- Microsoft will soon let you remotely lock your PC and access its clipboard directly from your Android phone.
- The new clipboard feature allows your phone to access text and images copied on your PC, which is especially useful for Android phones without Phone Link’s native cross-device sync.
- An updated Link to Windows app on the phone will show a history of items copied to the PC’s clipboard and also include a new button to remotely lock your computer.
There are many tools to control your Android phone from a Windows PC or vice versa, but the most popular is Microsoft’s Phone Link. Phone Link displays your phone’s notifications, texts, photos, and more on your Windows PC, but with a bit of extra setup, it can do even more. Soon, Phone Link will also let you remotely lock your PC and access its clipboard directly from your Android phone.
When you first connect your Android phone to your Windows PC via Phone Link, not every feature is enabled out of the box. For instance, you can use your Android phone as your PC’s webcam or access its files directly from Windows File Explorer, but only if you turn these features on first. To turn them on, you have to open the Windows Settings app, navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices, and toggle on “Use as a connected camera” and “Show mobile device in File Explorer.”