Do you ever get frustrated when trying to type out a text on a tiny Android smartphone screen? Not only are the keyboards small, autocorrect seems to have a mind of its own, and it’s often not what you intended at all.
While the teens may have mastered thumb typing, many of us can fly on a normal-sized keyboard but feel completely hampered typing on a smartphone.
For years, Mac and iPhone users have had a nifty feature that pairs their iPhone and computer, allowing them to send and receive texts from their Mac. Windows 10 users now have it too, and it’s a real life-changer!
One reason it pays to get technology guidance from a New Jersey technology guru is to stay on top of big feature updates. The ability to pair your Windows 10 computer with your Android smartphone was introduced at the end of 2018, and the integration has been getting better all the time.
What Is It?
The Your Phone app comes preinstalled on Windows 10 and it can also be downloaded from the Microsoft Store for free. If you don’t see it on your computer, make sure that your operating system has the latest update installed.
How Does It Work?
You simply connect your Android phone using the Your Phone app on your Windows 10 computer (I’ll take you through the steps below), add the app to your Android phone, and connect them.
Once they’re connected, you’ll be able to do several things that can make your life much easier.
What Does It Do?
Have you ever struggled trying to get a photo that was taken on your phone over to your computer so you could email it or use it for a project? What about having to squint to see something on your phone screen and wishing it was bigger?
Once your PC and Android phone are paired, here are some of the awesome things you’ll be able to do:
· Text from Your Computer: Enjoy much easier typing and a larger screen area for reading texts. You’ll be able to see all your incoming and outgoing text messages and use your computer instead of phone to send text messages, drag & drop images in a text, and more.
· Automatically See Phone Photos: Once paired, you won’t have to go through the struggle of trying to get a photo from your phone to your PC again. You’ll be able to see recent photos and screenshots you’ve taken automatically and can easily “Save as” to save them to your computer.
· See Your Phone Screen on Your Computer: Wish you could make something on your phone screen easier to read? With the phone screen feature in the Your Phone app, you can easily mirror your phone screen over to your Windows PC wirelessly.
· Make & Receive Calls on Your PC: Enjoy handsfree calling by making and receiving calls through your computer instead of your smartphone when you like. You can easily start a call on one device and then transfer it over to the other.
How Do I Connect My Android Phone with My Windows 10 PC?
Here are the steps to take to pair your Android phone with your Windows 10 PC.
Wait… What if I have an iPhone and Windows computer?
If you have an iPhone, you can still go through the pairing, but unfortunately, you’ve have far fewer features due to Windows and Apple not exactly playing well together. iPhone users can send a webpage from their phone to their PC and vice versa, but that’s about all at the moment.
Step 1: Install the Your Phone Companion App on Your Phone
Start with your phone. You want to be sure you have the Your Phone Companion application installed on your Android phone. You’ll use this during the setup process on your Computer.
Step 2: Open the Your Phone App on Your Windows 10 Computer
Next, move over to your computer. You want to open the Your Phone app. The fastest way to do this is to type “Your Phone” in the large search bar at the bottom left corner of your screen. Then click the “Your Phone App” option to open it.
Step 3: Choose Android or iPhone
Next, you’ll choose the type of phone you have, Android or iPhone, and then press the “Continue” button.
Step 4: Sign into Your Microsoft Account and Scan the QR Code
Once you choose “Android,” you’ll be taken to a screen asking you to sign into your Microsoft account if you’re not already signed in.
You’ll see a QR code on the screen. Get your Android phone, open the Your Phone Companion app you downloaded and use it to scan the code.
The experience for iPhone users will be different. iPhone users will be asked to download and sign into the Edge browser on their iPhone.
Step 5: Set Your Permissions
Android users will now be taken through some permissions questions. These will ask you questions such as, if you want to allow the Your Phone Companion App to manage phone calls (allow, if you want to use your computer to make and receive calls).
If you’re ever unsure about any of these permission questions, just give me a call and I can explain what each one does.
Once you’ve gone through the permissions, you’ll get a confirmation that your devices are connected and you can start using the Your Phone app on your computer to text, call, and more!
Take control of your tech by setting up a session with me. Call me at: 862-368-4893 or Email me here.
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