Phone Link: Missing notifications on the taskbar icon

Anders Strand-Holm 100 Reputation points
2026-11-09T15:24:09.4266667+00:00

I have noticed that Phone Link shows no notifications on the task bar icon, when notifications are present in Phone Link on my PC. Phone Link is configured to start when I sign into Windows.

When I open Phone Link the new messages are present, and first then the task bar icon shows the number of notifications matching the number of messages present.

I have checked all settings on Phone Link in Windows and everything is correctly configured.

The number of notifications received, should appear on the task bar icon, when new messages are received on my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, linked to Phone Link in Windows.

How to fix this issue?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Connect Phone and PC
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Answer accepted by question author
Thomas4-N 23,265 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-11-11T08:17:48.7333333+00:00

Hello Anders Strand-Holm,

Since the notification count appears correctly as soon as you open Phone Link, I'd like to narrow down whether the issue is with background synchronization or just the taskbar icon updating.

Could you check one thing?

When Phone Link is running in the background and a new message arrives on your Galaxy S25 Ultra, do you still receive a Windows notification banner, even though the taskbar icon doesn't show the count? Or do both only appear after you open Phone Link?

This would help distinguish whether notifications aren't being delivered in the background or whether only the taskbar badge isn't refreshing.

For reference, Microsoft covers Phone Link synchronization and notification behavior here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/apps/phonelink/troubleshooting-the-phone-link

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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-09T15:24:28.6666667+00:00

    For this symptom, the most relevant fix is to verify that Phone Link is allowed to show message notifications and badges in the app, then refresh notification permissions between the PC and the phone.

    1. In Phone Link on the PC, go to Settings > Features > Messages.
      • Turn on Show notification banners.
      • Turn on Badge on taskbar.
    2. In Phone Link on the PC, go to Settings > Features > Notifications.
      • Confirm notifications are enabled.
      • If needed, select View apps and make sure the messaging app is not disabled.
    3. Reset notification syncing on the Android device.
      • Open Settings on the phone.
      • Search for Notification access.
      • Find Link to Windows, turn it Off, then On again.
      • Select Allow when prompted.
    4. On the PC, open Phone Link > Notifications and wait for notifications to refresh.
    5. Check Windows conditions that suppress Phone Link notifications.
      • Make sure Battery saver is Off on the PC and phone.
      • Make sure Focus assist is Off on Windows.
      • Make sure Do not disturb is Off on the Android device.
    6. On the Android device, disable battery optimization for Link to Windows, because it can interrupt notification delivery.
      • Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization
      • Set Link to Windows to Don't optimize
      • On some devices: Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > All > Link to Windows > Off
    7. If the badge still appears only after opening Phone Link, reset the Windows app:
      • Search for Phone Link from the taskbar.
      • Right-click it and select App settings.
      • Scroll down and select Reset.
      • Restart the PC, open Phone Link, and reconnect the device.

    If notifications appear inside Phone Link but the taskbar badge updates only after opening the app, that usually points to notification sync or badge state not refreshing until the app session is active. The steps above target the supported notification, badge, permission, and background-delivery settings that affect that behavior.

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

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