Your phone and your PC don't have to work as two separate devices. Windows includes a built in way to link them, and it starts at aka.ms/PairPC. Once connected, texts, calls, and photos move between your phone and your desktop without a cable or a third party app.

This article covers what the link does, how setup works on Android and iPhone, and what to check if the connection fails.

What aka.ms/PairPC Actually Does

aka.ms/PairPC is not a download. It's a Microsoft redirect that opens the pairing screen for Phone Link, the app built into Windows for phone to PC syncing. You reach this screen either from your PC's Phone Link app or by typing the address into your phone's browser.

The pairing process links your Microsoft account across both devices. After that, Windows treats your phone as a connected accessory, not a separate system you have to check manually.

What You Get After Pairing

• Texts appear and send from your PC keyboard


• Phone notifications show up in a Windows panel


• Recent photos sync automatically, no cable needed


• Calls can be answered through your computer's mic and speakers


• Compatible Android phones can mirror individual apps on your desktop

Setting Up on Android

1. Install Phone Link on your PC if it isn't already there. It ships with most Windows 11 systems.


2. Install Link to Windows on your Android phone from the Play Store, or use the built in version on Samsung and Honor devices.


3. Open Phone Link on your PC and sign in with your Microsoft account.


4. A QR code displays on your PC screen.


5. Open Link to Windows on your phone and scan the code.


6. Approve the connection when your phone prompts you.

Setup finishes in under two minutes on a stable Wi-Fi connection.

Setting Up on iPhone

Apple restricts background access more than Android, so iPhone pairing covers calls, texts, and photos, not full app mirroring.

1. Open Safari on your iPhone and visit aka.ms/PairPC.


2. Tap "Continue without QR Code."


3. Install Phone Link from the App Store when prompted.


4. Sign in with the same Microsoft account you used on your PC.


5. Type the pairing code your PC displays into the app.

Fixing a Failed Connection

Devices won't find each other. Put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Cross network pairing often stalls at the scanning step.

QR code scan does nothing. Update the Link to Windows app on your phone. An outdated version frequently fails to read the current QR format.

Notifications arrive late or not at all. Turn off battery optimization for Link to Windows in your phone's settings. Aggressive power saving suspends the background connection.

Phone Link says "disconnected" repeatedly. Sign out of Phone Link on your PC, restart the app, and sign back in. This clears a stuck session without needing a full reinstall.

Calls don't route to your PC. Check that Bluetooth is on for both devices. Call routing depends on Bluetooth even when the rest of the connection runs over Wi-Fi.

Removing a Paired Device

Unlink a phone before switching to a new one to avoid two devices fighting for the same connection.

1. Visit accounts.microsoft.com/devices/android-ios and sign in.


2. Select the device you want to remove.


3. Choose "Unlink."


4. Restart Phone Link on your PC.

A Few Practical Tips

• Stay within Bluetooth range, about 30 feet, for the most reliable calls and notifications.


• Keep both apps updated. Version mismatches cause most of the sync errors people run into.


• If transfers feel slow, confirm both devices sit on the same Wi-Fi band, not just the same network name.

Wrapping Up

aka.ms/PairPC is the starting point, not the whole process. Once your account signs in on both ends, Windows handles the rest automatically. If something breaks later, most fixes come down to matching accounts, a stable network, and updated apps on both sides.