How to Link your Galaxy S20 to a Windows computer/laptop

The new Samsung Galaxy S20 caters a number of advanced features. Among these features is called Link to Windows. As the name implies, this feature allows you to link your phone to your Windows computer/laptop. And once the devices are connected, you will be able to access files from your phone straight from the computer. This post will teach you how to get started in utilizing this feature. Here’s a quick guide on how to link your galaxy s20 to your Windows computer or laptop.

Easy steps to link your Galaxy S20 to a Windows computer or laptop

Time Needed : 10 minutes

The following steps will help you activate an advanced feature on the Galaxy S20 that will let you connect your phone to a Windows computer. Feel free to refer to this walkthrough and start accessing files from your S20 on your computer.

  1. To get started, tap Settings from the Apps screen.

    To access the Apps screen, you will need to swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen.

    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - open settings

  2. From the Settings menu, scroll down and tap Advanced features.

    This will open a new screen where you can activate advanced features.


    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - advanced features

  3. Tap to enable the Link to Windows switch.

    When enabled, you will be able to connect your phone to your Windows computer and thereby allows you to access your text messages, notifications, recent photos and other files.

    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - link to windows

  4. On your computer, go to www.aka.ms/linkphone.

    A pop up message prompting you to open your phone appears on your computer.

    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - linkphone url

  5. Click the button to Open Your Phone then sign in to your Microsoft account.

    After signing in use your phone to scan the  QR code on your computer to instigate the linking process.
    After successfully scanning the QR code, you'll receive a confirmation message on your phone saying that you're currently signed in to your Microsoft account.


    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - click open your phone

  6. Tap Continue twice then tap Allow on the following Your Phone Companion prompts.

    You can also choose not to allow at this point as you can always turn it on in the Your Phone app settings later.
    Your phone will then start checking your PC.

  7. If prompted, tap the option to Allow the Connection.

    After complying with the final permission, your devices should be connected.
    From the Link to Windows screen, it should say Connected to (the name of your computer). 
    If prompted, tap to enable Your Phone Companion notification access from your Galaxy S20.
    Finally on your computer, you can access your Galaxy S20 through the Phone app.

    link galaxy s20 to windows computer - phone linked success

Tools
  • Android 10, One UI 2.0 and up
Materials
  • Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, Galaxy S20 Ultra

If for some reason you couldn’t link your phone to your computer, check and ensure that your computer is running on Windows 10 or later version. 

  • To check and update your Windows computer, go to Settings-> Updates & Security menu then click the option to Check for Update.
  • To confirm that your computer is running Windows 10 or later, go to Settings-> System-> About and then check the version number under Windows specifications. It should read either 1903 or 1809. 

Aside from operating system requirements, your phone and computer must be connected on the same Wi-Fi network.

Once your devices are successfully linked, you then can start using your computer’s mouse, trackpad, keyboard or touch-enabled screen to pen, type, scroll, and interact with your phone apps. In addition, photos from your phone can now be accessed straight through your computer, hence you don’t need to email them to yourself.

And that covers everything in this tutorial. Please keep posted for more comprehensive tutorials, tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your new Samsung galaxy s20 smartphone. 

You can also check out our YouTube channel to view more smartphone video tutorials and troubleshooting guides.

ALSO READ: How to Download New Fonts, Change Font Size and Style on Galaxy S20


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1 thought on “How to Link your Galaxy S20 to a Windows computer/laptop”

  1. Is there a way to just plug in the phone to the laptop and access the files of the phone? It was just so straightforward and simple.
    Now I can access the apps on my computer but that is not what I want. For example, I want to copy audio files from the phone to laptop.
    The app doesn’t give an option for this.

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