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. All of these controls live 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 > Devices, then sign out in Link to Windows on the phone | 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.
You can also stop it inside the app.
- Open Phone Link, click the Settings gear and choose General.
- Under App behavior, turn off Open Phone Link when I sign in to Windows.
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 content and capabilities from your mobile devices.
Microsoft’s page does not describe exactly what this toggle blocks, so check Phone Link afterward to confirm syncing has stopped.
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 and choose Devices.
- Select the overflow menu (…) for your phone, choose Remove, then confirm.
Microsoft says this removes calls, texts and notifications through Phone Link, but the phone may still appear in Windows Settings.
To clear it there, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices and select Remove if your phone is listed, which ends its use as a connected camera and its File Explorer access.
Method 3: sign out of Link to Windows (privacy)
Microsoft says the connection is tied to the Microsoft account you signed in with on your phone, so you should also sign out on the phone to fully unlink it.
- Android with Link to Windows preinstalled: Settings > Connected devices > Link to Windows, select your Microsoft account, then tap Sign out.
- Android with the Play Store app: open Link to Windows, tap the Settings icon at the upper right, go to Accounts, then tap Sign out.
- iPhone: open Link to Windows, tap the Menu icon at the upper left, then Settings, Account and Sign out.
If the phone is also paired over Bluetooth, remove it from the PC in Windows Settings and unpair the PC in the phone’s Bluetooth settings.
A note on removing devices in 2026
The exact removal options can differ between Windows 11 builds.
If you cannot find a removal option in the app, use the two fallbacks:
- The Manage devices button under Mobile devices.
- Signing out of Link to Windows on the phone (Method 3).
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.
Uninstalling does not sign your phone out, so still complete the phone-side sign-out in Method 3.
On some builds Phone Link is not listed under Installed apps.
A Microsoft moderator points those users to Settings > System > System components > Phone Link, then the three-dot menu and Advanced options, which offers Terminate, Repair and Reset.
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.”
This command comes from community answers on Microsoft’s Q&A site, not from Microsoft staff, so treat it as an advanced option.
If the command reports an error, make sure the terminal is running as administrator.
Method 6: finish on the phone side
To stop the connection from the phone side, turn off the companion app there too.
- Android: sign out of Link to Windows as described in Method 3.
- iPhone: sign out in the Link to Windows app, and if the PC is Bluetooth-paired, open Settings > Bluetooth, select the PC’s name and tap 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 | Remove in app, then sign out on the phone (Method 3) | Yes, re-pair to relink |
| Free up space and remove it | Uninstall (Method 4 or 5) | Yes, reinstall from Store |
Official sources: Microsoft: remove your mobile device from Phone Link and Microsoft: manage mobile devices in Windows.
Related Windows 11 removal guides
- Remove or disable OneDrive on Windows 11
- Remove or disable Xbox Game Bar on Windows 11
- Remove or disable Widgets on Windows 11
- Remove or disable Copilot on Windows 11
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.
Some users report the app does not show up in a Store search, in which case the direct page apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nmpj99vjbwv has been used.
If Phone Link ever reappears, repeat the uninstall steps above.
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 > Devices > … > Remove |
| Account unlink | Link to Windows on the phone → Sign out |
| Uninstall (UI) | Settings > Apps > Installed apps → Uninstall |
| Uninstall (PowerShell) | Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.YourPhone -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage |
| Phone side off | Link to Windows app → Sign out |
| Reinstall | Microsoft Store → search “Phone Link” → Get |