His examples come from his own use. Checked against KDE's documentation and Microsoft's support pages, the main points hold up. A few details need context, and so does the command feature, which deserves some caution.
The direction problem: Phone Link controls the phone
Start with what Phone Link actually does. Microsoft's support documentation says Phone Link (version 1.20041.75.0 or later) can show audio playing on a linked Android phone and offers Previous, Play/Pause and Next buttons on the PC. Microsoft also says the audio keeps playing from the Android device or speakers connected to it, not from the PC. Some third-party audio apps aren't compatible and won't show up.
So the media controls go one way. Your PC can control your phone, but your phone can't control your PC. Carrasqueira gives Microsoft credit for the phone-side controls but argues the reverse is more useful. Think of a laptop plugged into a TV, or music playing from a desktop while you walk around the house.
Phone Link still does plenty. Microsoft says it lets you read and reply to texts, see recent photos, use phone apps, make and take calls, and manage notifications on the PC. It needs Windows 10 (October 2022 update or later) or Windows 11, an Android phone on Android 10 or later, and both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Microsoft also says Phone Link doesn't currently support multiple Android profiles or work/school accounts. IT admins may care about that more than anything on this list.
Section summary: Phone Link is good at bringing the phone to the PC. KDE Connect's advantage is the reverse: controlling the PC from the phone.
Feature 1: Two-way media control
KDE's UserBase wiki says KDE Connect can control music playing on your desktop from your phone and lets you control the desktop's volume using your phone. KDE's plugin documentation lists play/pause, previous/next, skipping 5 seconds back or forward, picking which media player to control, and changing app and system volume.
Carrasqueira says his PC's playback also appears in Android's system media controls, so he can pause the PC from the notification shade. He also says notifications go both ways, so PC alerts show up on the phone. KDE documents that second part: it has a plugin that sends computer notifications to the phone, and you can choose what gets sent.
One caveat. Earlier WindowsForum coverage of KDE Connect on Windows found that iOS features and Windows media support vary. Whether your player shows up depends on the app. KDE's general documentation doesn't give a Windows compatibility list, so test your own player before you rely on it.
Feature 2: Your phone as a touchpad and keyboard
This one is fully documented. KDE's wiki says that by going to your phone app and selecting Remote input, a touch screen will immediately be available for you to control your computer mouse, similarly to a touchpad. One touch equals one click. The keyboard icon in the upper right allows you to type on your phone and see the result on your computer too. If you press the hamburger menu right by its side, you'll be able to send right and middle clicks.
It's handy if a mouse dies or your PC is across the room. Carrasqueira also says it works in reverse: he used the PC's mouse and physical keyboard to control his phone and type messages. KDE's documentation lists an "Android Mouse Receiver," which needs Android's Accessibility permission, but it doesn't spell out exactly how that works on Windows. Treat it as the author's experience, and expect some extra permission prompts.
The clipboard caveat
Clipboard sharing also needs a closer look. KDE says shared clipboard handles text only, not images. Copying from Windows reaches the phone automatically. Going from phone to PC is clunkier, because Android 10 and later block apps from reading the clipboard in the background, and KDE's documentation says this makes the plugin awkward to use. On those Android versions, KDE adds a "Send Clipboard" button to its persistent notification. KDE's list of Android limitations says you may need to tap "push clipboard" in the app to send content to the PC.
That matches Carrasqueira's description: automatic from PC to phone, manual from phone to PC, because of Android's permission rules.
Feature 3: A presentation remote with a laser pointer
KDE's documentation describes previous/next slide buttons. When the phone is locked, the volume up and down buttons do the same job. There's also a laser pointer: you move the phone and a blue circle follows it on screen. A menu lets you toggle fullscreen (F5) or quit the presentation (Esc).
The F5 and Esc details explain why this works outside PowerPoint. The remote sends keystrokes, and lots of presentation apps use those same keys. Carrasqueira says it works with OnlyOffice and, to an extent, with any software. He says the pointer works anywhere, though moving slides still needs an Office app. KDE doesn't publish a compatibility list, so do a test run before a big presentation.
Carrasqueira also says Microsoft used to offer a remote tool for its Office suite and no longer does. That's his claim, not something this check confirmed independently.
Section summary: Slide controls, volume-button navigation and a motion-based pointer are all documented. Support for specific non-Microsoft apps comes from the author's testing.
Feature 4: One-tap PC commands
This is the most flexible feature on the list, and the one to handle carefully. KDE's wiki says you can run predefined commands on your computer by pressing buttons on your phone! The important word is "predefined." The phone can only trigger commands you've already set up on the PC. You don't get an open remote terminal by default. KDE adds that on Android 11 and later, configured commands can appear in Android's Device Controls panel if your phone supports it.
Carrasqueira set up a winget upgrade command to update every app on his PC with one tap, and also used it to launch apps. KDE's Windows examples on UserBase include:
- Lock the workstation:
Rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation - Shut down now:
PowerShell -Command "shutdown /s /t 0" - Restart:
PowerShell -Command "shutdown /r" - Cancel a pending shutdown:
PowerShell -Command "shutdown /a"
KDE's volume and media-key examples use NirCmd, a separate third-party utility. They won't work unless you install it.
KDE also explains where the Windows app keeps command settings. Look under C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Packages\, find the KDE Connect package folder, then go to LocalCache\Local\kdeconnect. Each paired device has its own folder containing kdeconnect_runcommand/config. To give another paired device the same command list, copy that config file into its folder.
A word of caution: anything you add here can be run from your phone. Keep it to commands you understand. A one-tap update is convenient. A one-tap command that deletes files is a disaster waiting for a pocket tap.
Getting set up on Windows 11
Based on KDE's documentation, here's how to set it up:
- Install the Windows app from the Microsoft Store, Chocolatey, or KDE's offline installer.
- Install the Android app from Google Play, Huawei AppGallery or F-Droid.
- Open KDE Connect on both devices while they're on the same network. Each should show the other's name.
- Request pairing from either device and accept it on the other.
- Turn on the plugins you want (media control, remote input, presentation, run commands) and grant the Android permissions they ask for.
When pairing fails: KDE says the app uses dynamic ports 1714–1764 over both TCP and UDP. If a firewall sits between the devices, open that range for both protocols, and make sure your network isn't blocking UDP broadcast packets. Guest Wi-Fi with client isolation is a common culprit. KDE also documents running KDE Connect over OpenVPN, and says automatic discovery needs a bridged (TAP) OpenVPN setup. With the more common TUN setup, you can still add devices manually by IP address.
It works the other way round too. Whether a device has been found and paired shows up in the device lists on both screens. Once remote input is working, you'll see the PC's pointer move as you drag on the phone.
The verdict: an addition, not a replacement
Is Phone Link obsolete? No. KDE Connect covers basics such as notifications, calls and SMS, but Phone Link is built into Windows, ties into your Microsoft account, and doesn't need firewall tweaks or command setup. KDE also warns that because most of its developers use Linux's Plasma desktop, some features may be broken or missing elsewhere. The Windows build is good, but it isn't the main platform.
The fairer conclusion is narrower. If you want your phone to act as a remote for your PC (media, mouse, slides, scripts), KDE Connect fills a gap Windows 11 leaves open, and it's free. Carrasqueira points out it runs on Linux too, so one phone can pair with a Windows desktop and a Linux laptop. That's something Phone Link doesn't offer.
Nothing stops you running both, either. Use Phone Link for messages and photos, and KDE Connect for the couch.