Yous just took a photo or screenshot on your Android phone and want to apply it on your Windows 10 computer; or, maybe y'all texted someone on your phone and would similar to continue the chat on your computer. Yous can do both courtesy of Microsoft's Your Phone feature.

By pairing your phone with Windows and setting up the Your Phone Companion app, yous tin view and admission recent photos and get your text messages. Android vii.0 or higher is required to use the Your Phone app; on the PC, Windows 10 Apr 2018 Update (Version 1803) or higher is required.

The initial setup process can be tricky, and for at present, this works only with Android devices (deplorable, iPhone users). But one time everything is in place, y'all should find this an constructive way to grab photos and messages from your Android telephone at your Windows ten computer.

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Start, y'all need to link your Android phone to Windows 10. To do this, open Settings and click the category for Phone. At the Your Phone settings screen, click the button to Add A Phone (Effigy A).

Effigy A

Confirm your Microsoft business relationship if prompted and and so click the button to Link Phone. Type the phone number for your Android phone and click the Send button (Figure B).

Effigy B

You lot should receive a text on your telephone with a link to install the Your Phone Companion app–click that link and install the app from Google Play. Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft Account. Allow the Your Phone Companion app to access your photos, media, and files on your device. So Let it to ship and view SMS messages. Next, Permit the app to make and manage telephone calls. Finally, Let it to access your contacts (Figure C).

Figure C

Decide whether to let the app always run in the background. Allowing it to run in the background ensures that you'll exist able to access the latest photos and text messages in Windows ten, but the groundwork procedure chews upwardly more battery life on your phone. To attempt out the process initially, I advise you lot Permit the app to run in the background; you can always modify that setting after you know that the feature works correctly.

Next the app needs to check your PC earlier moving onto the adjacent step. You should run across a message in Windows 10 prompting you to ship a notification to your phone–click the Send push button. On your phone, tap Allow in the notification. Your phone and PC are now continued (Effigy D).

Figure D

Make certain your phone has photos or screenshots in the Google Photos app. In the Your Telephone app on your computer, select the entry for Photos then click the button to See Photos (Figure E).

Figure Eastward

You should come across recent photos, screenshots, or other images you've taken on your phone (Microsoft limits your access to the last 25 photos or screenshots taken on your phone). As y'all capture additional photos and images, they should automatically appear in the Your Phone app. You can too click the Refresh link to make certain that the latest ones pop up (Figure F).

Figure F

Next, endeavor viewing your latest text messages. Select the entry for Messages and click the push to Run into Texts (Figure G).

Effigy K

Your latest text letters should announced. Click a specific message to view it. At the lesser of the screen, you can respond to the message if yous wish. You can also create a new message past clicking the New Message button at the top and and then composing and sending your message (Effigy H).

Figure H

Troubleshooting assistance for the Your Phone app

The process doesn't always go smoothly–I've tried it a variety of times and have bumped into hiccups. For example, sometimes the initial link between your phone and calculator may not kick in. If you lot run into any problems forth the style, check Microsoft'southward Assist folio on the Your Phone app for more information and troubleshooting steps.