How to turn off Phone Link Recent Apps from Windows 11 notification area

You can turn off Phone Link’s “Recent apps” from the Windows 11 notification area to stop showing your phone’s recently used apps.

This feature, part of Microsoft’s Phone Link app, displays icons for apps you recently opened on your connected Android phone directly in your PC’s system tray for quick access.

Disabling the Phone Link Recent Apps feature in Windows 11 simplifies the notification area when the function is not useful. Users can turn off this notification from the Windows 11 settings menu. This action removes the Recent Apps list from view, offering a cleaner display.

The Phone Link app's settings within Windows 11 allow users to turn off the Recent Apps feature. This action stops the Windows 11 notification area from showing recent applications linked to a phone, helping to reduce digital clutter.

Step 1Open the Phone Link App

The Phone Link app on your Windows 11 PC is where you’ll start to turn off recent apps.

1. Locate the Phone Link app. You can usually find it by typing “Phone Link” into the Windows 🔍 search bar and clicking on the app when it appears.
2. Alternatively, if you’ve pinned it to your ⊞ Start menu or taskbar, you can open it from there.

Step 2Navigate to Settings

The Phone Link app's settings menu manages how your phone's apps show on your Windows 11 computer. Users find this settings menu by opening the Phone Link application on their PC. Adjusting Phone Link settings allows users to choose which recent phone apps appear in the Windows 11 🔔 notification area.

1. Look for ⚙️ the settings icon within the Phone Link app. It’s often represented by a gear or cogwheel icon.
2. Click on this icon to open the Phone Link settings panel.

Step 3Access the Features Section

In the Phone Link settings, look for the ‘Features’ section to manage app-related options.

1. In ⚙️ the settings menu, find and click on the “Features” option. This section typically contains toggles and options for different aspects of the Phone Link experience, like calls, messages, photos, and apps.

Step 4Locate the “Apps” Setting

Inside the Phone Link app’s settings, you need to find the ‘Apps’ section to manage how your Android apps appear on your PC.

1. Look for a heading or a specific option labeled “Apps” or something similar.
2. Underneath this “Apps” section, you should see an option that controls the display of recently used apps in the Windows 🔔 notification area.

Step 5Turn Off “Show recently used apps”

You can turn off recent apps by finding the ‘Show recently used apps in Windows 🔔 notification area’ option and switching it off.

1. Find the toggle switch or checkbox associated with “Show recently used apps in Windows 🔔 notification area” (or a very similar phrasing).
2. Click on the toggle switch to turn it off. It will usually change color or move to an “off” position to indicate it’s disabled.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-apps-from-your-android-device-on-your-pc-07d3d029-236e-e71f-3561-d40d7491d435

Conclusion

Turning off recent apps in the Windows 11 🔔 notification area helps keep your workspace tidy and your experience smoother.