Future Windows 11 update will let you stream Android audio to your PC

It’s the best app you’ve likely never used

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Microsoftis working on an update to itsPhone Link appthat will allow yourAndroid phoneto stream audio directly toWindows 11.

As an aside, it also looks as though Microsoft has given the appanother rename, from Phone Link to Link to Windows, as seen on theGoogle Play Store.

According toWindows Latest, you can enable these sounds on whichever Windows device you’ve connected your Android phone to. For example, you’ll be able to hear dings fromWhatsAppor your SMS messaging app - useful if you’re working on a computer with a headset connected to it and might otherwise miss a notification.

It’s a feature that users have been clamoring for, and while this is a welcome improvement that is sure to help when your Android phone is connected, you may never have used (or even heard of!) Phone Link inWindows 11.

Streaming Spiceworld from Android to PC is finally easier

If you’re on aMacand also own aniPador aniPhone, swapping between devices is something that won’t be new to you. For instance, if you’ve sent an iMessage on your iPad, you can carry on the conversation with amacOSdevice.

However, it’s been difficult to do a similar thing with Windows laptops and PCs. Granted, you can manage your content withOneDriveacross multiple devices, but looking at messages or managing notifications between your Android smartphone and Windows computer has never been a straightforward process.

This is wherePhone Linkhas been somewhat of a savior for many users, and it achieves most of what it sets out to do. But for some reason, it’s barely been advertised by Microsoft since its debut way back in May 2018.

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Being able to stream yourAndroid’saudio to your PC is only going to bolster the usefulness of Phone Link, but it could be beneficial for Microsoft to showcase just how good this app is.

It’s baffling that such a handy tool isn’t strongly promoted as part of the Windows 11 (andWindows 10) software suite, especially since millions of users will have it installed already and be completely unaware of its existence. Perhaps a collaborative effort withSamsungorGoogleis in order? I’m available for consulting work, Microsoft…

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

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