Windows 11 Android-to-PC Resume: One-Click Spotify Handoff in Insider Builds

Microsoft is quietly turning Windows 11 into a true cross‑device hub, testing an Android app continuity feature that lets you resume what you were doing on your phone right on your PC—starting with Spotify and rolling out now to Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. In practice, a “Resume” alert appears on the Windows 11 taskbar shortly after you press play on your Android device; one click opens Spotify on the desktop and continues at the exact point you left off, with a one‑click Microsoft Store install if the desktop app isn’t already present. It’s deliberately scoped, server‑gated, and early, but the intent is unmistakable: an Apple‑style handoff experience for the Android‑Windows pairing, without the friction Windows users have tolerated for years.

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Background​

For years, Microsoft’s cross‑device story was a patchwork of good ideas and half‑fulfilled promises. Windows 10’s “Project Rome” and “Shared Experiences” hinted at seamless transitions across devices, while the Your Phone app (now Phone Link) delivered notifications and messaging but not the kind of instant session pickup that makes ecosystems feel cohesive. Windows 11 changed the tone, first with deeper Android integration and later with direct file browsing of your phone in File Explorer for Insiders, signaling the company’s ambition to make the PC a natural extension of your pocket.
There’s also been a strategic pivot away from running mobile apps locally toward cloud‑assisted continuity. Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), which enabled Amazon Appstore apps to run natively on Windows, reached end of support on March 5, 2025. The new “resume from your phone” work fits the post‑WSA era: rather than emulate Android, Windows recognizes your activity on the phone and opens the corresponding desktop experience with session context preserved.
Microsoft even teased this handoff concept publicly earlier in the year, shC transition for Spotify during a developer session before pulling the demo while it baked longer. That preview now aligns with what Insiders can try today: a first implementation focused on media, built on the same plumbing that powers Phone Link and Windows’ Mobile devices settings.

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What’s New: Android-to-PC “Resume” in Windows 11​

The headline behavior​

• When you st in Spotify on your Android phone, Windows 11 may surface a taskbar alert labeled “Resume,” offering to continue on your PC.
• Clicking the alert launches the Spotify desktop app and continues playback at the exact position you were listening on mobile.
• If Spotify isn’t installed, Windows initiates a one‑click Microsoft Store flow and then resumes the session after sign‑in, eliminating manual hunting and app setup.

Where and how it’s rolling out​

This is an Insider‑only preview shipping to two tracks simultaneously:

• Dev Channel: Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5761 (KB5064093)
• Beta Channel: Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5761 (KB5064093)

As a controlled feature rollout (CFR), not every device on the right build will see it immediately. Turning on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” can help you get flagged in earlier waves.

What you need to try it​

• A PC on one of the builds above.
• An Android phone linked to Windows via Link to Windows/Phone Link.
• The same Spotify account on phone and PC.
• Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi enabled, and background permission granted for Link to Windows on Android.

How it feels in use​

The feature removes habitual friction: no copy‑pasting links, no re‑searching for the right album, no phone juggling during a work session. Because Windows cademand, even a fresh or secondary PC can pick up your listening without detours. It’s a small but meaningful nudge toward making Windows 11 a natural continuation of your mobile life.

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Under the Hood: The Continuity Stack Behind “Resume”​

The new capability rides on Windows’ cross‑device infrastructure: Mobile devices settings on the PC, Link to Windows on Android, and the Crossst that brokers context between them. On top of that, Microsoft is standing up a Continuity SDK and a model it calls Cross Device Resume (XDR). Android apps publish a time‑boxed “AppContext” (think: the specific content you’re engaged with), while the Windows desktop app registers a protocol or deep link to open the matching state. In Spotify’s case, that’s a precise handoff to your current track or episode.
A few implementation details matter:

• AppContext is short‑lived by design—minutes, not hours—so Windows surfaces only timely, relevant resume prompts.
• The capability is currently a Limited Access Feature, which means Micrh apps participate while the platform matures.
• It’s designed to work across traditional Win32, UWP, and Windows App SDK apps, maximizing developer reach.

This layered approach is pragmatic: keep Android on the phone, keep the PC doing what it does best, and thread the two with context signals, deep links, and smart shell affordances. It echoes Apple’s Handoff, which has anchored that ecosystem’s co it’s tuned for the Android‑Windows pairing where users already live.

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How It Compares: Windows 11 vs. Apple Handoff vs. Google’s Approach​

• Apple built Handoff into the fabric of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS with polished entry points (Dock, lock screen, app switchers) and iCloud‑backed context sync. Microsoft’s new “Resume” is Windows a taskbar toast that opens the corresponding Windows app with matched state.
• Google’s recent push with Quick Share and multi‑device experiences streamlines files and sessions within Android and ChromeOS; Microsoft’s path targets the huge Windows+Android population by marrying Phone Link with desktop apps users actually prefer. The groundwork—file browsing of your pand richer Phone Link features—was already in place.

The real differentiator for Microsoft is app diversity on Windows. Where Apple leans heavily on first‑party apps, Windows can often hand users off to the desktop client they already use for work and play—Spotify, web browsers, office suites, and more. Starting small with media is sensible; the platform and the pp link, app launch) can expand into reading, maps, messaging, and productivity.

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Why This Matters: Less Context Switching, More Cohesion​

Every tiny speed bump between phone and PC adds up: searching for a song again, finding the right podcast timestamp, or rummaging through recent files. With “Resume,” Windows 11 cuts those bumps down and introduces a pattern that can scale. It’s particularly impactful Cs because the one‑click install flow turns what used to be a multi‑step setup into a single, affirmative click.
Equally important, this is a platform feature—an invitation to a growing roster of apps, not a one‑off for Spotify. Microsoft’s messaging and developer outreach make that clear, even if the early testing is intentionally constrained. If developers adopt the Continuity SDK and wire up a deep link story, Windows 11 can surface just‑in‑time “continue” afforgories that people actually use all day.

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Step‑by‑Step: Try Android App Continuity on Your PC​

• Update Windows 11 to the latest Insider build in your channel:
• Dev Channel: Build 26200.5761 (KB5064093)
• Beta Channel: Build 26120.5761 (KB5064093)
• In Settings > Windows Update, turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.”
• Pair your Android phone:
• Go to Settings > Bluetoodevices.
• Toggle “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices,” then choose Manage devices to link your phone.
• Prepare your phone:
• Install Link to Windows, sign in with the same Microsoft account used on the PC, and allow it to run in the background.
• Keep Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi on.
• Start a session to resume:
• Open Spotify on your Android phone and begin playback.
• Wake your PC; when the “Resume” alert appears on the taskbar, click it to continue on the desktop. If prompted, accept the one‑click install of Spotify and unts.

Tip: Because this is a controlled rollout, you might not see the feature immediately even with the correct build. That’s normal; keep the “latest updates” toggle on and try agupdates.

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Beyond Music: Where Microsoft Can Take This Next​

The Spotify‑first test is a low‑risk pilot with obvious appeal, but the same model fits:

• Reading apps: Continue a news article or e‑book from phone to PC at the same paragraph.
• Maps: Jump from a search on r map with directions already loaded.
• Messaging: Pop open a conversation in your preferred desktop client at the latest message, with compose focused.
• Productivity: Open a recent note, email draft, or dosor position on the desktop.

Microsoft has already laid the rails with recent Phone Link improvements and direct Android file browsing within File Explorer for Insiders. Each of these features reduces friction between devices; context‑aware “Resume” elevates that from file or app parity to true activity continuity.

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Strengths Worth Calling Out​

• Immediate user value: Even in its first iteration, one‑click “Resume” for Spotify cuts real friction and demonstrates the concept in a popular app with clear session state.
• Smart instally to trigger a one‑click Microsoft Store install when needed turns brand‑new PCs or VMs into capable handoff targets in seconds.
• Platform foundation: The Continuity SDK and Cross‑Device Experience Host create room for third‑party adoption across Win32 and modern app models, rather than a single app family.
• Ecosystem realism: Instead of replicating Android on the PC, Microsoft is letting each device do what it’s best at and connecting them with context and deep links—lighter weight, fewer movinsks, Caveats, and Open Questions
• Limited availability: It’s Insider‑only and server‑flagged, so experience will vary. Don’t assume parity across Dev and Beta right : Today it’s Spotify; expanding to the broader app ecosystem will depend on developer buy‑in and the maturity of the SDK. Microsoft framing it as a platform feature is encouraging, but adoption is not gutate and sign‑in: Seamless resume presumes the same identity in mobile and desktop clients. In multi‑account households or corporate environments, the handoff could get messy without careful design.
• terprises will want clarity on what contextual data crosses devices and whether admin policies can control or audit “Resume.” Given Link to Windows’ history in managed environments, exps—but they may trail the consumer rollout.

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For IT Pros: Deployment and Control Considerations​

If you manage Windows fleets, treat Cross‑Device Resume like any new surface that blends personal and work contexts:

• Statest hardware running the Insider builds cited above.
• Confirm that Link to Windows is permitted by policy and determine whether users can link personal phones to corporate PCs under your MDM rules.
• Document line‑of‑business apps. If “Resume” expands to productivity categories, decide whether to encourage, restrict, or monitor handoffs based on data sensitivity.

A key upside is user focus. Cutting context switches can improve concentration and reduce micro‑delays in daily wor knowledge workers who juggle multiple apps on multiple devices. But weigh that against governance: ensure users understand when a handoff will open a personal account versus a corporate profile to avoid accidental data crosses.

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For Developers: What It Will Take to Participate​

Developers who want in should prepare for two tasks:

• On Android: publish timely AppContext signals that identify the precise content a user is engaged with (a media item, document, or conversation), using the Continuity SDK with the right metadata and time‑to‑live.
• On Windows: ensure your desktop app registers protocol handlers or deep links that open the exact context. For classic Win32 apps, that may mean adopting modern Windows App SDK components or adding robust command‑line/deep link parsing.

Because the capability is a Limited Access Feature right now, expect to coordinate with Microsoft for enablement. The payoff is visibility: Windows will surface your app at just the right moment witce, accelerating engagement and satisfaction.

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Troubleshooting Early Hiccups​

If you’re on the listed builds but don’t see the feature:

• Verify you’ve enabled “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update (CFRs often require this).
• Re‑link your phone via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Modevices.
• On Android, confirm Link to Windows has background permission and battery optimizations disabled.
• Make sure you’re signed into the same Spotify account on phone and PC.
• Reboot both devices and check again after the next cumule features can be toggled server‑side, absence today doesn’t mean your hardware is incompatible; it often just means the flag hasn’t reached your device yet.

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The Bigger Picture: Windows After WSA​

The end of WSA doesn’t mark the end of Android on Windows; itoach. Rather than host Android apps locally—with all the complexity of virtualization, updates, and store curation—Windows is leaning into continuity. It’s simpler for most users, gentler on resources, and more aligned with how people actually split time between phone and PC. This first, tightly scoped “Resume” scenario telegraphs how Microsoft plans to invest: context sharing, intelligent prompts, and quick paths into the desktop apps people already use.
In parallel, Windows 11 continues to pick up quality‑of‑life improvements in the same Insider flights—like a revamped lock‑screen battery indicator and a window recording mode in Snipping Tool—underscoring Microsoft’s iterative cadence this cycle. The cross‑device resume alert is the star becausces friction without asking users to change habits or learn new workflows.

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Verdict: A Small Feature With Big Implications​

There’s no flashy demo here, just a quietly powerful pattern: Windows seeing what you’re doing on Android and offering the right action at the right time, then doing the setup on your behalf if needed. Even starting with a single app, the “Resume” alert demonstrates a platform‑level idea that could make Windows 11 feel meaningfully more modern and coherent across devices. Success will hinge on developer adoption and thoughtful enterprise controls, but theity SDK, deep link discipline, and smart shell hooks—looks solid.
If you’re in the Dev or Beta Channel, turn on “get the latest updates,” link your Android phone, and watch for the “Resume” toast the next time you press play. It’s a glimpse of a Windows 11 that no longer just tolerates your phone, but actively understands and accelerates what you were doing on it.

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Key Takeaways​

• Windows 11 is testing Android app continuity with an initial Spotify handoff: start on your phone, resume on your PC with one click.
• Available to Insiders as KB5064093 on Dev build 26200.5761 and Beta build 26120.5761; rollout is controlled and server‑flagged.
• Built on Link to Windows, the Cross‑Device Experience Host, and a Continuity SDK that passes short‑lived “AppContext” to the desktop app.
• This is Windows’ clearest step toward Apple‑like handoff for the Android‑Windows pairing, with a pragmatic, developer‑friendly model that can extend beyond media.

As small as it seems, this feature redefines the default expectation for Windows: not just syncing devices, but truly continuing your work—or your listening—at the moment it matters. That’s the kind of polish users feel every day, and the kind that can quietly change how Windows fits into a world that’s already mobile‑first.

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Source: The Eastleigh Voice Windows 11 to get Android App continuity feature
Source: BetaNews Microsoft adds ability to resume apps from Android phone on Windows 11