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phone link on work laptop keeps connecting to personal phone

Anonymous
2025-03-25T01:30:21+00:00

My work laptop has Phone Link, which I cannot disable. At some point, I may have logged into it but signed out soon after because I want work and personal stuff to be separated. Recently, the laptop was updated to Windows 11, and it keeps linking my phone to the laptop. When I take a screenshot, for example, it shows a notification on the laptop. If I open Phone Link on the laptop, it is still on the sign-in page, so I do not have any further sign-out options. My phone also shows that the laptop is connected, and I have to disconnect it manually every time. Things I have tried: Resetting the Phone Link app from the laptop's settings. Removing the work laptop from devices on my Microsoft account. Signing in and then signing out on the work laptop. At this point, this seems like a breach of privacy, but I do not know how to fix this. I do not have permission to disable this from the work laptop, and short of disabling the app on my phone, I do not see a solution.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Connect Phone and PC

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-27T21:46:54+00:00

    Its a work laptop so i dont have local admin rights.

    In any case. I have disabled the app from the phone and plan to remove it using ADB.

    I just dislike the idea that this cannot be done easily on the phone side.

    Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T05:13:32+00:00

    Unfortunately that did not fix it. I tried killing the task, which works for a bit. But windows seems to relaunch the app.

    Disconnecting from phones side also works but only temporarily

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T02:07:56+00:00

    Disabled it from task manager as well. Hopefully that fixes it.

    Phone let's me disconnect but doesnt let me "forget' or "unpair" which i feel is a security concern because my work laptop can basically "force" a connection. Even after i removed the work laptop from devices on my personal account.

    Anyways, thanks for the help. Hopefully this fixes it.

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  4. Sumit 43,546 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-03-25T01:57:02+00:00

    If you don’t need to be alerted by Phone Link features on your work device, you can turn off its notifications:

    • **Open Windows Settings:** Press Win + I to open Settings.
    • **Navigate to Notifications:** Go to **System > Notifications**.
    • **Find Phone Link in the List:** Scroll down to find the Phone Link (or "Your Phone") app.
    • **Turn Off Notifications:** Toggle off notifications for this app. This won’t stop the connection itself but will limit the disturbance caused by notifications.

    Prevent Phone Link from Running in the Background

    Even though Phone Link is built into Windows 11 and on managed laptops you may not have full control, you can try to disable its background activity:

    • **Check Startup Items:** Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and switch to the **Startup** tab. If Phone Link or a related process is listed, right-click it and choose **Disable**. (Note that on a work machine, this option might be locked down by your IT department.)
    • **Background Apps Settings:** In **Settings > Privacy & security > Background apps**, look for Phone Link and disable its ability to run in the background.

    Manage the Pairing from Your Mobile Device

    Because you haven’t intentionally used Phone Link on your work laptop, you might want to prevent your personal phone from automatically connecting:

    • **On Your Mobile Device:**
      • Open the **Phone Link (or “Your Phone Companion”)** app on your phone.
      • Look for a list of connected or paired devices.
      • Manually disconnect or “unpair” the work laptop.

    Because your work laptop is administered by your organization, your ability to disable or modify Phone Link might be deliberately restricted.

    If none of the above steps offer a permanent fix, your best course of action is to engage with your IT support.

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T01:54:28+00:00

    Hi, Mzain90

    It sounds like your phone is still connected to your work laptop. Try these steps:

    1. On your phone: Open the Phone Link app and disconnect the work laptop if it’s listed.
    2. On your laptop: In the Phone Link app, go to Settings and remove your phone from the Manage Devices section.
    3. Microsoft Account: Check your Microsoft Account online (account.microsoft.com) to make sure the device is fully removed.

    If it still doesn’t work, you may need to contact your IT team for help.

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