Microsoft has started testing a new feature that will allow you to interact with a smartphone connected using the Connect to Phone app directly from the Start menu in Windows 11. The feature is currently available to some Insiders on the Beta channel in build 22635.3790, but you can enable it manually.
Phone Link addition is the first 'companion' for the Start menu. Earlier, the component platform was spotted in the Dev channel build 26212. It implements a dedicated panel to host the widget addition. It can appear both to the left and to the right of the main Start menu.
Note that currently the new feature only supports Android smartphones. iOS support will come in the future.
Key features of the Phone Link Start menu companion
- Effortless Connectivity. You can now view your battery charge and smartphone connection status directly from the Start menu in Windows 11.
- Unified Communications. From the Start menu, you can access messages, calls, and photos, so you won't miss important events.
- Continuity of Experience. You can quickly pick up where you left off. Thanks to integration with the Start menu, you can quickly access the latest activities on your smartphone.
System requirements
- Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 or later (Beta channel). The feature will appear in Insider builds for other channels later.
- Phone Link app version 1.24052.124.0 or higher.
- An Android smartphone connected to Windows using the Link to Phone app.
As said, the new feature is gradually becoming available to insiders in the Beta channel. But with the help of the open source ViVeTool app you can enable it right now. Here's how.
Enable Phone Link flyout in the Start menu on Windows 11
- Download the ViVeTool utility from its GitHub page.
- Unpack all the files from the downloaded archive to the c:\vivetool folder.
- Press Win+X and select Terminal (Admin) from the menu.
- Type the following command, and press Enter to execute it:
c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:48697323,48433719. - Restart your computer, and open the Settings app (Win + I) to the Personalization > Start page. There you can enable or disable the Phone Link flyout.
Credits go to @PhantomOfEarth. Thanks to thecommunity for the heads-up.
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I have beta 22635.3790 and Phone Link 1.24061.89.0 installed and it doesn’t work. Maybe I do someting wrong…
Same here. Not working at all. No Phone Link sidebar in the Start Meny and no option in Settings->Personalisation->Start to enable it either.
Same for me on 22635.3790 and Phone Link 1.24061.89.0
Unfortunately, not working though I’m in beta with the right versions (phone link version even newer).
And yes, I’ve ran the vivetool command and restarted the PC.
Oh, and of course my phone is connected using phone link.
Mabye you have a IPhone but it works only on android 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 beta maybe
Why is this?
Program ‘ViVeTool.exe’ failed to run: The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform.At
line:1 char:1
+ c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:48697323,48433719
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:48697323,48433719
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed
You need to put vivetool to the c:\vivetool folder.
I followed the directions to the letter, including placing all of the vivetools.zip files in the c:\vivetool folder, then using Terminal (Admin) and executing it, and finally, restarting.
Nothing appears in the Personalization: Start page.
Sigh.
Microsoft officially pulled back from the start menu. they promised to bring back after a few minor updates.