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The latest version of Windows 10 lets you easily transfer photos and send text messages from your Android phone - here's how to do it
The latest version of Windows 10 lets you easily transfer photos and send text messages from your Android phone - here's how to do it
Antonio Villas-BoasOct 3, 2018, 23:14 IST
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
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Microsoft announced a slew of new hardware and software updates on Tuesday, but one piece of news stuck out.
You can now link your Android phone to your Windows 10 PC to send and receive text messages, and also view and transfer photos from your Android phone.
It's Microsoft's move to create much needed compatibility between your Android phone and Windows 10 PC, much like the existing compatibility between Apple's computers and iPhones that helped make the Apple ecosystem so popular.
The feature involves an app called "Your Phone" for both your Android phone and Windows 10 PC, and it links both devices together over WiFi to show you photos and messages from your Android phone to your PC.
After updating Windows 10 to the latest October 2018 update, search for 'Your Phone' in the search bar next to the Windows Start button.
Even after updating Windows 10, you might be asked to update the "Your Phone" app. Just update and open once it's all set.
Click 'Get Started' and sign in with your Microsoft account.
The 'Your Phone' app will send you a link via text message to download the Android version of the 'Your Phone' mobile app.
On your Android phone, tap the link Microsoft sent you. You'll be taken to the Google Play Store where you can install the 'Your Phone' app for Android.
Open the Android 'Your Phone' app and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Then, tap 'Allow' for the four permissions that the 'Your Phone' app needs to link photos and text messages from your Android phone to your Windows 10 PC.
Also, swipe the Android notification shade down, and tap 'Allow' to let your phone connect to your Windows 10 PC.
Now, return to the 'Your Phone' app on your PC, and you should be all set!
The "Your Phone" app on your PC might be stuck on the screen asking you to send a notification to your phone to allow access. If so, you can just close the app and re-open it to refresh it.
From there on, you should be able to see recent photos taken with your Android phone, as well as all your text messages. New messages will show up on the app, and you can also send messages, too.
One great feature with photos on the 'Your Phone' app lets you click and drag photos from your Android phone to anywhere on your Windows 10 PC. It simply works over WiFi, and is completely seamless.
My only major complaint about the 'Your Phone' feature on the updated Windows 10 is that it only shows you recent photos taken with your Android phone. I would have preferred to see all the photos taken with my phone.
The text messages feature is a great start, but it doesn't show photos that people sent you in text messages. Perhaps that's something that can be updated in the future.
