Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform could also be lengthy gone at this level, however do not despair: You can nonetheless get a implausible Microsoft expertise in your cellular machine. You simply should look to an unlikely bedfellow.With Windows Phone out of the image, Microsoft has been devoting an ever-increasing quantity of power to creating its personal mini-platform inside Google’s Android ecosystem. And given Android’s immense flexibility and customization potential, that opens the door to some fairly compelling potentialities.With the precise set of apps, in truth, you may mainly create a Windows-centric setting on any Android machine — with the whole lot from the providers you love to the phone-to-PC concord you crave.Here are the steps and elements it is advisable to get began.1. Create your Microsoft-focused Android dwelling displayThe core of your Android setup is your property display — and the app that’ll flip that space of your interface right into a hub in your Microsoft-Android expertise is the aptly named Microsoft Launcher.On the floor, Microsoft Launcher has the identical types of options you will discover in different Android launchers — the standard instruments for customizing your property display’s look, creating gesture-based shortcuts, and so forth. But past that, it provides a healthy dose of Microsoft into the combination, with Bing-powered search by default, built-in entry to numerous Microsoft providers, and distinguished placement of really useful Microsoft apps. And then there’s essentially the most distinguishing component of all: To the left of the principle dwelling display panel sits Microsoft’s tackle the usual Google Discover feed — a card-based assortment containing objects equivalent to information, climate, agenda data, and fast glances at your notes, duties, and up to date paperwork from the suitable Microsoft providers. JR Raphael/IDG
The Microsoft Launcher’s feed and predominant dwelling display panel.
We’ll get into extra phone-to-PC connecting potentialities in a second, however first, an alternate dwelling display possibility for anybody who’s actually lacking the traditional Windows Phone look: Try Square Home. The launcher — which is not truly developed by Microsoft — emulates the tile-centric “Metro UI” from the Windows Phone platform. You’ll sacrifice the tight integration with Microsoft providers supplied by the official Microsoft Launcher, but when your cellphone’s interface is a prime precedence, you would possibly simply be pleased with the tradeoff (even when just for an occasional little bit of weekend nostalgia). JR Raphael/IDG
A style of Windows Phone on Android through the Square Home launcher.
2. Establish your Windows-Android connectionAll proper — so your property display is all set with a hearty serving to of Microsoft magic. Now let’s get your PC absolutely related together with your cellphone for the complete Microsoft-Android expertise.The very first thing you will need to do is obtain and set up the Microsoft Link to Windows app (previously referred to as Your Phone Companion) in your Android cellphone. Open it and comply with the steps it gives for establishing a hyperlink between your cellphone and your Windows laptop. It’ll be sure you’re signed into the identical Microsoft account in each locations after which immediate you to search out and join the equal app for Windows to get the whole lot squared away on the PC aspect of issues.Once you do all of that and authorize a handful of pertinent permissions, you’ll deal with an entire bunch of stuff out of your cellphone proper in your Windows laptop — together with:
Sending and receiving textual content messages
Making and receiving calls
Viewing latest images
Adjusting your cellphone’s quantity and ringer settings
Seeing your cellphone’s battery and connection standing
Turning your cellphone’s Bluetooth on or off
JR Raphael/IDG
Microsoft’s Link to Windows system enables you to work together together with your Android cellphone immediately out of your Windows laptop. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
On an annoyingly restricted subset of Android telephones, together with Microsoft’s Surface Duo and a handful of latest Samsung Galaxy flagships, you can even wirelessly switch information between your cellphone and laptop and even open apps out of your cellphone in your laptop. Why are these superior choices restricted to such a small pool of merchandise, you is perhaps questioning? For no obvious purpose — that is why. Presumably, it is only a matter of Microsoft making more money by retaining these options accessible just for its personal self-made telephones and people which can be a part of an settlement between it and Samsung.Maybe that’ll change at some point — however for now, a minimum of, it’s what it’s. And we now have Microsoft to thank for the limitation.3. Set up Windows-Android clipboard syncingIt’s confoundingly buried and separate from the Link to Windows app, however Microsoft has a useful approach so that you can join your Android cellphone’s clipboard to your laptop and make it particularly simple to maneuver textual content between the 2 techniques.The key lies within the SwiftKey keyboard app, which Microsoft purchased again in 2016 and has slowly however absolutely been placing its stamp on ever since. Once you put in SwiftKey in your cellphone and undergo its preliminary setup course of, you will should dig up and activate the clipboard-syncing possibility:
Tap the horizontal three-dot menu icon within the keyboard’s upper-right nook.
Tap “Settings,” then “Rich input,” then “Clipboard.”
Flip the toggle subsequent to “Sync clipboard history” into the on place.
Then, in your Windows laptop:
Open the Windows Settings app.
Click “System” after which “Clipboard.”
Make certain the toggles subsequent to each “Clipboard history” and “Sync across devices” are within the on place.
Just be aware that you’re going to should be signed into the identical Microsoft account each in SwiftKey and in Windows. As lengthy as you’re, you must then see something you copy on one machine robotically seem and be accessible for pasting within the different machine’s keyboard for one hour — after which current within the system’s clipboard historical past space, if accessible, onward from there.4. Embrace Microsoft’s Android browser energyFor essentially the most Microsoft-like framework in your Android-based net searching, you will need to seize the official Android Microsoft Edge app.The Edge Android browser makes it simple to maneuver content material between your cellphone and PC. And past that, it robotically syncs your historical past, favorites, and collections — a built-in system for saving articles to learn later — so you may seamlessly hop between totally different units whereas working. JR Raphael/IDG
Microsoft’s Edge browser gives a well-known net searching setting with seamless syncing between your cellphone and PC.
5. Set up entry to your Microsoft storage on AndroidMicrosoft’s OneDrive is constructed immediately into Windows — and with a pair fast faucets, it may be constructed into your Android machine, too. Grab the OneDrive app and have simple always-synced entry to your information, irrespective of the place it’s possible you’ll roam.6. Install the Office/Microsoft 365 pack for AndroidMicrosoft’s Office apps (now renamed Microsoft 365 apps) on Android have come a good distance. These days, the Android variations of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — accessible as particular person downloads or as an all-in-one Office (Microsoft 365) app package deal — are absolutely featured, polished, and nice to make use of. Plus, in case you’re already residing in Microsoft’s universe, they will offer you a totally constant expertise together with your desktop-based software program and allow you to work in your information from any machine with out the necessity for any conversions or changes.(Note that you’re going to want an energetic Microsoft 365 subscription as a way to make the most of the entire apps’ options — and to make use of them in any respect for enhancing on any large-screen cellular units.)Don’t neglect, too, that Outlook and OneNote are each accessible on Android. If you are utilizing both program in your Windows desktop, you will in all probability recognize having it in your Android cellphone as properly.7. Turn your Android cellphone right into a Windows authentication keyMake your life a little bit simpler and let your cellphone function the important thing to your Windows laptop with the Microsoft Authenticator app. Authenticator can act as an everyday two-factor authentication code generator, nevertheless it additionally has the flexibility to allow you to keep away from getting into your Microsoft password solely and as an alternative authorize entry to your laptop just by unlocking your cellphone and approving a notification.8. Consider another Microsoft-Android odds and endsThe apps and procedures above are essentially the most vital items of the Microsoft-Android puzzle, however Microsoft has a handful of different noteworthy choices that additionally is perhaps price your whereas:
If you end up needing to scan bodily paperwork or whiteboards usually, the Microsoft Lens app is as much as the duty. It’ll crop and clear up such snapshots and save ’em as PDFs, Word information, or PowerPoint information — in OneNote or OneDrive and even simply in your machine’s personal native storage.
JR Raphael/IDG
Microsoft Lens simplifies the method of capturing bodily paperwork and saving them to your Microsoft storage.
It’s not the perfect all-around to-do app on Android, however Microsoft To Do has the distinctive benefit of syncing up with the remainder of Microsoft’s ecosystem — together with the same-named app on Windows.
Want to translate languages with out leaning on Google? Microsoft Translator is standing by and ready to say bonjour.
Last however not least, in case you’re actually going all in with Microsoft, the Microsoft Bing app will be certain that Microsoft’s full search setup is at all times only a faucet away. It’s the closest equal you will discover to the self-named Google app that comes put in on most Android units out of the field.
All that is lacking at this level is Clippy — and I feel we are able to all agree his absence is an excellent factor.This article was initially printed in March 2018 and most just lately up to date in November 2022.
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