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[Windows Link/Phone Link] Error Code 256

Anonymous
2024-11-21T01:33:43+00:00

To anyone that can potentially help:

I've been recently using Link to Windows on my Samsung Tab S9 FE+; also called Phone Link on Windows 10. Up until this past week it has been a great tool using to project what I'm doing on my desktop while I work on my Tablet; particularly the "Mobile Screen" you can project.

Now whenever I try to connect to my desktop with my tablet it refuses to connect. I am prompted with "Error Code 256" every time I try to use the mobile screen projection when just last week I was using it just fine. I have done an assortment of troubleshooting steps to fix this but I think it may come down to an update the Galaxy Store and or Microsoft released on November 11, 2024 according to the Galaxy Store for Windows Link and as a last resort I do not want to reset my Tablet just to see if it "could" fix the issue. The troubleshooting I have done are as listed; not in any particular order but just everything I have done up to this point:

On the Windows Desktop Version (since I am unable to uninstall it).
-Signed in and out of my account in the app.
-Reset/repair/terminate the app that can be found in app settings through Windows.
-Run the app as administrator proceeding to either relink or sign out of my Microsoft account to connect to my Tablet.
-Linked my device using a unique generated QR code to connect to my tablet.
-Restart my desktop after signing out or signing back into the app.
*My desktop is fully up to date running Windows 10 Pro Version 22H2.
Nothing has worked to not display the error code I'm facing currently :(

On the Android/Galaxy Version on my tablet (preinstalled, unable to fully uninstall only recent updates)
-Clear the cache and data found under storage both in Link to Windows App & Link to Windows Service
-Allowed all permissions; both notifications and app permissions such as location, microphone, nearby devices, etc so that no permission is denied in either Link to Windows App or Link to Windows Service
-Battery for Link to Windows and Link to Windows Service are set to "unrestricted" and cannot be changed (the other options are greyed out)
-Disabled and or Force stopped both Link to Windows App & Link to Windows Service
-Restarting tablet after a combination of above troubleshooting steps.
-Uninstalled the most recent "updates" for Link to Windows either through Google Play Store or Galaxy Store
-Unlink and sign out of accounts on the android app in settings, relink and resign in.
*My tablet is running on Android 14, 6.1.1 One UI Version, Knox Version 3.10, Google Play system update October 1, 2024, Android Security Patch Level October 1, 2024

At this point I have nothing else to try other than factory resetting my tablet so unless there is something else I missed I don't know what else to do. Any advice on what to do next would be extremely appreciated.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-27T03:37:25+00:00

    Dear Daniel Zhukovsky

    Thank you for posting in the Microsoft community.

    We are very sorry that many community users have reported similar issues to yours.

    This issue has been fixed through Windows Update on 11/27, so you can try to check Windows Update. At the same time, check for updates about Phone Link in the App Store.

    After restarting, a request to allow Microsoft services will be added. After you click Allow, Phone Link will work normally.

    Image

    This issue occurs only in Samsung phones. We guess it is related to some security settings changes.

    Since the update is being deployed in batches, please keep me updated on your situation and look forward to your reply.

    Best Wish

    Shawn.Z-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-27T04:52:19+00:00

    Hi Shawn thank you for getting back to me on this issue that myself and countless others faced with Windows Phone Link. I'm happy to report that the new patch as you described has fixed my error code I was receiving and everything seems to be working so far again! I will keep this post updated should it break it again but otherwise it looks like I'm at least all set!

    For everyone else still facing the issue, here is what I did exactly along with what Shawn described with the new Windows Update Patch (if you have it). For starters its called "Security Intelligence Update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus" followed by a version; see my screenshot below. After I updated my Desktop with this patch I restarted my Desktop. Following this I went to my tablet and to the Google App store and searched for Phone Link. It had an update as well and I hit update. I also checked to ensure there was no Galaxy Store updates, there wasn't, it was just the Google App Store. Similar to my desktop following the update, I restarted my tablet and after both updates were installed on both devices, I was able to open Phone Link, connect to my tablet, and use the screen mirroring feature that was before not working. When I did this it gave a pop up just like Shawn described asking access for "Windows Link Service" to access my information, I hit "Agree", followed by "Allow Mirroring?", I hit "Always allow". The little window loaded and I was then able to see my mirrored screen of what's on my tablet onto my Desktop again. Hopefully the rest of are you able to do the same and no longer have this issue!https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/6d36b25a-109f-4d1b-b74e-baa5c7058a65?platform=QnA"https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/6d36b25a-109f-4d1b-b74e-baa5c7058a65?platform=QnA" rel="ugc nofollow">https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/6d36b25a-109f-4d1b-b74e-baa5c7058a65?platform=QnA"https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/6d36b25a-109f-4d1b-b74e-baa5c7058a65?platform=QnA" title="filestore.community.support.microsoft.com" rel="ugc nofollow">

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-22T22:59:58+00:00

    Thank goodness I'm not the only one. I get connected to my phone, just cant mirror the screen anymore on my PC, which is the whole purpose of using this. I have all the latest updates on both devices. I can view and send texts on the main app just fine. I even tried installing and configuring it to a tablet, same result. Just cant mirror the screen on my PC and get error 256.

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2024-11-23T17:19:31+00:00

    I had the same problem. Messages, Calls, and Photos Worked, but Apps did not. When I opened an App on Phone Link, I received an error message, "We're having troube connecting your devices. Something's not quite right. Wait a few moments, then try again. Error Codes 256. Suck on this page? See more trouble shooting options. "

    I use Samsung S23 Ultra.

    I hope next window update will remove this bug.

    Image

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2024-11-23T02:06:31+00:00

    In my case, suddenly today, the Phone Link did not work on my Win 10 desktop and would not mirror my Samsung Fold 6. For me, it was not the Link to Windows on the Samsung, but it was the actual Phone Link app itself. I tried in every way to fix it and finally in the settings, I terminated it, only to have it disappear from my apps. Yet, it did show up still in my Windows 10 menu but it would not work. I went to the Microsoft Store to see if I could download another Phone Link and it would start to download but then the Store said, error, and I should try again later. And they said Sorry, and they were working on a fix.......lol.

    I never had an issue before this. Funny thing is, Phone Link still worked on my 2 laptops, an HP and a Samsung.

    I needed to reinstall it back so I found a version of Phone Link on Major Geeks and took a chance downloading and it worked! I was able to mirror my Fold 6.

    In case you need to reinstall Phone Link, because I have been reading complaints of it not working suddenly, and supposedly it is not working in the Microsoft Store either, but here is the link I used: https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/phone_link.html Maybe it will help somebody.

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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