Microsoft’s Phone Link Panel Arrives on Start Menu With Support for Android Devices: Report

Microsoft is said to be rolling out a new feature for Phone Link on Windows 11 which lets users take a peek at their messages, calls, and other information from the Start Menu. Although the feature was previously announced in the first week of May, users are now reportedly gaining access to the panel with the latest Windows 11 update. It’s currently unclear whether the dedicated panel for Phone Link on the Windows 11 Start Menu also works with paired iOS devices.

Microsoft Rolls Out Dedicated Phone Link Panel to All Users

The Phone Link is a mobile pairing application which comes preloaded on Windows 11. It lets users connect iOS or Android smartphone to their laptop or desktop computer, syncing text messages and images, and enabling support for making and receiving calls.

A dedicated panel for Phone Link was spotted by Android Authority on Windows-based PCs and was discovered on Windows 11 version 26100.4061. When an Android device is connected via Phone Link, it displays the phone model, battery status and connectivity details in a new panel which is located on the right side of the Windows’ Start Menu.

Photo Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft says that the panel allows users to keep track of their latest activities by enabling them to access their phone calls, messages, and photos directly from the Start Menu. It also features a Recent tab which displays recently received files or notifications on the phone.

Users must follow the following steps to access the dedicated Phone Link feature on Windows 11:

1. Open the Start Menu and select the device type: Android or iPhone from the right-side pane.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to pair your device with the Windows PC.
3. Start accessing your phone and its contents from the Start Menu.

The dedicated Phone Link panel also includes a Send files option which, as the name suggests, enables users to quickly transfer files between the phone and PC. They can either drag and drop files or select the required ones from the Browse option.

Microsoft first introduced this feature in 2024 to registered Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels and it initially included support for only Android. In January this year, it was expanded to include support for iOS devices too, enabling iPhone users to access their phone features via the Phone Link panel in the Start Menu.