Android Phone Not Showing Up on Windows 11 PC ? Here’s How to Fix It

Windows 11 » How To

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by Megan Moore 

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Key notes

  • Users can access their Android device from their PC using Phone Link (formerly Your Phone).
  • Smartphones can be connected to a PC using a USB cable, but users will not have the ability to see or reply to texts and phone calls.
  • Blocking features, like airplane mode and battery saver, can prevent Phone Link from working properly and connecting to your device.
feature image windows 11 not recognizing android device.
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Connecting your Android phone to a Windows 11 PC should let you transfer files, sync notifications, or even mirror your screen using Phone Link (formerly Your Phone). But for many users, Windows 11 won’t detect the device, making it impossible to access anything.

If your phone is plugged in but doesn’t appear in File Explorer, or you’re unable to browse your phone’s files from your PC, the steps below will help restore access.

How do I fix Windows 11 not recognizing Android phone?

1. Check system requirements

Connect to the same WIFI and network.

For Phone Link to work properly, users need a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC and an Android device running Android 7.0 or later. Users can check what version of Android they have in the About Phone section in their settings.

Users also need to make sure their smartphone and PC are connected to the same WIFI network. Phone Link on your PC and Link to Windows app on Android need to have the same Microsoft account login information to connect properly.

2. Reinstall drivers

  1. Right-click on Start and select Run (or press Windows + R).
  2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK. Type devmgmt.
  3. Make sure your Android device is plugged in via USB and locate Portable Devices, then expand it to find your device. Portable devices.
  4. Right-click and select Uninstall device. Uninstall device.
  5. Unplug your device and restart your PC.
  6. Connect your Android device.

Sometimes Windows 11 may not have the most recent drivers for your device, or they’re not properly installed. Performing a clean reset of the driver may get your PC to recognize your Android device.

To ensure all your drivers are running properly, we recommend using specialized driver updating software. This software automatically checks for faulty drivers and useless files that may impact your PC.

3. Adjust battery optimization features

  1. On your Android device, open Settings.
  2. Open Apps & notifications then See all apps. Open apps and notifications.
  3. Search for Link to Windows and tap the app. Search for Link to Windows.
  4. Expand Advanced the tap on Battery. Expand Advanced and tap on battery.
  5. Select Don’t optimize.

On some Android devices, battery optimization features might cause issues or prevent your device from connecting to Phone Link. Disabling battery features may solve the problem.

Battery saver has also been reported to impact the connection between your smartphone and PC so make sure this feature is turned off.

4. Disable blocking features

  1. On your Android device, open your notification menu. Usually, this is accessed by swiping down from the top of your screen.
  2. Make sure features like Airplane mode, Battery Saver, and Do Not Disturb are disabled. Disable blocking features on mobile.
  3. On your PC, open the menu in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar.
  4. Make sure Airplane mode, Battery Saver, and Focus Assist are disabled. Disable blocking features.

Blocking features may impact the connection between your smartphone and PC. Try connecting your device after disabling these features.

5. Adjust USB configuration settings

  1. On your Android device, open Settings.
  2. Tap Bluetooth & Device connection. Tap bluetooth and device connection.
  3. Open USB. USB settings.
  4. Select File Transfer and then plug your phone into your PC via USB. Switch to file transfer.

If you need to share files or media, adjusting your phone settings to allow the transfer via USB may allow you to have access to your phone from your PC.

  1. Click on Start and open Settings (or press Windows + I).
  2. Select Apps then Apps & features. Apps & features.
  3. Under App list search for Phone Link. Search for phone link.
  4. Click the three dots and select Advanced options.
  5. Scroll down to Reset and select Repair. Select repair.
  6. After the repair is complete, click Reset. Reset Phone Link.
  7. Restart your PC.
  8. Register your device on Phone Link.
  1. Click Start and open Settings (or press Windows + I).
  2. Select Bluetooth & devices and scroll down to Your Phone. Open Bluetooth & devices.
  3. Click Open Your Phone and select Get started. Click get started to set up Android phone.
  4. Sign in with your Microsoft Account.
  5. On your mobile device go to www.aka.ms/yourpc and hit enter. On your mobile device search for the URL.
  6. If this takes you to the Google Play store, then install the Link to Windows app. Install Link to Windows app.
  7. Follow the prompts on the app until the QR code is ready to be scanned.
  8. On your PC, check I have the Link to Windows app ready, then Pair with QR code. Click Pair with QR Code.

Wrapping up

Connecting your phone to your PC makes accessing texts, photos, and calls much easier. If Windows 11 wasn’t recognizing your Android device, these steps, especially repairing the Phone Link app, should help restore the connection, whether you’re using USB or wireless sync.

Still having issues? You might also want to check out what to do if your Windows laptop doesn’t recognize Lumia phones—some solutions apply to Android as well.

More about the topics: Android issues, your phone app

Megan Moore

Megan Moore Shield

Megan is a Windows enthusiast and an avid writer. With an interest and fascination in all things tech, she enjoys staying up to date on exciting new developments in the computer and gaming world. When not falling down a rabbit hole of tech news and information, she enjoys painting, watching movies, and taking her dramatic husky for long walks.

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