How To Remove Or Disable Phone Link On Windows 11 In 2026
If Phone Link keeps launching on its own, syncing your texts, or simply taking up space, you can disable or fully remove it from Windows 11.
It only takes a few clear steps, and every one of them is reversible if you change your mind later.
The plan is simple: stop it auto-starting, unlink your phone, and then uninstall the app if you want it gone for good.
What Phone Link Does And Why People Remove It
Phone Link (formerly “Your Phone”) mirrors your Android phone or iPhone to your PC. It surfaces texts, calls, notifications, and photos so you can act on them from Windows.
People disable or remove it for privacy, to stop it opening at sign-in, or to reclaim background memory. The good news in 2026 is that all of these controls live in plain sight inside Settings.
| Goal | Where | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stop auto-start | Settings > Apps > Startup |
App no longer opens at sign-in |
| Cut PC-phone link | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices |
Syncing stops; app stays installed |
| Unlink phone | Phone Link settings / account.microsoft.com/devices |
Phone disconnected from this PC |
| Remove fully | Settings > Apps > Installed apps |
App deleted; reinstall from Store |
Method 1: Stop Phone Link From Auto-Starting
The fastest fix is to keep the app from launching at sign-in, which leaves it installed but quiet.
- Open
Settings > Apps > Startup. - Find Phone Link in the list.
- Toggle its switch to Off.
You can do the same from Task Manager.
- Right-click Start and open Task Manager.
- Go to the Startup apps tab, select Phone Link, then click Disable.
Why Does Phone Link Keep Opening?
If the app reopens despite being disabled, the cross-device setting is usually still active and re-launching it in the background.
Two things commonly trigger it:
- Auto-start is still on in one of the two places above (Settings and Task Manager can disagree).
- Mobile devices access is enabled, so Windows wakes Phone Link to sync.
Turn off both, and the app will stay closed until you open it yourself. If it still pops up, check Method 2 next.
Method 2: Turn Off Cross-Device “Mobile Devices”
This master switch controls whether your PC is allowed to reach your phone at all, and disabling it stops syncing without uninstalling anything.
- Open
Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. - Turn off Allow this PC to access your mobile devices.
With this off, Phone Link can no longer pull notifications, messages, or photos from your phone.
You can flip it back on at any time to restore the connection, so it is a safe way to test life without Phone Link first.
How Do I Unlink My Phone From This PC?
Disabling sync is not the same as unlinking. Unlinking actually disconnects the phone from this computer.
From inside the app:
- Open Phone Link, then open its Settings.
- Under My devices, select your phone and choose Remove.
On newer builds you can also use Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices, then remove the phone there.
Method 3: Unlink From Your Microsoft Account (Privacy)
This step matters most if you are selling, recycling, or handing off a PC. Removing the device locally does not always clear it from your account.
- Go to
account.microsoft.com/devicesand sign in. - Find the PC or phone you want to cut off.
- Select Remove or Unlink, then confirm.
Do this so an old or sold computer keeps no standing access to your phone’s messages and notifications.
Removing a device from one cross-device experience also removes it from the others tied to your account.
A Note On Removing Devices In 2026
Be aware that some Windows 11 builds changed how device removal works, and for a while users reported the option was missing entirely.
Current 24H2 and 25H2 builds (around build 26100.7309 / 26200.7309 and later) restored direct device management under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
If you cannot find a removal option in the app, use the two fallbacks:
- The Manage devices button under Mobile devices.
- The
account.microsoft.com/devicespage in any browser.
Method 4: Uninstall Phone Link Via Settings
If you are sure you want it gone, uninstalling is straightforward through the Settings app.
- Open
Settings > Apps > Installed apps. - Search for Phone Link.
- Click the three-dot menu and choose Uninstall, then confirm.
The app and its data are removed from your account. The phone-side connection is dropped as well, though you should still unlink from your Microsoft account for a clean break.
Method 5: Uninstall Phone Link With PowerShell
If the Settings uninstall is greyed out, PowerShell removes the app for every user on the PC.
- Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.YourPhone -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage - Restart the PC.
The package keeps its old internal name, Microsoft.YourPhone, even though the app is branded “Phone Link.”
If the command reports an error, make sure the terminal is running as administrator.
Method 6: Disable “Link To Windows” On Your Phone
To stop the connection from the phone side, turn off the companion app there too.
- Android: open the Link to Windows app (or its Quick Settings tile), tap your PC’s name, and choose Disconnect, Remove device, or Sign out.
- iPhone: open Bluetooth settings, find the paired PC, and select Forget This Device.
Doing this ensures the phone will not silently re-establish the link the next time both devices are nearby.
Is It Safe To Uninstall Phone Link?
Yes. Phone Link is an optional convenience app, not a core part of Windows, so removing it will not break your system.
Be honest with yourself about what you lose, though:
- No more sending or reading texts from your PC.
- No call handling or notification mirroring.
- No quick access to recent phone photos.
All of it returns the moment you reinstall from the Microsoft Store, so removal is never permanent and never destructive to your phone’s own data.
Disable Or Fully Uninstall: Which Should You Choose?
Use this decision map to pick the lightest fix that meets your goal.
| If you want to… | Do this | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|
| Just stop it opening | Turn off Startup (Method 1) | Yes, instantly |
| Stop all syncing but keep the app | Turn off Mobile devices (Method 2) | Yes, instantly |
| Disconnect a specific phone | Unlink in app + account (Method 3) | Yes, re-pair to relink |
| Free up space and remove it | Uninstall (Method 4 or 5) | Yes, reinstall from Store |
Reinstalling Phone Link Later
Changed your mind? Getting it back takes a minute.
- Open the Microsoft Store.
- Search for Phone Link (or “Your Phone”).
- Click Get or Install, then sign in and re-pair your phone.
Keep in mind that major Windows feature updates can quietly re-add built-in apps like Phone Link. If it reappears after an upgrade, simply repeat the uninstall steps above; there is no limit on how many times you can remove it.
Quick Reference
| Task | Path or command |
|---|---|
| Disable auto-start | Settings > Apps > Startup → Phone Link off |
| Stop syncing | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices → off |
| Unlink phone | Phone Link > Settings > My devices > Remove |
| Account unlink | account.microsoft.com/devices |
| Uninstall (UI) | Settings > Apps > Installed apps → Uninstall |
| Uninstall (PowerShell) | Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.YourPhone -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage |
| Phone side off | Link to Windows app → Disconnect / Sign out |
| Reinstall | Microsoft Store → search “Phone Link” → Get |