phonelink no longer working properly on PC

Jenny 0 Reputation points
2026-10-06T02:11:52.2566667+00:00

My phonelink used to work just fine up until a week ago and for no reason stopped working properly. Nothing changed, and I didn't change any settings on my phone or PC. When I open apps on my PC using phonelink such as a baby cam -- I can no longer click on the buttons displayed on the app itself. I used to be able to enlarge the app screen, turn the camera, and adjust the image settings -- but I can no longer click anything on the app screen. That isn't the only app. I cannot do it with any other app I have used previously. I have the LGthinQ app to use the remote on there for my TV to control it -- but I can no longer click the buttons on that app to control my TV either. I tried repairing my phonelink several times and I've tried uninstalling phonelink from my PC as well. I turned off the battery saver settings and I also removed my phone and readded my phone as well -- but nothing is fixing my issue.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Connect Phone and PC
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  1. Clary-N 16,565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-06T06:59:51.2366667+00:00

    Hi Jenny,

    Thanks for trying those steps already. I’d like to narrow down whether this is affecting the Apps feature specifically or the connection more generally.

    When an app opens on the PC, does it display normally but stop responding when you try to use its controls? Does this happen with every app or only certain ones?

    As a next step, please open Phone screen and test the same app there:

    • If it works through Phone screen, check Phone Link on the PC and Link to Windows on the phone for updates. Restart both devices after updating, then try the app again from the Apps list.
    • If it still does not respond through Phone screen, temporarily turn off any VPN and close other phone-mirroring or projection apps, then test again on a trusted home network or mobile hotspot.
    • If most apps work and only one or two are affected, the issue may be limited to those particular apps.

    Please also let me know your phone model, Android version and the Windows version shown when you run winver. Once I know the result of the Phone screen test, I can better point you toward the most relevant next step.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-06T02:12:13.1266667+00:00

    Since repairing, uninstalling, re-adding the phone, and turning off Battery Saver were already tried, the next supported checks are the connection and app reset steps that affect app interaction in Phone Link:

    1. Verify the phone and PC are still on the same Wi-Fi network.
      • Phone Link app features can fail when the Android device and PC lose their connection or are not on the same network.
    2. On the Android device, confirm these are all true:
      • The device is turned on.
      • Battery Saver is Off.
      • Airplane mode is Off.
      • Link to Windows is signed in with the same Microsoft account used on the PC.
    3. Turn off Android battery optimization for Link to Windows.
      • Go to Android Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization.
      • Find Link to Windows and select Don't optimize.
      • On some devices: Android Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > All > Link to Windows > Off.
    4. On the PC, check the account status used for cross-device features.
      • Open Settings > System > Shared experiences.
      • If Fix now appears in Accounts, select it and complete the prompts.
    5. If apps in Phone Link show errors or stop responding correctly, unlock the PC and retry.
      • A locked PC can cause app connection problems.
    6. Do a full Phone Link reset on both devices.
      • On Android: Settings > Apps or Apps & Notifications > Link to Windows > Force Stop.
      • On the PC:
        1. Open https://accounts.microsoft.com/devices/android-ios and sign in.
        2. For each connected phone, select Show details > More actions > Unlink this phone.
        3. Go to Start > Settings > Phone > Unlink this PC.
        4. Go to Settings > Apps.
        5. In Apps & features, select Phone Link.
        6. Select Advanced options > Reset.
      • Then set up Phone Link again from scratch.
    7. If the issue started after an Android 10 update and app permissions are no longer working correctly, recheck Link to Windows permissions:
      • Settings > App Info > See all apps > Link to Windows > Permissions
      • Allow: Storage, Contacts, SMS, Phone
      • For notifications: search Notification access, toggle Link to Windows off and back on, then select Allow.
    8. If the problem continues, send feedback from Phone Link:
      • Open Phone Link > Settings > Feedback & Community > Send feedback.
      • Include that app windows open on the PC but on-screen controls inside multiple apps are no longer clickable.

    One limitation to keep in mind: some apps may not work correctly in Phone Link, and some apps can block casting behavior. If this is happening across apps that previously worked, the reset and reconnection path above is the most complete supported recovery path in the available guidance.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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