How to Disable Phone Link in your Windows 11

Microsoft Phone Link is a native Windows 11 app that connects your Android or iPhone to your PC, enabling seamless integration between the two devices. Microsoft Phone Link is an application built into Windows 11 designed to create a seamless connection between your PC and your smartphone, whether Android or iPhone. Its purpose is to remove the barriers between these devices, allowing you to access and manage your phone’s notifications, calls, text messages, photos, and even some mobile apps directly from your Windows PC.

This integration helps users stay focused and productive by reducing the need to switch back and forth between their phone and computer. For example, you can respond to texts, answer calls, and view notifications without picking up your phone, which is especially useful during work or presentations. The app also supports file transfers and screen mirroring on select devices, further blending the mobile and desktop experience.

Originally launched as “Your Phone,” it was rebranded to Phone Link to emphasize its role in linking your phone to your Windows environment. Over time, Microsoft has expanded its compatibility and features, including support for iOS devices with basic functionality, aiming to unify your digital ecosystem and streamline how you interact with your devices.

Why Disable it

Users often want to disable Phone Link in Windows 11 because it can consume significant system resources, such as memory (reported up to 1.6 GB), which may slow down their PC. Additionally, Phone Link frequently launches automatically at startup or runs persistently in the background, which some users find intrusive or unnecessary if they do not use the feature.

This automatic launching can also lead to unwanted notifications or pop-ups offering to link their phone, which users may find annoying. Microsoft does not allow Phone Link to be uninstalled easily as it is a pre-installed system app, so users resort to disabling or terminating it to prevent it from running.

To disable the Phone Link feature in Windows 11, you can use any of the following methods:

Method 1: Disable Phone Link via Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
3. Click on Phone Link.
4. Toggle Phone Link to Off.
5. (Optional) Also disable Allow this PC to access your mobile devices if available.

This will stop your phone from syncing with your PC and disable Phone Link functionality.

Method 2: Disable Phone Link from Startup via Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Startup tab.
3. Find Phone Link in the list.
4. Right-click it and select Disable.

This prevents Phone Link from running automatically when you start Windows.

Method 3: Disable Background Activity and Notifications

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for Phone Link.
3. Click the three dots next to it and select Advanced options.
4. Under Background apps permissions, select Never.
5. Turn off Notifications for Phone Link.

This stops Phone Link from running in the background and sending notifications.

Method 4: Disable Phone Link via Registry Editor

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: textHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Mobility
3. Double-click PhoneLinkEnabled DWORD.
4. Set its value to 0.
5. Restart your PC.

This disables the Phone Link feature at the system level.

Method 5: Disable Phone Link via Group Policy Editor (Windows 11 Pro and above)

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: textComputer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Group Policy
3. Find Phone-PC linking on this device.
4. Double-click it and set it to Disabled.
5. Click Apply and OK, then restart your PC.

This completely disables Phone Link linking on your device.

Using these methods, you can effectively disable Phone Link on your Windows 11 PC to stop phone syncing, background activity, and notifications to improve system performance, avoid unwanted prompts, and maintain control over startup programs.

More Information ℹ

• Phone Link
• Windows 11