Phone Link stops working when Windows and your phone lose their connection

Phone Link is Microsoft's tool that connects your Windows PC to an Android or iPhone, letting you see texts, calls, and photos on your computer. When it stops connecting, the problem is almost always one of three things: your phone and PC are no longer on the same Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth is off on one device, or the Phone Link app needs to be restarted or reinstalled.

The connection between your phone and PC happens over your home Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, not through the internet itself. If either device switches networks, loses Bluetooth, or the app crashes, Phone Link stops working. The fix usually takes less than five minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Phone Link requires your phone and PC to be on the same Wi-Fi network or connected via Bluetooth, so check both devices are connected to the same network first.
  • Restarting the Phone Link app on both your phone and PC fixes most connection problems without any other steps.
  • If restarting does not work, sign out of Phone Link completely, then sign back in with your Microsoft account.
  • Reinstalling Phone Link on your PC is the last step if other fixes fail, and it takes about two minutes.

Check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network

Phone Link needs your phone and PC connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If your phone switched to a different network or your PC is using a wired connection, they cannot reach each other.

On your phone, open Settings and look for Wi-Fi or Network. Write down the name of the network you are connected to. On your Windows PC, click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar and confirm it shows the same network name. If they do not match, connect your phone to the same network as your PC.

If you use a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network and your phone is older, it may only support 2.4 GHz. Check your router settings or ask your internet provider which frequency your network uses. Some routers broadcast both at once under the same name, so your phone may have automatically chosen the 2.4 GHz band.

Turn Bluetooth on and make sure it is working

Phone Link can also connect over Bluetooth if Wi-Fi is not available. Even if you plan to use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth should be on for the initial pairing and for backup.

On your phone, open Settings and search for Bluetooth. Turn it on. On your Windows PC, click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar, then look for Bluetooth in that menu and turn it on. Wait 10 seconds for both devices to detect each other.

If Bluetooth was already on, turn it off on both devices, wait 5 seconds, then turn it back on. This forces the devices to re-scan for each other. Airplane mode also disables Bluetooth, so check that Airplane mode is off on both your phone and PC.

Restart the Phone Link app on both devices

The Phone Link app sometimes stops responding without crashing visibly. Closing and reopening it fixes the connection in most cases.

On your phone, open the Phone Link app (or the Companion app on iPhone), then close it completely. On your PC, close the Phone Link window. Wait 10 seconds, then open Phone Link on your phone first, wait for it to load fully, then open Phone Link on your PC. The connection should appear within 30 seconds.

If the app still will not connect after restarting, move to the next step. Do not spend time restarting multiple times — it usually works on the first try or not at all.

Sign out and sign back into Phone Link

If restarting the app does not work, the connection between your Microsoft account and your phone may have become corrupted. Signing out and back in resets this connection.

On your PC, open Phone Link and look for a menu icon (usually three dots or lines in the top right). Select Settings or Account, then find the option to sign out. You will see a message asking you to confirm. Click Sign Out. On your phone, do the same in the Phone Link or Companion app.

Wait 30 seconds. Open Phone Link on your PC and sign in with your Microsoft account. You will be asked to sign in on your phone as well. Complete the sign-in process on both devices. Phone Link will re-pair them and should connect within one minute.

Reinstall Phone Link on your Windows PC

If signing out and back in does not work, the Phone Link app itself may be corrupted. Reinstalling it takes about two minutes and fixes most remaining problems.

On your PC, open Settings and go to Apps, then Apps & Features. Search for "Phone Link" in the list. Click it, then click Uninstall. Confirm the uninstall. Restart your PC.

After restart, open the Microsoft Store app and search for "Phone Link". Click Get to reinstall it. Once installation is complete, open Phone Link and sign in with your Microsoft account. Your phone should connect automatically.

Check for app updates on both devices

Outdated versions of Phone Link sometimes have connection bugs that are fixed in newer releases. Check that both your phone and PC have the latest version.

On your PC, open the Microsoft Store, click your profile icon in the top right, and select Downloads and Updates. Click Get Updates. If Phone Link appears in the list, it will update automatically.

On your phone, open the app store (Google Play on Android, App Store on iPhone). Search for Phone Link or Companion, click it, and look for an Update button. If you see one, tap it. Restart both apps after updating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Phone Link keep disconnecting during the day?

Your phone may be switching between Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth is turning off to save battery. Check your phone's battery settings and look for any option that disables Bluetooth when the screen is off. Also confirm your PC does not go to sleep, which disconnects Phone Link. Open Settings on your PC, go to System, then Power, and set the screen timeout to a longer duration.

Can I use Phone Link if my phone is not on Wi-Fi?

Phone Link requires either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to connect to your PC. It does not work over cellular data. If your phone is away from your home Wi-Fi, Bluetooth can still work if your PC is nearby, but the connection will be slower and shorter range than Wi-Fi.

Does Phone Link work with all Android phones and iPhones?

Phone Link works with most Android phones running version 7.0 or newer and iPhones running iOS 16 or newer. Some older or budget phones may not support it. Check the Microsoft Store listing for Phone Link to see the full list of supported devices.

What should I do if my phone says it is connected but I see no texts or calls on my PC?

The connection is established but Phone Link has not synced your data yet. Wait two minutes for the first sync to complete. If nothing appears, sign out of Phone Link on both devices and sign back in. If you still see nothing, check that you gave Phone Link permission to access your messages and calls on your phone — open your phone's Settings, find the Phone Link or Companion app, and confirm all permissions are turned on.

Can I connect multiple phones to one PC?

Phone Link on Windows currently supports one phone per PC. If you want to connect a different phone, you must sign out the current phone first, then sign in with the new one. You can use Phone Link on multiple PCs with the same phone, but only one PC can be connected at a time.