Y'all just took a photograph or screenshot on your Android telephone and want to use it on your Windows x computer; or, maybe you texted someone on your phone and would like to go along the conversation on your computer. Yous can do both courtesy of Microsoft'southward Your Phone feature.

By pairing your phone with Windows and setting upwards the Your Phone Companion app, you can view and admission contempo photos and get your text messages. Android 7.0 or higher is required to employ the Your Phone app; on the PC, Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Version 1803) or higher is required.

The initial setup process tin can exist tricky, and for now, this works only with Android devices (sorry, iPhone users). But once everything is in place, you should detect this an constructive way to grab photos and messages from your Android telephone at your Windows 10 computer.

See: Windows 10 power tips: Secret shortcuts to your favorite settings (Tech Pro Research)

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

Figure A

Ostend your Microsoft account if prompted and and then click the push button to Link Telephone. Type the phone number for your Android phone and click the Send push (Figure B).

Figure 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 up the app and sign in with your Microsoft Account. Permit the Your Phone Companion app to admission your photos, media, and files on your device. Then Permit it to transport and view SMS messages. Next, Allow the app to make and manage phone calls. Finally, Allow it to admission your contacts (Figure C).

Effigy C

Determine whether to let the app ever run in the background. Allowing it to run in the background ensures that you'll be able to access the latest photos and text messages in Windows 10, but the background process chews upwards more battery life on your phone. To try out the process initially, I suggest you Allow the app to run in the background; you tin can always modify that setting after you know that the feature works correctly.

Next the app needs to bank check your PC before moving onto the next step. You lot should meet a message in Windows 10 prompting yous to send a notification to your telephone–click the Send button. On your phone, tap Let in the notification. Your phone and PC are now continued (Effigy D).

Effigy D

Brand certain your telephone has photos or screenshots in the Google Photos app. In the Your Phone app on your figurer, select the entry for Photos and so click the button to See Photos (Figure Eastward).

Effigy E

You should see recent photos, screenshots, or other images you've taken on your phone (Microsoft limits your access to the concluding 25 photos or screenshots taken on your telephone). Every bit yous capture additional photos and images, they should automatically appear in the Your Phone app. You can also click the Refresh link to make sure that the latest ones popular upwards (Figure F).

Figure F

Next, try viewing your latest text messages. Select the entry for Messages and click the button to See Texts (Figure Grand).

Figure One thousand

Your latest text messages should appear. Click a specific bulletin to view it. At the lesser of the screen, y'all tin reply to the bulletin if you lot wish. You can also create a new message by clicking the New Bulletin push button at the top and so composing and sending your bulletin (Figure H).

Figure H

Troubleshooting help for the Your Phone app

The process doesn't ever go smoothly–I've tried it a multifariousness of times and accept bumped into hiccups. For case, sometimes the initial link betwixt your phone and reckoner may not kick in. If you run across any bug along the way, cheque Microsoft'south Aid page on the Your Phone app for more information and troubleshooting steps.