Inconsistent Phone Link app behavior

Some of my online accounts require two factor authentication. They usually send authentication code via text messages. With Phone Link app, it sometimes enable me to copy and paste the code from their pop-up messages. But about half of the time, it does not enable one to copy the code in the text messages. Is there a way to make it consistent?

Is it random, or can codes for one account always be copied and codes from another account always not be copied?

It is random. For the same account, I noticed inconsistent behavior.

OK, that rules out account specificity.

Are you viewing any of these on your actual cell at all when the notifications come in?

I'm asking because this was the primary reason I stopped using Phone Link - it made it useless for me when this occurred, but I never tried to troubleshoot it.

Maybe now that you've brought it up we can troubleshoot together and hopefully figure it out.

johnlgalt said:

OK, that rules out account specificity.

Are you viewing any of these on your actual cell at all when the notifications come in?

I'm asking because this was the primary reason I stopped using Phone Link - it made it useless for me when this occurred, but I never tried to troubleshoot it.

Maybe now that you've brought it up we can troubleshoot together and hopefully figure it out.

Click to expand...

No, I was not using my cell phone when the notifications come in.

vett93 said:

Some of my online accounts require two factor authentication. They usually send authentication code via text messages. With Phone Link app, it sometimes enable me to copy and paste the code from their pop-up messages. But about half of the time, it does not enable one to copy the code in the text messages. Is there a way to make it consistent?

Click to expand...

I don't understand your problem. I never depend upon any pop-ups. I just open Phone Link and copy the code in the message there. This way has always worked for me.

MisterEd said:

I don't understand your problem. I never depend upon any pop-ups. I just open Phone Link and copy the code in the message there. This way has always worked for me.

Click to expand...

This is related to Windows' notification function. When you get a message, you can get a notification pop-up. On some of these notification pop-ups, it will show a copy button that enables you to copy the code without opening up the Phone Link app. On other notification pop-ups, they don't have such button, and so one has to open up the Phone Link app to copy the content.

Hope this is clearer.

vett93 said:

This is related to Windows' notification function. When you get a message, you can get a notification pop-up. On some of these notification pop-ups, it will show a copy button that enables you to copy the code without opening up the Phone Link app. On other notification pop-ups, they don't have such button, and so one has to open up the Phone Link app to copy the content.

Hope this is clearer.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's handy for Two Factor Authentication (2FA) codes.
You can simply click on the code when it pops up and you can paste it into the required field.

But I don't find Phone Link to be very reliable. Maybe that's why there are so many updates for it.

I've seen this on specific accounts (Facebook/related) but it works on everything else.

I just reinstalled Windows 11 last Saturday. While I have been reinstalling a lot of programs I have been getting a lot of 2FA popups. The typical code that is shown is only 6 digits. I just memorize these and enter them into the site that wants them. I rarely need to open the Phone Link app anymore to get them. Am I missing something?

BTW, when I reinstalled Phone Link I couldn't get the phone to scan the QR code successfully. I just used the alternative method given and used a PIN. That worked the first time.

For me, the one site for which I consistently do not get the Windows notifications are the TOTP codes are for Walmart.com.

But, strangely, it's just for the TOTP codes; all other Walmart text messages appear in the Windows notifications.