How to set up Your Phone app on Windows 10

Your Phone for Windows 10 is a new app designed to quickly access your photos, texts, and notifications on your mobile device. The app was first unveiled during Microsoft’s Build 2018 conference, and it’s an experience that will be available for Android and iOS devices.

Although the set of features will be slightly different depending on the phone you have, you’ll be able to receive and send text messages, check notifications, and things like drag and drop pictures onto your desktop without unlocking your phone.

Ahead of its release, Microsoft has made available an early preview of the Your Phone app for Android 7.0+, but currently the set of features is limited to access your recent images only.

In this guide, you’ll learn the easy steps to get started with Your Phone app on Windows 10.

How to get started with Windows 10’s Your Phone app

To get started with the Your Phone app, you must be running the latest Redstone 5 or 19H1 preview of Windows 10, and then follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Your Phone, and click the top result. (If you can’t find it, you can download it directly from the Microsoft Store.)

3. Click the Get started button.

   

4. Click the Link phone button.

   

5. Enter the number for the phone you want to link.

6. Click the Send button.

   

7. Click the Close button.

8. Open the text message on your phone and tap the link.

9. Tap the Install button to download the “Microsoft Apps” app.

10. Open the Microsoft Apps app on your phone.

11. Tap the Get started button.

    

12. Continue with the on-screen directions to connect your phone to your PC using the same Microsoft account.

13. In the “Your Phone” app, on your device, click the See photos button.

    

14. Click the Send notification button.

15. In the “Microsoft Apps” app, on your phone, tap the Allow button.

    

Once you’ve completed the steps, then Your Phone app will connect to your mobile device and populate the most recent pictures.

While using the app, you can browse the most recent photos you have taken with your phone camera. You can double-click to open the image with the Photos app. You can right-click to copy the image to the clipboard, and you can drag and drop files to the desktop.

You can also open the Settings page, but it only includes one option to allow the app to access your phone.

This first preview is only available for Android devices, but later, the app is expected to be available on iPhone as well.

Update August 14, 2018: The Your Phone app is now available for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.