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There is no universal winner. Choose Phone Hub when you use a Chromebook with an Android phone and want Chromebook-specific controls, phone status, Chrome tabs, notifications, photos, or app streaming on an eligible handset. Choose Microsoft Phone Link when you use Windows—especially with an iPhone—or when you want Windows access to messages, calls, notifications, photos and, on selected Android phones, phone apps or the Phone screen.
The computer operating system decides which service is available; the phone model then decides how much of the advertised feature set you actually receive. Neither service has a documented universal speed or reliability advantage.
Phone Hub and Phone Link are built for different computers
Phone Hub is a ChromeOS feature for connecting an Android phone to a Chromebook. Google describes it as a way to use phone features from the Chromebook screen, including phone status, controls, Chrome tabs, notifications and recent images. The official guide is available in Google’s Phone Hub documentation.
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These are not two apps competing on the same operating system. A Chromebook owner cannot substitute Phone Link for Phone Hub, and a Windows owner cannot install Phone Hub as the equivalent Windows utility. Start by identifying the computer and phone you already have.
Quick decision guide
| Your computer | Your phone | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromebook | Android | Phone Hub | It is integrated into ChromeOS and supplies phone status, quick controls, tabs, notifications and recent photos. |
| Windows PC | iPhone | Phone Link | It is the documented Windows option for iPhone messages, calls, notifications and contacts, subject to Bluetooth and iOS requirements. |
| Windows PC | Android | Phone Link | It offers Windows access to messages, calls, notifications, photos and supported Android apps. |
| Chromebook | iPhone | Neither service in this comparison | Phone Hub’s documentation covers Android phones, while Phone Link is a Windows service. |
If your priority is running phone apps on a larger screen, do not decide from the service name alone. Check the exact handset, Android version, market availability and network conditions in the advanced-feature sections below.
Requirements at a glance
| Service and phone type | Computer requirement | Phone requirement | Connection conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Hub with Android | Chromebook running ChromeOS M89 or later | Android 5.1 or later | Bluetooth must be enabled during connection. |
| Phone Link with Android | Windows 10 with the October 2022 update or later, or Windows 11 | Android 10 or later | Phone and PC must use the same Wi-Fi network; Microsoft recommends the latest Windows version. |
| Phone Link with iPhone | Windows 10 with the May 2019 update or later, or Windows 11 | iOS 16 or later | PC must support Bluetooth Low Energy; pairing uses Bluetooth and iOS permissions. |
These are the minimums for the documented integrations, not a promise that every feature will work on every qualifying device. Phone Link’s advanced Android functions and Phone Hub’s app streaming have additional compatibility lists.
What Phone Hub does on a Chromebook
Phone status and Chromebook controls
After pairing, Phone Hub can show the Android phone’s signal and battery status on the Chromebook. Its quick commands include turning on a phone hotspot, silencing the phone and locating it. These controls are useful when the phone is nearby but not in your hand.
Chrome tabs, notifications and recent photos
Phone Hub can expose Chrome tabs opened on the Android phone, synchronize phone notifications to the Chromebook and show recent Gallery photos and screenshots. Notification controls let you decide whether phone alerts appear on the Chromebook rather than duplicating every alert automatically.
Phone app streaming, when the handset qualifies
App streaming is a separate, more demanding feature. Google lists the Pixel 4A or later running Android 13 or later, Nothing Phone (1) and (2), and selected Xiaomi 12T, 12T Pro, 13 and 13 Pro models running Android 13 or later. The list is intentionally narrower than the list of phones that can perform a basic Phone Hub connection.
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For streaming, the phone and Chromebook must be close together and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Google warns that some public or private networks may not support it. Instant Tethering can create a local network when the existing network does not work, but it does not remove handset eligibility requirements. Digital-rights-management rules can also prevent some entertainment apps from streaming correctly.
Offline behavior
Google says the listed Phone Hub features can still be used while the Chromebook is offline. App streaming is the exception: it has the proximity and network conditions above. Treat offline access as a convenience for the basic hub, not as an offline mode for remotely running phone apps.
How to set up Phone Hub
- On the Chromebook, open Settings and go to Connected devices.
- Choose the Android-phone connection option and follow the on-screen setup prompts.
- Turn on Bluetooth when prompted; it is required during the connection process.
- Approve the requested phone permissions and enable only the Phone Hub features you want, such as notifications or photos.
- For app streaming, verify the phone model and Android version against Google’s supported list, place both devices nearby and connect them to the same Wi-Fi network.
The exact switches shown can vary with ChromeOS and Android updates. If basic status or notifications work but app streaming does not appear, that usually indicates a compatibility or network limitation rather than a failed basic pairing.
What Phone Link does on Windows
Common Android and iPhone functions
Microsoft positions Phone Link around messages, calls, notifications and recent photos. On Android, it can also provide access to mobile apps where the phone supports the relevant feature. On iPhone, the documented capability is different: Bluetooth pairing and iOS permissions govern messages, contacts, call history and notifications. Do not treat iPhone pairing as an Android-style phone-app mirror.
Android connection model
Android setup pairs the Phone Link app on the PC with Link to Windows on the phone, commonly using a QR code. The process then requests permissions for the categories you choose to synchronize. Phone Link includes feature toggles so you can decide which content and capabilities are shared with Windows.
iPhone connection model
For an iPhone, Phone Link uses Bluetooth rather than the Android QR-code workflow. The PC needs Bluetooth Low Energy support, the iPhone needs iOS 16 or later, and iOS permissions control access to notifications, messages, contacts and call history. Microsoft notes that work or school accounts are not supported for this iPhone scenario.
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How to set up Phone Link
Android phone
- Confirm that the Windows PC meets the Windows-version requirement and that the Android phone runs Android 10 or later.
- Put the PC and phone on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open Phone Link on the PC and start the Android-phone setup.
- Open or install Link to Windows on the phone when prompted, then use the QR-code pairing flow.
- Grant the permissions needed for messages, calls, notifications, photos or other features you intend to use.
- Open Phone Link’s feature controls and leave enabled only the categories you want synchronized.
iPhone
- Confirm Windows 10 (May 2019 update or later) or Windows 11, iOS 16 or later and Bluetooth Low Energy support on the PC.
- Start the iPhone setup in Phone Link and enable Bluetooth on both devices.
- Complete the pairing code or confirmation steps shown by Windows and iOS.
- Approve the iPhone permissions for notifications, messages, contacts and call history.
- Use Phone Link’s controls to choose which supported information is displayed on the PC.
Phone Link’s feature availability can change with Windows, Android, iOS and manufacturer updates. Microsoft recommends keeping Windows current.
Phone Hub versus Phone Link feature comparison
| Decision axis | Phone Hub | Microsoft Phone Link |
|---|---|---|
| Computer platform | Chromebook running ChromeOS | Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, with version requirements depending on phone type |
| Phone platform | Android | Android or iPhone |
| Everyday integration | Signal and battery, hotspot/silence/locate commands, Chrome tabs, notification control and sync, recent Gallery photos and screenshots | Messages, calls, notifications and recent photos; supported Android phones can add mobile-app access |
| Advanced app access | App streaming on selected Android devices; proximity and the same Wi-Fi network are required | Phone screen and Apps on selected compatible Android devices, with market and manufacturer limitations |
| Initial connection | Chromebook Connected devices settings with Bluetooth enabled | Android uses Phone Link plus Link to Windows; iPhone uses Bluetooth pairing and iOS permissions |
| Main constraint | Chromebook-only, and app streaming has a shorter compatible-device list than basic Phone Hub | Windows-only, with materially different capabilities for Android and iPhone |
Android app access is conditional in both services
Phone Hub app streaming
Google’s supported Phone Hub streaming list is limited to selected phones and Android 13 or later for the models named in the guide. The phone must remain near the Chromebook and share its Wi-Fi network. Network isolation, certain public networks and DRM-protected apps can interfere even when the model is eligible.
Phone Link Apps and Phone screen
Microsoft’s Phone screen lets you operate phone apps from the PC with a mouse, trackpad, keyboard or touch screen. It is intended for supported Android devices running Android 10 or later in select markets. Microsoft gives examples from selected Samsung, HONOR, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, ROG and vivo devices; the examples are not a guarantee that every model from those manufacturers qualifies.
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Which service fits each common use case?
You have a Chromebook and an Android phone
Start with Phone Hub. It is the native integration and covers the Chromebook-oriented tasks most users want: checking phone status, issuing quick commands, viewing Chrome tabs, receiving notifications and opening recent photos. Investigate the streaming eligibility list only if running phone apps on the Chromebook is central to your decision.
You have a Windows PC and an iPhone
Phone Link is the documented choice among these two products. Verify Windows, iOS and Bluetooth Low Energy requirements, then expect the iPhone feature set to center on messages, calls, contacts, call history and notifications. Do not promise Android-style Apps or Phone screen behavior.
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You have a Windows PC and an Android phone
Phone Link is the broader fit in this comparison because it combines messages, calls, notifications and photos with supported Android app features. Check Microsoft’s current compatibility list before relying on Phone screen or Apps; Android version alone does not establish eligibility.
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Compare the two supported-device lists, not just the headline features. Phone Hub requires one of Google’s listed streaming models and a suitable local network. Phone Link requires a compatible Android handset, Android 10 or later, and in some cases a supported market and manufacturer implementation. If your phone is outside either list, expect the basic messaging, notification or photo features rather than app control.
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The computer cannot find the phone
- For Phone Hub, confirm that the Chromebook is on ChromeOS M89 or later, the phone is on Android 5.1 or later and Bluetooth is enabled.
- For Android Phone Link, confirm Windows 10 with the October 2022 update or later or Windows 11, Android 10 or later and the same Wi-Fi network.
- For iPhone Phone Link, confirm iOS 16 or later and Bluetooth Low Energy support on the PC.
Basic connection works but app streaming or Phone screen is missing
Basic pairing does not grant advanced app access. Compare the exact phone model and software version with Google’s streaming list or Microsoft’s supported-device list. Microsoft’s advanced Android features can also be market-dependent.
Streaming starts but an app does not display correctly
For Phone Hub, move the devices closer, use the same Wi-Fi network and try Instant Tethering if the current network blocks the connection. Some public or private networks may be incompatible, and DRM rules can block particular entertainment apps. For Phone Link, remember that some games and apps do not accept mouse or keyboard input even when Phone screen itself is available.
Too many notifications or unexpected phone data appears
Review the feature permissions and synchronization toggles in the relevant service. Both setup flows allow you to control categories such as notifications, messages, photos and calls; disabling a category is preferable to disconnecting the entire integration when you only want fewer alerts.
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An iPhone setup asks for a work or school account
Microsoft states that work or school accounts are not supported for the iPhone Phone Link scenario. Use a supported personal-account setup or follow your organization’s separate device-management guidance.
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Do not confuse Phone Hub with Google’s broader phone connection features
Google also documents Android-to-Chromebook functions such as syncing chat notifications and photos, Chromebook SMS, a phone-network connection and phone-based Chromebook unlocking. That separate guide lists ChromeOS 71 or later and Android 6 or later. Those thresholds are not replacements for Phone Hub’s stated ChromeOS M89 and Android 5.1 requirements; they describe a different, broader set of connection features. See Google’s Android phone connection guide alongside the Phone Hub guide.
Privacy and permissions in everyday use
Neither integration should be enabled as an all-or-nothing decision. During setup, Android and iOS ask for access that corresponds to the features you select, while Phone Hub and Phone Link expose controls for the categories they synchronize. If you only need a hotspot command, for example, there is no reason to enable every notification category. Revisit those controls after a major ChromeOS, Windows, Android or iOS update because labels and available switches can change.
Is one faster or more reliable?
No head-to-head performance, reliability or satisfaction study establishes a winner between Phone Hub and Phone Link. The official materials describe requirements and features, not comparative latency or uptime. A useful decision therefore comes from platform fit, phone type, requested capabilities and eligibility—not from an unsupported claim that one service is inherently faster.
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Final buying and setup advice
If you have not chosen a computer yet, Phone Hub is a reason to consider a Chromebook only when you also use an Android phone and value its ChromeOS integration. The documented requirements do not identify a particular Chromebook model or accessory. Phone Link similarly does not require a specific Windows PC model beyond the Windows and Bluetooth requirements for your phone type.
Before committing to either ecosystem, write down the one feature you cannot compromise on—such as iPhone notifications, Chromebook phone controls or Android app access—then verify the exact operating-system versions, handset model, market and network conditions. That checklist prevents the most common disappointment: a phone that pairs successfully but cannot provide the advanced feature you expected.
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