While Microsoft Phone Link is a fantastic app for connecting to your phone from your Windows computer, what if you wanted to be able to access your Windows computer from your phone as well? Here’s a feature-rich, adaptable, wireless data sharing and communication app for multiple devices: KDE Connect.
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What is Microsoft phone link? What are its limitations?
The Microsoft Phone Link app, previously known as Your Phone, is a tool developed by Microsoft that facilitates the linkage of both Android and iOS devices with your Windows PC. This utility allows users to seamlessly integrate their smartphone functionality into their PC environment.
Through this app, individuals can monitor phone notifications, check their connectivity status directly from their computer, and take advantage of features like managing the media player, adjusting the volume, and toggling the Do Not Disturb settings of their phone remotely.
It even enables users to reply to text messages, handle phone calls (provided Bluetooth is set up), and easily view and transfer photo gallery files. Further enriching its utility, the app offers more sophisticated features such as the ability to mirror your phone screen on your PC, share your clipboard across devices, and even open and manage phone apps directly from your desktop.
Despite these capabilities, it’s important to note that the full suite of Phone Link functionalities, especially the more advanced options, are chiefly accessible to select smartphone models, predominantly those within the Samsung brand.
This exclusivity means many users with non-supported devices find the Phone Link app to be inadequate. Thankfully, for those seeking more universally compatible solutions, KDE Connect presents itself as an excellent Microsoft Phone Link alternative.
What Is the alternative?
The best alternative to this Microsoft Phone link is KDE Connect. Read ahead to know what it is and what it can do!
KDE Connect stands out as a robust and versatile replacement for Microsoft Phone Link, delivering a seamless and bidirectional connectivity experience between your smartphone and desktop.
This free, open-source application facilitates not just viewing notifications and file transfers but also enables the control of devices across platforms i.e. Android phone or iPhone to PC.
What sets it apart is its two-way communication feature, allowing users to manage their PC from their Android or iOS devices and vice versa. This is especially beneficial for those looking for a Microsoft Phone Link alternative that supports a wider range of devices including Android phones, iPhones, and both Windows and Linux desktops.
You can easily get started with KDE Connect by downloading it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for mobile devices and from the Microsoft Store for Windows PCs. Mac users can find the installation file on the official download page. Once installed, the app will request certain permissions to operate effectively.
By default, KDE Connect activates many popular features which can be customized further in the “Plugin Settings.” Users have the flexibility to enable or disable features according to their preferences by toggling them on or off.
It’s important to not only activate these plugins but also ensure the correct permissions are granted for them to function properly; otherwise, the app won’t be capable of facilitating data exchange between devices. KDE Connect makes it effortless to check which plugins need your attention right from the start, streamlining the setup process.
You just need to download KDE Connect on both devices, i.e. Android phone or iPhone and PC, as well, whether it’s Windows PC, Linux, or MacOS. You can pair automatically, or if it doesn’t, You can manually pair using the “Add phone” option. There’s no best alternatives to Microsoft Phone link available on web than KDE Connect.
Features of KDE Connect
Seamless Cross-Device Communication
KDE Connect enhances the integration between your devices, enabling a secure and efficient exchange of data, both from Phone-to-PC and PC-to-Phone.
At its core, it offers fundamental notification syncing capabilities, allowing you to view all your phone notifications on your desktop and vice versa under a unified notification system. This ensures you’re always in the loop without needing to switch devices.
Furthermore, notifications synced from your Android devices to your Windows PC not only display but offer specific notification actions, although these actions might not always be functional.
Another standout feature of KDE Connect is its clipboard sharing functionality. With it, anything you copy on your PC can be seamlessly sent to your phone using the “Send Clipboard” option in the KDE Connect app. The app also facilitates automatic clipboard sharing from your device, which can be enabled in the Plugin Settings. Similarly, sharing clipboard contents from your phone to your PC is just as effortless.
The application doesn’t stop there; it extends its capabilities to managing text messages directly from your desktop. Receiving a text on your phone will trigger a desktop notification, from which you can immediately reply.
Through the KDE Connect icon in your system tray, accessing and managing SMS threads on your phone, replying to messages, or initiating new conversations is straightforward.
Among the most frequently used features is the ability to remotely control media playback across devices. Whether it’s pausing the music on your PC from your phone or the reverse, KDE Connect streamlines media management.
Additionally, the app notifies you of incoming calls on your desktop, providing caller information and the ability to mute the call.
While direct call answering from your PC isn’t supported, you can automatically pause or reduce the volume of media playback during calls by enabling the corresponding option in the Plugin Settings.
Lastly, KDE Connect offers a unique feature allowing you to ping or make one device ring using the other. This function works both ways but might require troubleshooting for specific configurations.
Slideshow Controls
Another hallmark feature setting KDE Connect apart as a premier Microsoft Phone Link alternative is its Slideshow Controls capability. This innovative function profoundly enriches your presentations by permitting you to manage slideshow presentations directly from your phone.
Whether you’re navigating through photo albums in your Gallery, presenting on Google Slides, or conducting a PowerPoint presentation, the KDE Connect app on your Android or iOS device empowers you to effortlessly advance to the next slide or revert to the previous one with simple taps.
Furthermore, the app integrates a distinctive Pointer tool, which transforms your phone into a remote pointer. By pressing and holding the tool on your phone app, a circular pointer materializes on the PC’s screen, which you can maneuver by simply moving your phone.
Transfer Large Files
KDE Connect surpasses traditional phone link apps by streamlining the transfer of large files between your PC and phone. For PC-to-phone transfers, simply right-click the KDE Connect icon in your system tray, choose your connected device, and opt for “Send a File/URL.”
This action prompts a dialog box where you can either input a URL for direct download on your phone or select a file from your PC to transfer. The application also offers a “Browse Device” option, allowing for a seamless drag-and-drop experience between your PC and Android or iOS device storage, making it a prime Microsoft Phone Link alternative.
Conversely, sending files from your phone to a Windows PC is just as effortless. Choose the desired file, tap share, and select “KDE Connect” among the sharing options.
Then, select your PC from the list of connected devices to initiate the transfer.
Send Two-Way Inputs Between Phone and Desktop
One of KDE Connect’s most lauded functionalities is its reciprocal control feature, allowing seamless interaction between your phone and computer.
By activating the “Remote Input” feature within the KDE Connect phone app, users can transform their phone’s screen into a de facto trackpad, granting them the power to maneuver the cursor on their desktop. This integration goes a step further by enabling the use of the phone’s keyboard for typing on the computer — a simple tap on the Keyboard Icon situated at the top of the app initiates this function.
Likewise, KDE Connect facilitates typing on your phone using the PC’s keyboard. This is done by selecting a text input area on your phone to bring up the virtual keyboard, then switching it to the “KDE Connect Remote Keyboard.”
Following this, on your computer, access KDE Connect, choose your connected device, and select “Remote Input,” then “Lock,” to commence typing on your phone through your PC keyboard.
To disengage the lock, pressing Alt+X is the trick.
Create Desktop Commands and Execute Them From Your Phone
KDE Connect distinguishes itself as a versatile microsoft phone link alternative by enabling users to remotely control their PCs via their phone for executing a variety of desktop commands.
To utilize this feature, one simply initiates the KDE Connect desktop application, selects their device, and navigates to “Plugin Settings.” Upon scrolling to the “Run Commands” section and enabling it, users can enrich their control palette by adding new commands using the “+ Add command” button, where each command can be labeled for convenience and assigned a specific function, such as launching the Windows File Explorer with the ‘explorer’ command.
This section is prefabricated with several sample commands, including those for locking and unlocking the screen, providing a foundational toolkit that users can expand upon. Subsequently, by accessing the “Run Command” option within the KDE Connect phone app, all configured commands are readily at one’s disposal.
Execution is as straightforward as selecting a command, like “Lock Screen,” to immediately lock the PC screen, or “File Explorer” to summon the Windows File Explorer, showcasing KDE Connect’s capacity to bridge devices across diverse platforms such as Android, iOS, and Windows.
This feature, underpinned by imagination’s limits, underscores KDE Connect’s position as a robust phone link app that transcends traditional Microsoft Phone Link functionalities, promoting a seamless and integrated digital ecosystem across PCs and mobile devices.
Conclusion
In the quest for the best Microsoft Phone Link alternative capable of seamless integration across Windows PCs, Android devices, iOS devices, and even Apple devices, KDE Connect emerges as a frontrunner.
Its unique suite of features, including remote pointers, bidirectional file transfers, two-way inputs, and the ability to execute desktop commands from a phone, not only bridges the gap between your computer and your phone but also enhances your productivity and digital experience.
With KDE Connect, the limitations of traditional phone link apps dissolve, offering a versatile solution for users looking to manage notifications, texts, calls, and data transfer with ease. Its compatibility spans a wide range of devices and platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, and even Linux, making it a comprehensive phone companion for a diverse user base.
Beyond merely replicating the functionalities of Microsoft Phone Link, KDE Connect propels device integration into the future, serving as a testament to what modern software can achieve in terms of connectivity and user experience.
Whether you’re looking to manage documents, transfer pictures, back up data to cloud storage, or simply want a more reliable alternative to install, KDE Connect stands as an exemplary choice, rendering it the optimal solution in the market for those who value efficiency, accessibility, and the freedom to connect across multiple platforms.
