Phone link issues

Question

We can create and verify the Microsoft account on microsoft.com, and the one-time code is received correctly. On one specific brand-new Lenovo Yoga Aura Edition PC, Phone Link fails right after entering the verification code with error 0x800704cf.

Windows is activated, internet works, and the issue only happens on this PC. We have already tried network reset, Phone Link repair/reset, checking Microsoft Store login, proxy/VPN, and rebooting. This looks like a local Windows/Microsoft account sign-in issue rather than a general connectivity issue.

We also have another issue related to Phone Link and Android phones: when using Phone Link, the phone does not consistently stay connected to the Bluetooth headphones for audio. Instead, Phone Link seems to make the phone switch audio or connection priority to the PC rather than keeping the Bluetooth headphones as the preferred audio device. We would like to know whether this is expected behavior, a known limitation, or a configuration issue. This issue appears to affect Android phones.

Answer 1

Hi Malte Öberg,

I understand how frustrating this is, especially since you’ve already ruled out general connectivity and account issues and the problem is isolated to a single brand‑new device. We will go through each of your questions:

A - Phone Link fails with error 0x800704cf on one specific Windows 11 PC

1 - Make sure Sign‑in Assistant–related services are running:

• Press Win + R > type services.msc > press Enter
• Confirm these are Running and Not Disabled:
  • Microsoft Account Sign‑in Assistant
  • Web Account Manager
  • Windows Push Notifications User Service
• Right-click the entries and select Restart (or Stop then Start)

2 - Reinstallation repair (keeping files and apps)

• Use built-in repair option
  • Open Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update
  • Click Reinstall now > follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall Windows.
• Perform an in-place upgrade:
  • Refer to Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support
  • Navigate to the bottom of the page and expand In-place Upgrade.  
  • You can also check out the instructions from one of the Moderators here: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A

Disclaimer: Both Windows reinstallation and in-place upgrade will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up first before making large system changes.

3 - Clean install (final option)

You can find instructions on how to perform a clean install by navigating to the bottom of this guide: Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support 

Disclaimer: At this point, we have exhausted all troubleshooting and I recommend that we try to perform a clean install to get your computer back into a working condition. Please ensure that you backup any important data, including Documents, Pictures, Videos, and more. 

B - Phone Link interfering with Bluetooth audio on Android phones

Unfortunately, like you suspect, what you’re seeing is not a configuration setting you can control. As of current, Phone Link establishes a PC‑phone connection with two options: Computer audio or Device audio. This sometimes can cause audio re-routing since Bluetooth is considered the third device in this mix. You can try changing the audio output to see if it helps:

• Open Phone Link on PC > go to Settings > Features
• Expands Apps > Choose sound output from phone
• If you don’t see the option, check other sections.
• If it’s already from phone, try changing to PC.

If the behavior remains, consider submitting feedback so the team can look into it! On both PC and phone, you can find the Feedback & Community section in Settings.

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Answer 2

For the first issue (Phone Link failing with 0x800704cf on a single Windows 11 PC), the available guidance focuses on fully resetting the Phone Link/Link to Windows relationship on that device rather than general network fixes.

Since network reset, Store sign-in, and basic repair/reset have already been tried, use the deeper reset path for Phone Link on that specific PC and its paired Android device:

1. On the Android phone
   1. Open Settings > Apps (or Apps & notifications) > Link to Windows.
   2. Tap Force Stop and confirm.
2. On the PC
   1. Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
   2. Select Phone Link from the list and toggle it Off, then On.
   3. In a browser, go to https://accounts.microsoft.com/devices/android-ios and sign in with the same Microsoft account used in Phone Link.
   4. For each listed mobile device, select Show details > More actions > Unlink this phone.
   5. In Windows Settings, go to Start > Settings > Phone > Unlink this PC.
   6. Go back to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select Phone Link.
   7. Choose Advanced options > Reset.
3. Re‑set up Phone Link
   1. Launch Phone Link on the PC and choose Add new device.
   2. On the Android device, open Link to Windows.
   3. Sign in with the same Microsoft account on both sides.
   4. Use the QR code flow if prompted: open the phone’s Camera, scan the QR code shown in Phone Link on the PC, and follow the prompts.

This sequence clears cached device associations and app state at the Microsoft account level and on both apps, which is the supported way to resolve persistent local sign‑in/connection problems after basic troubleshooting.

If the problem persists even after this full reset on only that one PC, it indicates a machine‑specific issue beyond what is covered in the provided documentation.

For the second issue (Phone Link affecting Bluetooth audio routing on Android), the documentation available here only covers connectivity, pairing, and reconnection flows (including QR‑code reconnection and account relinking). It does not describe or document any expected behavior, limitation, or configuration options related to Bluetooth audio priority between the phone, PC, and Bluetooth headphones when using Phone Link. There is no supported guidance in this context that states Phone Link should or should not change Bluetooth audio routing on Android.

If the Bluetooth behavior is undesirable, the only documented actions in scope are to:

• Ensure both Phone Link and Link to Windows are fully updated.
• Relink the devices (including signing out/in of Link to Windows and relinking via QR code) to rule out a bad pairing state.
• Use the in‑app feedback options to report the behavior:
  • On Android: Link to Windows > Settings > Provide Feedback.
  • On PC: Phone Link > Settings > Feedback & Community.

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References:

• Troubleshooting the Phone Link
• Reset your Android device and PC with the Phone Link