How to Access Photos with Windows 11 Phone Link App

You access your phone’s photos on Windows 11 using the built-in Phone Link app.

Phone Link, previously known as Your Phone, connects your Android or iOS device to your PC, allowing you to view, manage, and even download photos directly to your computer.

This powerful tool uses Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to seamlessly bridge the gap between your phone and PC, bringing your mobile memories to your desktop.

For example, with Phone Link version 1.22.2227.0, you can easily browse your camera roll, transfer recent shots, or even manage albums without ever touching your phone.

Important Update: Phone Link Photo Feature Changes

Microsoft is currently updating the Phone Link experience. Some users may notice that direct photo viewing is being phased out in favor of more stable, direct file management methods. This guide covers how to use the app and how to switch to better alternatives like File Explorer.

Why use 🪟 Windows 11 Phone Link photos?

Using this app saves time. You do not need to email photos to yourself or plug in a cable. You can see your latest pictures directly on your desktop. It helps you manage your digital life without switching devices constantly.

What happens when done?

Once you finish these steps, you will be able to save your phone photos to your PC folders like 📁C:\Users\GenericUser\Pictures or share them instantly with friends. You will have a cleancopy, organized backup of your mobile memories on your computer.

How to view and save photos

The app only shows photos from your phone’s Camera Roll or Screenshots folders. It cannot see images saved in other folders.

1. Open the Phone Link app. You can find it by clicking the Start menu and looking through All apps.
2. You can also click the Phone Link icon on your Taskbar (Taskbar overflow).
3. Once the app is open, click the Photos button in the menu.

You will see your photos as small thumbnails. You can click on them to open, copy, save, share, or delete them. If you want to move a photo to your PC, choose the Save as option.

Alternative Workflow: Using File Explorer

If Phone Link is not working, use a USB-C cable to connect your phone to your PC. Open File Explorer and look for your device under ‘This PC’. This method is faster for large batches of photos and does not rely on wireless sync speeds.

Method	Speed	Data Usage
Phone Link	Slow (Wireless)	Uses Wi-Fi
File Explorer	Fast (Wired)	None

Troubleshooting and Requirements

Ensure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. You must have the ‘Link to Windows’ app installed on your Android device. Microsoft account synchronization is required for the connection to remain stable.

Note: If you need to troubleshoot connection issues or reset the app configuration, you may need to run commands with admin privileges, such as:Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.YourPhone* | Remove-AppxPackage

Summary

The Phone Link app is a helpful tool for Windows 11 users to bridge the gap between mobile and desktop. While the photo viewing feature is changing, you can still manage your files easily using File Explorer. By following these steps, you ensure your photos are backed up safely to your PC folders.