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Yes—but only for supported apps and activities. Microsoft’s Cross-device Resume feature can show an Android activity on a linked Windows 11 PC as a taskbar icon with a phone badge. Click it to open the corresponding destination on the PC. It is a convenient handoff, not a way to run or transfer every Android app.
What Cross-device Resume does
Microsoft calls the feature Cross-device Resume, or simply Resume. When you use a supported app on your linked Android phone, Windows can surface that activity on the PC taskbar. The icon carries a phone badge; selecting it opens the corresponding activity or service on the PC. Depending on the activity, that may mean a Windows app or a page in your default browser—not necessarily the same phone app running on Windows.
Screenshot suggestion: Show a supported app icon on the Windows taskbar with its phone badge, the clearest sign that Resume is offering a handoff.
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Resume is distinct from the older “Continue on PC” experience, which Microsoft retired. It also differs from Phone Link’s Apps feature and Phone screen, which mirror selected Android apps or the phone screen. Resume does not make arbitrary Android apps native Windows apps, and it cannot guarantee that unsaved, offline, or unsupported activity will carry over.
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Compatibility: check the PC, phone, and app
| Requirement | What to check |
|---|---|
| PC | Windows 11 or later. Phone Link has broader Windows 10 support, but Resume specifically requires Windows 11 or later. |
| Phone | Android 10 or later, with Link to Windows installed or preinstalled. |
| Connection and account | Internet access on both devices and the phone linked to the PC. For the most reliable Phone Link setup, put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. |
| Windows device listing | The phone should appear in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. |
| Supported activity | The app and the specific activity must have Resume integration; pairing alone does not enable every app or Phone Link feature. |
Microsoft’s Phone Link works with select Android devices, including models from Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, and vivo. Advanced features may require Link to Windows to be preinstalled, and availability can vary by model, Android version, manufacturer software, market, and carrier. Consult Microsoft’s supported-device list for the feature you want; do not assume every Android phone supports every Phone Link capability.
Which apps and activities work?
Microsoft’s support page listed the following Resume scenarios as of January 2026:
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- Spotify: continue listening to music or podcasts on the PC.
- WhatsApp: continue a chat conversation on the PC.
- vivo Browser: continue browsing from a vivo phone in the PC’s default browser.
Microsoft has also described broader capabilities in a February 2026 Windows Insider Canary announcement. These include handoffs involving Word, Excel, PowerPoint, browsing, and online files opened in Microsoft Copilot on certain HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, vivo, and Xiaomi phones. Office files may open in the corresponding desktop app if installed, or otherwise in the default browser. The Copilot scenario concerns online files, not files stored only locally on the phone.
That Insider announcement describes a Canary build and gradual rollout, not a promise that these expanded scenarios are available on every stable Windows 11 PC. Availability can depend on Windows build, app version, device, and rollout status. Check Settings > Apps > Resume and try a supported activity on your own devices rather than assuming an announced feature has reached your PC.
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Pair an Android phone with Windows 11
- On the PC, open Settings and go to Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
- Select Manage devices, then choose Add device.
- Scan the QR code displayed on the PC with your Android phone.
- Install or open Link to Windows if prompted, then sign in with the same Microsoft account used on the PC.
- Follow the prompts and approve the permissions you want to use. Keep both devices online; using the same Wi-Fi network is a good reliability measure.
You can also start from the PC: search for and open Phone Link, sign in, choose Android, and follow the QR-code pairing steps. Microsoft’s Mobile devices setup guide covers the Windows settings route.
Manage or turn off Resume
Open Settings > Apps > Resume. The main control turns Resume off or on; per-app controls let you stop individual supported apps from appearing as Resume suggestions. Microsoft says Resume is enabled by default when its prerequisites are met.
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Resume, Apps, and Phone screen are different
| Feature | What it does | What it is not |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-device Resume | Offers a taskbar handoff for an activity supported by an integrated app or service. | A universal Android app transfer or emulator. |
| Phone Link Apps | Lets you open and interact with selected Android apps on the PC over Wi-Fi; supported apps can also be pinned to Start or the taskbar. | The same taskbar activity handoff as Resume. |
| Phone screen | Mirrors and lets you control a supported phone screen from Windows. | A feature available on every Android model. |
These experiences have separate compatibility rules. Microsoft documents Phone screen and app mirroring for selected devices, often requiring Link to Windows to be preinstalled. See its guidance for using Android apps on a PC and setting up Phone screen.
Phone Link also offers other device features on some phones, such as wireless phone storage in File Explorer, cross-device copy and paste, and file drag and drop. Those are not Resume, and each has its own requirements. For example, Microsoft says File Explorer phone storage needs Android 11 or later and Link to Windows version 1.24072.258.0 or later; file drag and drop has device and transfer limits. Pairing your phone does not automatically unlock every one of these features.
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If the Resume icon does not appear
- Confirm the basics: Resume requires Windows 11 or later and Android 10 or later. Install available updates for Windows, Phone Link, and Link to Windows.
- Check the pairing: Verify the phone appears under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices and that both devices use the same Microsoft account.
- Check Resume controls: Open Settings > Apps > Resume and make sure the feature and the relevant app are allowed.
- Test a supported activity: Resume only works for integrated apps and activities. An unsupported app, an offline file, or an activity without a supported PC destination will not produce a handoff.
- Check the connection: Keep both devices online; for troubleshooting, connect them to the same Wi-Fi network. Some Android phones may also restrict Link to Windows in the background. If your phone has aggressive battery controls, allow the app to run in the background.
- Repair pairing if needed: Keep both devices nearby, powered on, and unlocked while pairing. Close and reopen Phone Link and Link to Windows, then update them before removing and re-adding the device.
If the phone is paired but a feature such as Apps, Phone screen, or file transfer is missing, check that feature’s device-specific requirements rather than treating it as a Resume problem. Microsoft’s Phone Link setup troubleshooting has additional recovery steps.
Permissions and practical trade-offs
Phone Link’s capabilities can involve access to notifications, messages, photos, calls, files, or app-related activity, depending on which features you enable. Review the permissions requested on the phone and grant only what you need. Resume offers quick continuity, but it works only when Microsoft, the phone maker, and the app or service support the handoff. Some expanded features may arrive gradually, and cloud-based scenarios require online files and connectivity.
You do not need to buy a new phone or subscribe to Microsoft 365 just to use basic Resume. A paid service or supported phone may matter for particular workflows, but Microsoft does not present a purchase as a prerequisite for the basic feature.
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