Your Phone's latest update lets you run multiple Android apps on your PC, but you need a supported phone.
What you need to know
- Microsoft's Your Phone app can now run multiple Android apps on a PC.
- The feature is limited to a specific set of Samsung devices.
- Supported Android devices need to be running Android 11.0 and the latest version of Link to Windows or Your Phone Companion.
Microsoft's Your Phone app allows you to use and interact with your smartphone through your Windows 10 PC. With it, you can place phone calls, send text messages, and receive notifications from your smartphone on your PC. Select Samsung smartphones also get extra features, thanks to a growing partnership between Microsoft and Samsung.
One of those Samsung-specific features is the ability to mirror Android apps onto a Windows 10 PC through the Your Phone app. Following recent updates, several Samsung phones can now run multiple Android apps on a PC through Your Phone.
Here's the list of supported phones, as found on a Microsoft support page:
- Samsung Galaxy Fold
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20
- Samsung Galaxy S20+
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
This list notably does not include any of the new Samsung Galaxy S21 devices. It also does not include Microsoft's own Surface Duo.
A different Microsoft support page lists some recommendations and minimum requirements for using multiple apps through Your Phone:
- A PC running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update or later. For best performance, we recommend having at least 8GB of RAM.
- An Android device running Android 11.0.
- On your Android device, you need Link to Windows version 2.1.05.6 or higher, or Your Phone Companion version 1.20104.15.0 or higher.
- Your Phone versions 1.20104.20.0 or higher.
- The Windows YouTube channel shared a video showcasing Your Phone last week. One of the features it highlights is the ability to run multiple Android apps on a PC at once.
Analy Otero Diaz, the principal program manager lead at Microsoft working on cross device experiences, shared the rollout of multi-app support on Twitter.
Unleash your #Android apps on your #Windows10 PC! With #YourPhone app and select @SamsungMobile phones you can interact with multiple mobile apps from your PC. Available today! More info - https://t.co/5jpTJTwmei
— Analy Otero Diaz (@AnalyMsft) January 28, 2021
Full video - https://t.co/Ff5kbGRG22#Microsoft #MotionGraphics pic.twitter.com/GXqsvP6NRq
Diaz shared the news on January 28, 2021 a stated that it would be "available today," so the feature should be available on all supported devices by now.
Your Phone
Your Phone syncs your photos, text messages, and notifications between your phone and your PC. Now, select Samsung phones can use it to run multiple apps on a Windows 10 PC.
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