How to Start Phone Link Automatically When You Sign In

Configure Startup Apps in Task Manager

First, a linked phone. That means an Android phone with the Link to Windows app, or an iPhone, which works with limited features. Second, you must be signed in with a Microsoft account. The startup and background options in this guide only appear after Phone Link is installed and set up. If you cannot find them, finish the setup and pairing first, then come back.

The simplest method is Phone Link’s own startup setting. Try it first:

1. Open Phone Link from the Start menu ⊞.
   You should see the main Phone Link window with your phone connected.
2. Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Click General.
4. Find the option Open Phone Link when I sign in to my PC and set it to On. The exact wording can differ slightly between app versions.

You do not need to restart. The setting takes effect the next time you sign in. To undo it, set the option back to Off.

Task Manager 📊 (a tool for monitoring system performance and managing background processes) controls which apps run automatically when Windows starts. It is a good second method. It also lets you check whether something has switched the startup entry off. Find Phone Link in the startup list and turn it on. Windows then launches it every time you sign in.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc together to open Task Manager 📊.

   

   
   You should see the Task Manager 📊 window. If it opens in a compact view, click More details first.
2. Click the Startup apps icon in the left-hand menu. The icon looks like a gauge or a speedometer.

   

   
   You should now see a list of apps with a Status column showing Enabled or Disabled. On Windows 10 there is no side menu. Click the Startup tab along the top instead.
3. Scroll down the list until you find Phone Link. On older Windows 10 builds it may still appear as Your Phone.
4. Click Phone Link to select it.
5. Click the Enable button. In Windows 11 it sits in the toolbar at the top of the window. In Windows 10 it is at the bottom right. If the button says Disable, the app is already set to run at startup and you can leave it alone.
   The Status column should now read Enabled.

You do not need to restart for the setting to save. It takes effect the next time you sign in. To undo it, select Phone Link again and click Disable. If Phone Link is missing from the list, it may not have been opened and signed in on this PC yet, or your phone may not be linked. Open it once, finish the setup, then check the list again.

Adjust Background App Permissions in Windows Settings

Windows uses background app permissions to decide whether an app can run when you are not actively using its window. If Phone Link is not allowed to run in the background, it may not launch or keep its connection after sign-in. Setting the right permission gives it the access it needs to start and stay connected.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings.

   

2. Click System in the left sidebar.
3. Click System components.

   

   
   This page lists the apps that ship with Windows. On some Windows 11 builds, Phone Link appears under Apps › Installed apps instead. Look there if you cannot find it here.
4. Scroll down to find Phone Link in your application list.

   

5. Click the three dots menu button next to Phone Link and select Advanced options.
   The Phone Link settings page opens.
6. Find the section titled Background apps permissions.
7. Click the drop-down menu and select either Always or Optimized. Some builds label the second choice Power optimized. Choosing Never will prevent the app from launching automatically.

The change applies straight away, and no restart is needed. Use Always if Phone Link keeps dropping off. Optimized saves battery on laptops but lets Windows pause the app when it sees fit. If the drop-down is missing, check that Windows is fully updated and that Phone Link is installed and set up. You can set it back to the previous option at any time.

Check Windows Startup Settings in the Settings App

Windows also lets you manage startup apps from the main Settings app ⚙️, alongside Task Manager 📊. This is a second switch for the same job. It is worth checking because the two lists can show a different state if something changed the setting.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings.
2. Click Apps in the left sidebar.

   

3. Click Startup to view the applications that launch alongside Windows.

   

   
   You should see a list of apps, each with an On/Off toggle. You can sort the list by name, status, or startup impact.
4. Find Phone Link in the list of applications.
5. Set the switch next to Phone Link to On.

No restart is needed. If the toggle is greyed out, your PC may be managed by an organisation that controls startup apps through policy. Ask your IT administrator in that case. To undo the change, set the switch back to Off.

Verify Link to Windows Service Status on Your Mobile Device

Phone Link cannot connect properly at sign-in if the companion app on your phone is restricted in the background. Android battery features often put Link to Windows to sleep, so the PC starts the app but finds nothing to talk to. These steps apply to Android. Menu names vary a little between makers such as Samsung, Google, and Xiaomi.

1. Open the Settings app on your smartphone.
2. Go to the Apps or Application Manager menu.
3. Find and tap Link to Windows.
   You should see its App info page.
4. Tap Battery or Battery usage.
5. Select Unrestricted or Optimized so the mobile service stays active in the background.

Unrestricted is the more reliable choice if the connection keeps dropping. Optimized uses less battery but may let the phone pause the app. Change it back to the earlier setting if you notice a battery drain.

Manage Notification Settings for Seamless Reconnection

Sometimes Phone Link opens briefly at sign-in and then closes or disconnects. In that case, the permissions and feature settings shared between your PC and phone may be out of sync. Checking your device preferences makes sure both sides are allowed to talk to each other, so the app stays open after you sign in.

1. Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
2. Click Bluetooth & devices.
3. Click Mobile devices.
   This page is only in Windows 11. On Windows 10, open Phone Link itself and check its settings gear.
4. Click your connected smartphone to open its device management page.
5. Set the switch to On for features such as Get notifications from your phone and Show mobile device photos in File Explorer.

If your phone is not listed, it is not linked to this PC yet. Pair it again in Phone Link before trying these settings. You can switch any of these options off again later without affecting the link itself.

If This Didn't Work

Then pair the devices again from scratch. A fresh pairing is the most reliable way to clear stubborn cache files or broken sign-in tokens that keep blocking the app. After pairing, check Phone Link's own Open Phone Link when I sign in to my PC setting and repeat the Task Manager method above to make sure Phone Link is still enabled at startup.

Phone Link often disconnects after startup when battery saver features on your phone put the companion app to sleep. Make sure your phone lets Link to Windows run unrestricted in the background. Also check that your PC and phone have a stable internet connection and, if you use Bluetooth features, an active Bluetooth connection.