Windows 11 Tests Continue on PC for Android Apps (Spotify First)

Title: Microsoft is testing a true “Continue on PC” for Android apps in Windows 11
Slug: windows-11-continue-on-pc-android-apps-testing
SEO title: Windows 11 tests “Continue on PC” for active Android apps: what it is, how it works, and who gets it first
Meta description: Microsoft is piloting a new Windows 11 feature that lets you resume an active Android app session on your PC via Phone Link—starting with Spotify and rolling out to Insiders. Here’s what it is, how it works, setup steps, limitations, and what it means post-WSA.
Tags: Windows 11, Phone Link, Android, Continue on PC, Cross-device, Productivity, Windows Insider, Microsoft, Spotify, Handoff
Social caption: Picking up where you left off on your phone—inside Windows 11. Microsoft is testing a “Continue on PC” handoff for running Android apps, starting with Spotify. Here’s everything you need to know, plus setup steps and early tips.
The big idea: phone-to-PC continuity for actual app sessions
Microsoft is piloting a Windows 11 experience that lets you resume an active Android app session on your PC. Instead of merely opening an app’s desktop counterpart or a web fallback, the feature aims to hand off what you were doing on your phone to Windows—so you can pick up a playlist, a note, a chat, or another task on a bigger screen with a keyboard and mouse.
If that sounds a lot like Apple’s “Handoff,” that’s the point: reduce friction as you move between devices. On Windows, the plumbing behind this is Phone Link (on the PC) and Link to Windows (on Android), which already support notification sync, calling, messaging, file sharing, and—critically—streaming Android apps into Windows. The new experiment builds on that foundation to add “contextual continuity”: when you’re already doing something on your phone, you can prompt Windows to continue it.
What’s new compared to today’s Phone Link “Apps”
Phone Link’s “Apps” capability has long let you mirror or stream Android apps in a window. Handoff-like continuity goes a step further:

• It’s context-triggered: You resume what you were just doing, not just a generic app launch.
• It’s integrated into the moment: You’ll see a “Continue on PC” prompt on the phone or a Windows toast that knows which app/session to open.
• It favors the right destination: If the PC has a first-class desktop app that can pick up your context, it will nudge that route; otherwise, it can stream the Android app session into Windows.

In early testing, Spotify is the first app Microsoft is wiring up end-to-end. If you’re listening on your phone, you can kick the session over to your PC and keep playing with desktop controls. That’s a low-risk onramp for Microsoft to validate the handoff UX across networks, sign-in states, and form factors before widening to more app categories.
Why this matters more in 2025
On March 5, 2025, Microsoft retired Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore route for native Android installs on Windows 11. That decision shifted the company’s mobile story back to Phone Link’s streaming/bridging model rather than running Android locally. A seamless “Continue on PC” therefore becomes a strategic pillar: if you can’t install every Android app natively, the next best thing is to remove the cognitive overhead of device switching. One click, you’re back in the task—phone or PC.
Who gets it first and when
As of late August 2025, Microsoft is flighting the experience to Windows Insiders, with an initial app focus on Spotify and limited geographies. The rollout is staged, server-side gated, and version-bound:

• Windows: Latest Windows 11 Insider builds (Dev/Beta first).
• Phone Link (Windows) and Link to Windows (Android): Recent updates required; the feature flag is controlled on the service side even if the binaries are new.
• Microsoft account: You must be signed into the same account on PC and phone.
• Android: A recent Android version (typically Android 9 or later) with OEM support for Link to Windows yields the best reliability.

Expect the roster of supported apps to expand gradually once Microsoft validates the handoff patterns (media, notes, productivity, messaging). Some categories—like banking or DRM-heavy video—may arrive later due to additional security, session, or licensing complexity.
What “Continue on PC” will and won’t do on day one
Do expect

• A context-aware prompt that offers to continue a specific activity on your PC.
• A best-effort mapping to the PC experience. If the PC has a native app that can pick up the context (like Spotify), you’ll be guided there. If not, Windows can stream the corresponding Android app session in a Phone Link window.
• Minimal setup beyond the standard Phone Link pairing, given you’re on compatible Insider builds and updated Phone Link/Link to Windows apps.

Don’t expect (yet)

• All Android apps to support deep context handoff on day one. Many will initially fall back to opening the app without perfect context, or require streaming rather than a native PC handoff.
• Pixel-perfect continuity across every app state. Some session types (e.g., private/incognito modes, ephemeral tokens, DRM-protected content) may not transfer context across devices; you may see “open app on PC” instead of “resume exactly here.”
• Enterprise line-of-business apps to work immediately without MDM policy alignment (more on that below).

Under the hood: likely mechanisms and design choices
Microsoft hasn’t published all technical specifics yet, but the behavior aligns with a few building blocks we’ve seen over the years:

• Client pairing and presence: Phone Link/Link to Windows maintain a relationship between your phone and PC, including capability discovery and foreground app awareness on the phone.
• Cross-device intent routing: When an Android app is active, Phone Link can receive a “continue” signal containing either a deep link (for a PC-native app) or a directive to spin up a streamed app window.
• Smart destination selection: Media and communications apps are prime early candidates because they have mature PC clients and well-defined session tokens. “Resume on PC” can pass context (track, playlist, conversation) to a desktop app or keep the Android app session alive via streaming.
• System UX: Windows will surface a toast or a flyout (e.g., in the Phone Link flyout or Action Center) that you can click to continue. On Android, you may see a “Continue on PC” option in the app’s share sheet, media controls, or a Link to Windows banner.

Privacy and security: what’s happening to my data?
With WSA off the table, Phone Link remains the connective tissue. Here’s how to think about privacy and security in this model:

• It’s your Microsoft account: Continuity rides on your signed-in identity across PC and phone, which enables encrypted pairing, presence, and device trust.
• Data in motion: For a native handoff (e.g., Spotify-to-Spotify), the PC app fetches your current context from the service cloud using your credentials—no raw app state needs to traverse directly from phone to PC. For streamed Android sessions, Phone Link uses a secure channel to display the phone’s app on your PC; what you see is essentially your phone’s app, controlled from Windows.
• Policy and enterprise: In managed environments, MDM (Intune, etc.) policies for Phone Link can allow, limit, or block features like app streaming, clipboard sharing, or file transfer. Expect “Continue on PC” to respect those toggles. If your organization blocks Phone Link app streaming, you’ll likely only get native handoffs (when available) or no handoff at all.

Performance and battery: what to expect

• Streaming an Android app via Phone Link consumes some phone battery (the phone stays awake to render frames) and uses your local network. On modern devices and Wi‑Fi 6/6E, latency is typically low enough for productivity apps and media controls. Real-time gaming in a streamed window is still a stretch use case.
• Native handoffs are lightweight. If the PC app exists and can pick up context (like Spotify), you’ll see near-instant continuation with minimal impact on phone battery.

Hands-on: how to try it early (Windows Insiders)
If you’re on Windows 11 and want to experiment with this as it rolls out, here’s a practical checklist. Because this is a controlled flight, not everyone will see the card on day one—even with the right versions:
1) Join the Windows Insider Program on your PC

• Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program.
• Choose the Dev or Beta Channel and reboot after installing the Insider build.

2) Update Phone Link on Windows

• Microsoft Store > Library > Get updates, or launch Phone Link and confirm it’s on a recent version. If you see a prompt to enable “Apps” or “Cross-device experiences,” turn it on.

3) Prepare your Android phone

• Install or update “Link to Windows.”
• Sign into the same Microsoft account used on your PC.
• Ensure the phone and PC are on the same reliable Wi‑Fi network for best performance.
• On some OEMs (Samsung, HONOR, Surface Duo), Link to Windows features may appear in the phone’s quick settings or Connections menu—toggle it on.

4) Pair the devices (if you haven’t already)

• Launch Phone Link on Windows, choose Android, and follow the QR code flow to link the phone.

5) Trigger a handoff scenario

• Start playing Spotify on your phone and bring it to the foreground for a few moments.
• Watch for a “Continue on PC” prompt—either as a banner on the phone (share sheet / Link to Windows suggestion) or as a toast on Windows that references the Spotify session.
• Click the Windows toast or phone banner. If you have the Spotify desktop app, Windows should guide you to continue there. Otherwise, Phone Link should open a streamed window of Spotify from your phone.

6) Fine-tune notifications

• In Phone Link settings, confirm that “Show notifications” is on for Spotify (and other apps you want to continue). Some continuity prompts rely on app notifications being mirrored to Windows.

Troubleshooting early glitches
Because this is a preview, here are common blockers and quick fixes:

• You don’t see the prompt at all
• Not everyone is flighted on day one. Make sure you’re on Dev/Beta, latest Phone Link/Link to Windows, and try again later. Server-side enablement often rolls out in waves.
• Ensure you’re signed into the same Microsoft account on both devices.
• Confirm your phone’s battery optimization isn’t aggressively suspending Link to Windows. Whitelist it in your phone’s battery settings.
• The prompt appears, but nothing happens on click
• Open Phone Link first, then click the toast. Early builds sometimes require the app to be in the foreground.
• If your PC has multiple audio endpoints or a corporate VPN, try off-VPN or a different network to rule out blocked local discovery paths.
• Streaming quality is poor
• Keep both devices on the same Wi‑Fi (avoid mobile hotspot).
• Use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band if available; avoid congested 2.4 GHz channels.
• Reduce background network activity on the phone (cloud backups, large downloads).
• Native continuation doesn’t land in the right place
• For apps that have web, desktop, and mobile presences (e.g., media, productivity), early logic might open a web page or the wrong profile. Manually open the correct desktop app once; the system often “remembers” your preference on subsequent attempts.

Who benefits most in the first wave

• Media listeners: Spotify handoff is a perfect demo. Expect other audio apps to follow—podcasts and audiobooks are natural candidates.
• Note-takers and to-doers: Quick captures on the go that you want to expand at a desk. As deep links mature, expect “Continue on PC” to drop you directly into the right note or task list.
• Chat and collaboration: Less about streaming the phone app, more about context. The prompt could steer you into a native Teams/Slack/WhatsApp desktop client at the exact conversation.

What success looks like over the next few months

• More first-party and third-party apps: Media, note-taking, documents, messaging, shopping carts, maps/bookmarks—anywhere “resume the exact thing” saves you steps.
• Fewer “web fallback” cases: The best handoffs land in a full-featured desktop app with the right account/profile context already in place.
• Tighter Android OS integration: Richer “Continue on PC” affordances in share sheets, quick settings, or as a Smart Suggestion in the app switcher.
• Enterprise controls: Intune policy surfaces toggles for “Allow Continue on PC,” “Allow app streaming,” “Allow clipboard across devices,” etc., so IT can enable continuity with guardrails.

Accessibility and inclusivity angles

• Reduced cognitive load: Remembering where you left off and replicating that state is hard. One click to resume reduces cognitive switching costs, useful for neurodivergent users or anyone juggling multiple tasks.
• Input flexibility: Continuing on PC brings touch tasks into keyboard/mouse territory. For motor or vision needs, Windows accessibility tooling (Magnifier, Narrator, color filters) applies to the streamed app window, not just native Windows apps.
• Audio device routing: Handoff recognizes that “what you were hearing on the phone” should now play on your chosen PC output—speakers, headphones, hearing aids paired via the PC—without reconfiguring your phone.

Limitations and caveats to keep in mind

• App-by-app rollout: Deep context handoff depends on partner work. Some apps will initially open “near” your context, not exactly at it, or require repeated sign-in confirmation.
• DRM and licensing: Video services and some document providers implement strong session controls. Expect gradual enablement and occasional prompts to verify your account or region.
• Network assumptions: While Bluetooth can assist discovery, a reliable Wi‑Fi path determines how smooth streaming feels. Roaming between SSIDs or captive portals can disrupt continuity.
• Multi-account complexity: If you use personal and work identities across the same apps, early builds might open the wrong profile. Feedback from Insiders will help Microsoft iron out these edge cases.

How this compares to rival ecosystems

• Apple Handoff: Mature, polished, and consistent—especially for first‑party apps. Microsoft’s approach aims to match that fluidity while spanning a far more heterogeneous Android landscape and emphasizing Windows as the desk destination.
• Google’s Phone Hub and Nearby: Helpful for Chrome OS, but Windows is where most desktop time happens. Microsoft’s Phone Link already has a head start on Windows in notifications, messages, and app streaming; “Continue on PC” is the context-aware capstone.

What this signals for Windows going forward
The retirement of WSA closed the door on native Android APK installs but opened a clearer strategy: rather than replicate the Android runtime inside Windows, meet users where their apps already live—on their phones—and remove the friction of switching devices. “Continue on PC” is the visible, user-friendly expression of that strategy. If Microsoft and partners nail the details—fast prompts, correct identity, smooth landing in desktop apps—Windows 11 gains a powerful differentiator in everyday productivity.
Plain‑English setup guide (recap)

• Update everything: Insider build of Windows 11, latest Phone Link, latest Link to Windows.
• Link phone and PC: Same Microsoft account, reliable Wi‑Fi, enable notifications for the apps you care about.
• Trigger a test: Play something in Spotify on your phone, look for “Continue on PC,” and click it.
• Prefer desktop apps when offered: If Windows suggests a desktop app (instead of streaming), take it. It’s usually faster, more stable, and keyboard/mouse friendly.
• Be patient: This is a staged test. If you don’t see it yet, you’re likely not in the current wave. Keep your apps updated and check back.

Early wish list from the WindowsForum community

• Per‑app preferences: Always prefer desktop app for service X; always stream for service Y.
• Multi‑PC targeting: A quick chooser when you have more than one linked PC online.
• Granular context: Resume not just “an app,” but “this doc at this cursor position,” “this playlist at this timestamp,” “this chat thread,” “this checkout cart.”
• Debuggability: A simple “Why didn’t this continue?” link that shows version/policy/network prerequisites when a handoff fails.

Verdict: a small banner, a big deal
Continuity is one of those features you barely think about—until it’s missing. Windows 11’s emerging “Continue on PC” for Android apps takes a pragmatic route that fits the reality of modern usage: your phone has your apps, your PC has your desk, and you just want your task to follow you. If Microsoft keeps iterating with partners and nails the details, this could become one of those quietly transformative features that makes Windows feel genuinely “present” across your devices.
Call for comments and questions

• Have you seen the “Continue on PC” prompt yet on Dev/Beta? With Spotify or something else?
• Did your handoff open a native desktop app, a web page, or stream the Android app in a window—and which felt best?
• What apps or task types do you most want to see supported next?

Drop your experiences, screenshots, and questions below—our community will help troubleshoot, and we’ll update this piece as the rollout expands and more apps plug into the handoff.
Note to readers about recency and availability
This article reflects the state of testing as of August 23, 2025. Because Microsoft is flighting this to Insiders in waves, you may not see the prompt even with the right versions. Keep your Windows Insider build, Phone Link, and Link to Windows up to date, and check back as the rollout widens. If your organization manages your device, verify with IT whether Phone Link’s streaming and cross‑device features are allowed by policy.

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Source: Verna Magazine Microsoft Tests Letting Users Resume Android Apps on Windows 11
Source: Tech Times Microsoft Tests Windows 11 'Continue on PC' Feature for Active Android Apps