Linked phones can send web pages to a PC, and more features are coming.
During the Microsoft Build conference, we learned that Microsoft was working on clever ways to link your phone with your Windows 10 PC. The latest insider build kicks off the first step with some cross-browser magic that lets you send a web page from your phone right to the big screen.
Users on the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16251 for PC now have a new setting called "Phone" where you can get everything started. Hit it (it's with the rest of the settings) to link your phone to your PC to get started. Right now, you can only set things up with an Android phone, but we imagine the iPhone version has to be coming.
Once the two devices are linked, you can send a web site to your computer through the browser's native share option. Open it and choose the "Continue on PC" option to get to step two. Next, you'll need to sign into the same Microsoft account that you're using on your PC, because that's how all this cloud magic works — one account in both places can share almost anything you want it to share.
You'll have the choice to "Continue now" or "Continue later". Choosing "Continue Now" opens the web page on your PC immediately, letting you browse on the bigger and better screen of your computer. If you choose to "Continue later" you'll see an entry in the Action Center so you can have a click whenever is best for you.
Microsoft is steadily leveraging the billions of Android devices out there, and this first step of their ambitious linking project is a good one. We can't wait to see what they think of next!
Reader comments
Latest Windows 10 insider build lets you link your Android to your PC
Embrace and extend....
Link Android and iPhone? Can I link my windows phone?
What is a "windows phone"? That some sort of feature phone?
My comment was sarcastic, in case you did not get it.
It's a feature by Microsoft but they did not mention WP.
What browser does this work on when on Android?
Should work on any you could otherwise open with a link in an email, text message, from another app etc.
Samsung Flow.....
I really hope this evolves into being able to respond to texts from Windows without needing to use Skype. If they can make it as simple and seamless as iMessage, I'll gladly link my phone. Until then, I guess I'll stick to using Yappy and Chrome.
What's the price? Microsoft gets to learn EVERYTHING about you?
As if Google doesn't already know everything about you...
I already have a Google account that lets me sync everything I need between my phone and my PCs, and it has done it for a long time now. I do not have (nor do I want) a M$ account.
Another company, another account to set up on my device and a another password (possibly) to remember. Thanks, but I'll pass as I can't remember that last time I've actually plugged my device into my computer. Read once about the history of Android, Google and the folks behind Android wanted to provide the user an OS that wasn't tied to a computer every time you really needed to exchange data. It's why every app you download gets logged into your account on the Play Store, you can do a start a new phone or do a factory reset just by signing in and letting your device download and restore.
There's nothing stopping you from syncing to a computer sure, but between Google Photos, Google Keep, Google Drive and whatever else it really isn't necessary for Android users. I usually just share from my device to one of those services and then pull it up on my PC or do the reverse. Bought a bunch of music the other day on my PC at Google Music. I downloaded it and saved it to the PC, then once it was ready shared it to Google Drive, pulled that up on my phone to save it to the SD card. Done. Let someone else be tied to their computer to exchange data.
I guess in the future updates you would be able to share much mora than just websites
Ahhh BBRY, you had this and way more with Blend but in typical BlackBerry fashion, you SCREWED the pooch!!
Now MS is going to run away with it!
bastards.....wish they linked iPhone too!
Might not be able to depending on Apple's rules.
I'm sure that's what it is....but I figured Nutella was in bed with Apple after appearing on stage at an apple event to release office. Just hoping. ha ha. I am hoping that apple loosens their belt and develops the imessage app for windows store. Hell charge 5.99 for it, I would PAY to have that on my computer.
Considering what you can actually sync, I can't see there being any rules against it.
Email, documents, images, music, etc.
Just perhaps trying to get the experience right first with one platform before trying to develop another.
Read over on WC that apple support is "coming soon". So, that could be within the month, or that could be within the decade. Never know with MS. It's good this is starting to happen though. Now, if apple would just loosen up their belts on some of their apps, and we would have amazing computing.
Your headline is wrong. For the sake of consistency: "Latest Windows 10 insider build lets you link your Android to your WINDOWS"
Because Android and Windows are both OS's and not the physical device.
Still not quite right. There's something grating about referring to an Android device as "an Android". An iPhone is the physical hardware, Android is only the OS.
Good. Now release Edge for Android. I want to sync my favourites.
👍👍👍👍👍
I'd also like to see Edge come to Android.
+1
Wondering...will it send the mobile site or switch to be optimized for the PC? I do like the idea.
Hopefully the dev will use responsive design and the page will be able to figure out what size device it's being opened on.
It should do that already if you send a link via email, and you are opening it in the browser on your mobile device in much the same way, so it should do.
I've been using Pushbullet for this for a few years, but I see the benefit to implementing it MS's way: I often don't want the webpage to open immediately, but leaving it as a notification in my Action Center that I can deal with when I feel like it is a much better implementation.
I assume this will pave the way for further connections, like integrated SMS in the Action Center?
Push bullet can be set up that way, but I also like this better since it's one less app I need to worry about. Plus the pushbullet windows app is clunky and sometimes unreliable
You can already have SMS on your PC using the Cortana for Android app
Actually there is sms in the action center that I use between my Android and PC , can reply to it. Been that way since Build 16231 using Cortana.
Or I just use chrome.
Was just about to say that.. Pointless feature there mr softy
I think they think people use Edge.
What if I told you I actually use Edge and I think this feature is really useful as a former Windows Mobile user?
I use Edge too and this article piqued my interest right away. I happen to think this feature is great. I'm constantly switching work documents on my android phone and tablet, good to see that I can work from my tablet and then view the web page later on my PC and continue on later.
This. Edge imo is the best browser right now. It's native, light, and has what I need for long browsing sessions. Plus it has extensions. I think having this feature built in will help people solve a problem they didn't know they had, which is always a good sign.
I tried edge on my PC, and the experience has been awful.
Dreadful performance-wise, more sluggish with one tab open than Chrome with over a dozen.
"some" improvement with an adblocker, but nowhere enough for me to consider it even a viable alternative to look at just one page occasionally without loading my main browser, something even internet explorer was better at.
Plus a big assumption that is all it can do.
The plans, albeit now delayed showed the ability to continue work on a document seamlessly, images, even text shared like a clipboard.
That can potentially be a useful tool for way more.
It really depend firstly on how it is implemented in practice, both fro the android side and when using something that isn't Edge.
Microsoft Edge is one of the fastest and best browsers to download a better browser.
Definitely think edge has millions of users...
Millions is a small number respectively.
I use edge. I think this a great feature.
Yet another company trying to get their account setup on my phone? No thanks. I'll just continue to email the link to myself like everybody has been doing for years.
Yet another person trying to get me into one of those automobiles. I'll keep riding my horse like people have been doing for millenia! Though I concede android working on Windows isn't nearly as groundbreaking. :)
Okay everyone, we can go home - this guy already won ^^
Lol.
Might as well go back to dumb phones
I personally use Chrome on phone and PC. You can view tabs you have open on other devices on the history page if you're interested in doing it that way.
I also sometimes use pushbullet, which offers similar functionality to this settings feature.
This works well for me too.
Ugh. Emailing links is sad really. Why not at least send the link to Google drive. Lol.