If you’re a Windows and Android user who has been envying the iPhone mirroring capabilities of macOS, there is a similar feature you can use â albeit with a caveat.
First, the good news: this is a free tool thatâs built right into Windows 11, with no extra download required. It works as part of Phone Link, Microsoft’s app for syncing calls, photos, and contacts from your phone to its desktop operating system.
The bad news? While many Phone Link features â such as the ability to see messages or make calls â work with any Android phone or iPhone, mirroring your apps to Windows is only supported by a select number of handsets. Most recent Samsung Galaxy phones work, as do some handsets from OnePlus and Asus.
There’s a full list here, but support is being extended all the time. Even if this doesn’t work with your current Android phone, it’s worth checking back every so often to see if anything has changed.
The benefits are the same as they are for iPhone mirroring: you get to use your apps on a bigger screen, with a mouse (or trackpad) and keyboard. If you’re gaming, photo editing, or doing a lot of typing, that can make a real difference.
Assuming this feature does work …