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First, decide which way you want the sound to travel: from your phone to your PC, or from your PC to your phone. Windows 11’s Phone Link can stream audio from certain Samsung phones to a computer. It can also control music playing on an Android phone while the sound stays on the phone. Microsoft’s Phone Link documentation does not establish a general way to send Windows media audio to a phone.
Choose the audio direction you need
| What you want to do | What Phone Link supports |
|---|---|
| Hear phone audio on the Windows 11 PC | Audio streaming is documented for eligible Samsung phones. See Microsoft’s Android apps and audio-streaming instructions. |
| Control phone music from Windows | Phone Link can display playback controls for supported Android audio apps, but playback remains on the phone or speakers connected to it. See Microsoft’s notification setup guidance. |
| Play Windows audio through the phone | The cited Phone Link documentation does not describe a general PC-to-phone media-audio feature. |
| Make or receive phone calls on the PC | Phone Link supports call handling over Bluetooth; this is separate from streaming media audio. See Microsoft’s calling instructions. |
Stream audio from a supported Samsung phone to Windows 11
Microsoft lists these requirements for Phone Link audio streaming: a Samsung device running One UI 5.0 or higher, Phone Link version 1.22092.214.0 or higher on the PC, and Link to Windows version 1.22102.149.0 or higher on the phone. Microsoft says this audio-streaming feature does not support Honor or Surface Duo devices.
- Check the phone’s One UI version and the Phone Link and Link to Windows app versions against Microsoft’s listed minimums.
- Connect the phone and PC with Phone Link. Open an Android app or the Phone screen feature in Phone Link, then approve the audio permissions requested on the phone for both Link to Windows and Link to Windows Service.
- In Phone Link on the PC, open Settings > Features > Apps.
- Under Hear audio from, choose Computer to play the phone audio through the PC. Choose Phone to route it back to the phone.
Phone Link’s general setup requirements are broader than the audio-streaming requirements: Microsoft lists Windows 11 (or Windows 10 with the October 2022 update or later), Android 10 or later, and a connection to the same Wi-Fi network. Meeting those general requirements does not by itself make a phone eligible for audio streaming. Microsoft also lists iPhone pairing requirements, but those do not establish iPhone support for Android audio streaming. See Phone Link requirements and setup.
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Control phone playback from Windows without moving the sound
If you only want playback buttons in Windows, enable Show audio currently playing from my phone in Phone Link settings and make sure notifications are configured for the audio app. The player can show Previous, Play/Pause, and Next. The audio still comes from the phone or speakers connected to it; these controls do not route it to the PC. Some third-party audio apps are not supported.
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Why mirrored Android apps may still play sound on the phone
Phone Link’s Apps feature mirrors Android apps on the PC; it does not install those apps as Windows applications. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance says audio from mirrored Android apps continues to play on the Android device. App mirroring and audio streaming are therefore distinct capabilities, and a mirrored app does not guarantee PC audio output. For setup details, see Microsoft’s Apps setup guidance.
Fix common Phone Link audio problems
The Computer output option is missing or audio does not switch
- Confirm the phone is a supported Samsung device running One UI 5.0 or higher, and that both companion apps meet Microsoft’s minimum versions.
- Open an Android app or Phone screen feature in Phone Link and accept the requested audio permissions for both Link to Windows and Link to Windows Service.
- Return to Settings > Features > Apps and check the Hear audio from selection.
Phone Link cannot connect or the mirrored app is unavailable
Check that the phone is nearby, connected to Wi-Fi, and not in airplane mode. Microsoft also identifies a locked PC, unavailable Wi-Fi, or a phone outside Wi-Fi range as possible causes of connection problems. Follow Microsoft’s Phone Link Apps troubleshooting steps.
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The playback controls do not appear
Check that notifications are enabled for the audio app and that Show audio currently playing from my phone is turned on in Phone Link. If the controls are still absent, the app may not be compatible with Phone Link’s audio player.
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Do not confuse Bluetooth calling with media streaming
Phone Link can handle calls on a PC with Android or iOS over Bluetooth, provided Bluetooth is available and enabled on both devices. That call feature is not evidence that Windows can send arbitrary music, video, or other PC audio to a phone.
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