How to Control Your Music and Podcasts Directly from Your PC using Phone Link

Phone Link lets you control music and podcasts from your Windows PC.

This Microsoft app connects your phone to your computer, giving you direct control over media playback, including streaming apps, without picking up your phone.

For instance, with Phone Link version 1.22082.50.0 or newer on Windows 11, you can play, pause, skip songs, and change the volume right from your PC.

This handy feature is perfect when you’re focused on your computer and want to manage your audio easily.

Get Your Apps Ready

For Phone Link music control to work with apps like Spotify or YouTube Music, your Android phone’s audio apps must send notifications.

Grab your Android phone and head to its Settings.

Look for and tap on Notifications.

Find the specific audio app you want to control, like Spotify, Pocket Casts, or YouTube Music.

Make sure the switch for Show notifications is turned On for that app.

Good Tip: Even if you don’t want other alerts from an app, enabling its main notification setting often allows Phone Link’s audio playback controls to function. It’s a small but effective trick!

Turn On Audio Controls in Phone Link on Your PC

Enable Phone Link music control on your PC by opening the Phone Link app and adjusting a setting.

Open the Phone Link app on your Windows computer.

Phone Link’s Settings menu allows users to control application preferences. Users typically access the Settings menu by clicking the gear icon located within the Phone Link interface.

Under the Personalization section, you should see an option like Show audio currently playing from my phone.

Turn the switch next to this option to On.

What Happens When It’s All Set Up

Once set up, playing audio on your phone displays a Phone Link music player in the Phone Link app on your PC with controls for Previous Track, Play/Pause, Next Track.

• Previous Track
• Play/Pause
• Next Track

If you’re using more than one audio source, like music from one app and a podcast from another, you can switch between them. Use the dropdown menu within the Phone Link player. Start playing from the new source on your phone. Phone Link should automatically update what it shows.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/additional-features-and-settings-in-phone-link-896a3bb1-97b8-4ba5-a56e-98490573721d

Summary

The Phone Link app lets you control your Android phone’s music and podcasts straight from your PC. Ensure your phone’s audio apps display notifications and that you’ve enabled the audio playing setting in the Phone Link app on your computer for basic playback controls.