Microsoft is working on an update to its Phone Link app that adds a search bar to Windows 11 and allows smartphones to be controlled by fixing some bugs.
Available In the Microsoft Store (Opens in new tab) As well as a Companion app in Google Play Store (Opens in new tab)The app connects to your Android smartphone, where you can access, call and receive photos, drag and drop files, send and receive messages, all in Windows 11.
Despite the phone link getting a new look and a new name earlier this year, Microsoft is already focusing on offering other major improvements to other apps, such as Paint and Windows Media Player. However, the phone link is finally getting some attention again with a new search bar.
This will allow you to quickly navigate through hundreds of potential messages without having to scroll through them. Still, while this new feature is welcome, the phone link could be the basis for something even more exciting, especially thanks to the Android apps available in the Microsoft Store, thanks to Amazon.
Analysis: Let’s see if it’s bigger than that
Okay, this isn’t Microsoft’s best name, but it has a track record of bad names with other products throughout the year. But Phone Link is one of the best apps from the company in recent years, and it could lay the groundwork for using more Android apps on your PC.
The parts are all there: you can already download and run some Android apps on Windows 11 and you can manage your phone content via phone link. The next step is to run your apps through your phone.
That way, you can play a game on your Pixel 6, for example, and you can run it on your PC, thanks to the Phone Link in Windows 11. The signs are that Microsoft is planning to do something like that, but it has been known to throw some curveballs as well.
No matter what the company decides, Phone Link is still a worthy app to consider whether you have an Android phone, and no matter how low the improvement, it’s still a great app to build.