We get bombarded with so many notifications on our Android phones throughout the day. If you spend the majority of your time on your Windows computer, it’s only natural if you’d want to bring your notifications right on your Windows screen.
Thankfully, Microsoft introduced a feature that makes this possible, way back in 2019. Beginning as a test in April, 2019, the feature was made possible by making the Your Phone app sync with the notifications of Android phone.
While the feature was introduced in Windows 10, Microsoft has kept it alive in Windows 11 as well. In this short guide, we go over the exact steps you need to follow to get your Android notifications on your Windows.
How to get or check your Android notifications on Windows 10 or Windows 11
Before you dive in, however, make sure you first have your Android phone and an updated Windows right beside you.
The Phone Link app, formerly also called Your Phone, comes installed by default on Windows operating system. As you might’ve guessed, it’s the app that links your Windows and Android. Therefore, to bring your Android notifications to Windows, the first step will be allowing Phone Link access your Android notifications. Here’s how:
- Go to Start menu search bar, type in ‘phone link,’ and select the best match.
- The Phone Link app will be launched. From the main menu, select Get started.
- On Android phone, open the browser and head to the below URL and install the Phone Link app from there.
www.aka.ms/yourpc - On the Phone Link app on your PC, select the checkbox and click on Pair with QR code. Choose an email account and click on Continue.
- After you’ve signed in to the account, you’ll be given a QR code. Scan this code from your Phone Link app on your phone, and you’ll get linked.
If you’ve been stuck on the QR code page for a while, then go back to previous screen on your PC and click on Pair manually, instead of pairing through a QR code. Next, click on Create PIN code.
On your smartphone, click on Sign in with Microsoft, enter your email address and password and hit Next. Follow the on-screen instructions and enter the PIN code from your PC, and hit Enter.
Your device will be paired in a few seconds.
Now finish setting up permissions. Click on Continue on your Android and select Allow for all permission requests you get on your phone. Click on Continue again.
You’ll be asked if you want to run your app in the background. Click on Allow to do that. Finally, click on Done. Your Android and Windows will have been successfully linked by now.
As you can see on the main menu of Phone Link below, you’ll get a host of different options to choose from such as Messages, Photos, or Calls.
Now that you’ve linked your Android and PC, let’s take a look at how you can see your Android notifications on Windows.
Syncing your mobile notifications
Click on the > sign located in the top-left corner of your screen, right next to the Messages section of your phone. From there, click on Open settings on phone.
You’ll then get taken to the Notification access menu of your Android screen. From the list of app, find and toggle on the settings for Link to Windows option. As soon as you do this, you’ll get a pop-up for confirmation. Click on Allow to ahead with it.
As you can see, my Android is now getting all the notifications on my Phone Link Windows app.
Accessing your Android notifications on Windows 10 or 11
Now, whenever you get a new notification on your smartphone, it’ll be reflected on your Windows desktop as well. As you’ve already enabled the background app option, you can simply focus on your work—you’ll get pinged if there’s a notification.
