connect your smartphone to your PC via a cable to transfer files? Many users disliked this process for several reasons.
Now, with AirDrop, Phone Link, Link to Windows, Nearby Share and other wireless transfer solutions available in abundance, in many cases this is no longer necessary. Some users still prefer to transfer files via cable, as this does not require using an application.
Windows 10 and 11 users can use the Link to Windows app on their Android devices to transfer files between Windows PC and Android.
Description:
- Link to Windows is a free app created by Microsoft for Android.
- The feature is supported on all the latest Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.
- File sharing is done through the Share feature of the operating system.
You need to download and install it Link to Windows Install the app on your Android device. Installation is very easy. Once done, you are ready to link the Android device to the Windows PC in the following way.
Configure link to Windows
The easiest way to get started is to:
- Right-click on a file and select the “Share” option from the context menu.
- Select “Phone Link” in the share window.
- Select Android on the Phone Link setup screen.
- Open the Link to Windows app on Android.
- Select “Sign in to add a computer.”
- Activate “Sign in using QR code on your PC”.
- Scan the QR code displayed on the Windows PC with the Android device.
- Select Continue.
- Type the code shown on the PC on your Android device.
- You may be asked to type your Microsoft account password.
- Allow or deny access to certain features such as SMS, phone calls or contacts.
- Tap Done to complete the process.
You can now use the Share menu at any time to send files from connected Windows and Android devices. It works both ways.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to repeat the process for any Windows PC or Android device you want to connect.
Sharing Requirements
The following requirements apply when sharing files between a Windows device and Android using Link to Windows:
- Both devices must be online.
- It only works over Wi-Fi by default. On Android, you can enable “Use mobile data” to allow the transfer to use mobile data.
- You need PhoneLink version 1.24032.156.0 or later.
- You will need the Link to Windows app on Android version 1.24032.518.0 or later.
Using Phone Link on PC
On a PC, you can use the Phone Link app to control certain features on an Android device. What you can do depends on what permissions you have granted the Android app.
One thing you can do, even if you have denied all permissions, is to browse all the photos on an Android device. You can use this feature to browse photos, save them, share them, or delete them.
However this feature lacks one key option: the ability to select and work with multiple photos at once. This is impractical for downloading or deleting a large number of photos. There is also no option to quickly browse photos or jump to a specific time period using it.
This leaves the main purpose of this feature to be browsing and managing newly taken photos.
tipTo transfer multiple files, use the file browser and sharing feature of the device.
Closing words
There you have it; another way to transfer files between Android and Windows. The advantage here is that this option is already included in Windows 10 and 11. While you'll still need to install the Link to Windows app for Android, the integration into Windows means you have one less process to worry about.
Obviously, some Windows users might not like the requirement for a Microsoft account, but that's why it's optional. There are other solutions available as well, including Google's Nearby Share or open source solutions like Snapdrop.
Do you transfer files between your mobile device and PC often or regularly? What solution do you use for this? Do not hesitate to write a comment below.
Thanks for reading..
