Phone Enable or Disable Show Recent Mobile Device Content in Start Menu in Windows 11


Phone_Link_banner.webp

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off showing your recent Android or iPhone mobile device content from Phone Link in the Start menu for your account in Windows 11.

You can directly access content on your mobile device from the Start menu on your PC. Using this feature, you can view your device’s battery status and connectivity, access your voice messages, calls, and photos, and pick up where you left off with the latest activities on your device, and share files across devices directly from the Start menu.

Improvements for Phone Link and phone companion with the Start menu:
  • Instantly see notifications from your mobile device apps — grouped by app for easy catch-up, right from your Start menu.
  • Mirror your Android device’s screen with a single click from your Start menu. Simply click on your device’s icon or access the option from the footer menu to quickly launch device screen mirroring.
  • Your iPhone memories are now accessible from the Start menu. Windows iCloud app users can see recently synced photos and quickly access their iCloud photos all within the Start menu.
Requirements:
  • Your PC must be signed in with a Microsoft account and must have Bluetooth LE capability.
  • Not supported for PCs running Pro Education or Education SKUs.
Starting with Windows 11 build 26340.9577 (Experimental 26H2), Phone companion for the Start menu now shows more of your recent activity, with a scrollable side pane so you can view even more without leaving the Start menu.

You can turn on or off showing all recent mobile device content in the Start menu, or only turn on or off showing recent photos, messages, notifications, and/or calls in the Start menu.

Reference:

Showing recent mobile device content in the Start menu requires turning on Show mobile device in Start.



EXAMPLE: Recent photos, message, and calls content from mobile device in the Start menu turned on and off

Phone_Link_Start_Menu_recent_contents_on.webp
Phone_Link_Start_Menu_recent_contents_off.webp




Here's How:

1 Open the Phone Link app.

2 Click/tap on the Settings (gear) icon. (see screenshots below)

3 Click/tap on Start menu personalization in the middle Settings pane. (see screenshots below)

4 Do step 5 (on) or step 6 (off) below for what you want.

5 Turn On Show Recent Mobile Device Content in Start Menu

This is the default setting.


A) Under Content in the right Start menu personalization pane, turn on Recent content. (see screenshot below)​

B) Check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Show recent photos in the Start menu for what you want.​

C) Check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Show recent messages in the Start menu for what you want.​

D) Check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Show recent notifications from mobile device apps in the Start menu for what you want.​

E) Check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Show recent calls in the Start menu for what you want.​

Phone_Link_Start_Menu_recent_content_settings.webp

6 Turn Off Show Recent Mobile Device Content in Start Menu

A) Under Content in the right Start menu personalization pane, turn off Recent content. (see screenshot below)​

Phone_Link_Start_Menu_recent_content_settings-2.webp


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom