Problem using phone link

Question

Unable to use phone link. laptop does not recognize my account

Answer 1

Hi,

Is your Microsoft account not recognized? Are you able to login using your user account in Windows?

Have you tried signing in using your phone number?

Microsoft account sign-in helper

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/microsoft-account-sign-in-helper

My username and password have stopped working

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/my-username-and-password-have-stopped-working

I look forward to hearing from you to get the results of the troubleshooting.

Answer 2

Try this in order:

1. Verify the same Microsoft account is signed in on both devices.
   • On the PC, open a browser and go to https://account.microsoft.com/devices/android-ios, then check whether the Android device appears under the account.
   • On the Android device, open Settings > Accounts if using the downloaded Link to Windows app.
   • On some Android devices, go to Settings > Advanced features > Link to Windows and check the address shown under Microsoft account.
2. Check basic connection requirements.
   • Make sure the PC and Android device are both turned on, nearby, and connected to the same Wi‑Fi network.
   • Confirm Battery saver is off on both devices.
   • On Android, make sure Do not disturb is off.
3. Allow Link to Windows to run without battery optimization on Android.
   • Go to Android Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization.
   • Find Link to Windows and select Don't optimize.
   • On some devices: Android Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > All > Link to Windows > Off.
4. Make sure Phone Link can run in the background on the PC.
   • Open Start > Settings > Privacy > Background apps.
   • Ensure Phone Link is enabled.
5. Check Windows shared experiences.
   • Open Start > Settings > System > Shared experiences.
   • If Fix now appears under Accounts, select it and complete the prompts.
6. If the account still is not recognized, unlink and pair again.
   • On Android: open Link to Windows > tap the Microsoft account under Linked Account > Account Settings > Sign out and unlink account > confirm Unlink.
   • On PC: open Phone Link > Settings > Devices > Add new device and complete pairing again.
7. If prompted to reconnect with a QR code, update both apps first.
   • On Android: Link to Windows > Settings > About Link to Windows > Check for updates.
   • On PC: Phone Link > Settings > General > down arrow after Phone Link version > Check for updates.
   • Then scan the QR code shown in Phone Link with the phone camera and complete sign-in.
8. If this started suddenly and the app accepts the account or PIN but does nothing after Continue, avoid repeated reinstall/reset attempts. That behavior has been reported as a broader service/authentication issue. In that case, send feedback through Phone Link > Settings > Feedback & Community > Send feedback or use Feedback Hub.

---

References:

• Troubleshooting the Phone Link
• Troubleshooting setup for the Phone Link
• How to get Phone Link working again - Microsoft Q&A
• The new Phone Link version won't advance beyond receiving my PIN - Microsoft Q&A
• Phone link error 0x80048823 - Microsoft Q&A