Microsoft is exploring a number of improvements to the Windows 11 skin and user experience that will bring your smartphone into more aspects of the OS. The company is working to expand and upgrade, according to sources familiar with the plans Phone Link smartphone integration experiences so they feel more native to Windows.
First, I hear that the Phone Companion on Launch is set to get a few upgrades. Users can scroll through the list without needing to open the Phone Link app to display more recent activity. I’ve also heard that users will be able to hover over activities to see more information, such as an entire message or photo.
I’ve also heard that a new custom smartphone flight is being tested that will be available in the Taskbar in the system tray. Whenever your phone is connected, a phone icon will be available and clicking on it will open a link that provides the user with an overview of the phone’s status.
It has Do Not Disturb, vibrate mode, find phone and more. will provide buttons to change functions such as You’ll also be able to share files directly to your phone by dragging them to the icon.
Another feature Microsoft is considering is syncing your clipboard history between your phone and PC using Windows 11’s dedicated Clipboard feature. Currently, you can sync the clipboard between your phone and computer, but it only remembers the last thing you copied. The clipboard history will give you a synchronized list of everything that has been copied.
Microsoft is also working on a new dedicated Messages app for Windows 11 that will sync your phone’s SMS conversations and let you reply and chat with your contacts. This experience builds on the messaging feature already available in the Phone Link app, but will be available as a standalone app that can be pinned and launched from within the app. Start menu.
Sources say all these features are being researched and prototyped internally, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll ship as described. The company is likely planning to gather feedback from Insiders before committing to shipping anything concrete.
I understand that the purpose of these improvements is to gradually integrate Phone Link capabilities natively into the Windows shell. Phone Link was available as a standalone app in Windows 11, but over the past year we’ve slowly seen new smartphone integration features added directly to Windows OS, bypassing the Phone Link app altogether.
Features like seeing your phone’s file system and photos in File Explorer or the ability to use your phone’s camera as a webcam on your PC are just two examples of how Microsoft is already working to more seamlessly integrate your smartphone into the Windows 11 UX.
I don’t know if Phone Link is coming, but it’s clear that Microsoft isn’t giving up on connecting your phone to your computer. It’s working on more improvements that will make your smartphone feel like a natural extension of your PC, with experiences that feel native to Windows UX.
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