The latest update to the Link to Windows app for Android adds a new feature: a ‘Lock PC’ button. When your Android phone is connected to your Windows 11 computer via the Phone Link app, you can now lock your PC with just a tap on your phone.
This is part of the app’s updated version (1.25071.165 or later), though the feature is still being rolled out and may not be available to everyone immediately.
The remote lock option is useful for moments when you step away from your PC — maybe for a coffee break — and don’t want to leave it unlocked. Once you hit the lock button from your phone, the computer will lock, and the connection between your phone and PC through Phone Link will pause until you log in again.
But that’s not all. The updated app now also lets you access clipboard contents from your Windows 11 PC on your phone — as long as the clipboard is synced. It even lets you see recently shared files.
Here’s the practical benefit: This remote lock feature is a simpler, battery-friendly alternative to the existing “dynamic lock,” which automatically locks your PC when your Bluetooth-connected phone moves out of range. Dynamic lock works well, but not everyone likes to keep Bluetooth on all the time because of battery drain. In that case, having a manual lock button on your phone is a smart workaround.
Microsoft isn’t making big flashy moves with Phone Link, but the steady updates are adding more useful options. Still, users have a point when they say Samsung Galaxy phones get the best features — something Microsoft might want to fix down the line.
