Upon first opening the Link to Windows companion app on Android, you'll be asked to grant permission for the app to access your text messages, contacts, and photos. Each app needs to be set up in order to get your PC and phone linked, but you'll want to start with the Android app first. Upon opening it for the first time, you'll be directed to download the companion app on your Android phone. Microsoft does a great job at getting you set up through the Link to Windows app on PC. The benefit is that it makes it super-easy to take notifications even if your phone is sitting on a charger somewhere.(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central) It's a 'set it and forget it' type of deal. If everything is working right, the two devices will stay connected and you will get your Android notifications on your computer whenever they are on the same network. If you have a main desktop PC or laptop that you are using, you can set up Link to Windows once and leave it be. You should definitely at least try Link to Windows DeX is there for the digital nomads that want to travel minimalistically or for those that want to revive an old laptop instead of buying a new Chromebook or something. So, bottom line is - most people will want to use Link to Windows to sync their devices and enjoy a more unified experience. But in different manners - running apps off of Phone Link is hardly usable for lengthy tasks, whereas the windowed DeX desktop is the perfect environment for exactly that type of use. Yes, both can display Android Play Store apps on your PC screen or let you receive calls on your computer, and transfer files or most recent photos. Now that we know that these two features are very different animals, it's pretty apparent that they serve different use cases. Should I use Link to Windows or Samsung DeX? However, look for the Link to Windows app on the Play Store - it's actually compatible with many Android smartphones. Phone Link is more of a Microsoft feature than a Samsung one - yes, it was exclusive to Samsung smartphones and Microsoft phones earlier, due to the close partnership between both companies.

Samsung link to windows