In short: Though Home windows will probably by no means sync with smartphones as seamlessly as Macs interface with iPhones, Microsoft has lengthy sought to emulate facets of Apple’s related ecosystem. In keeping with this objective, an upcoming characteristic in Home windows 11 will enable customers with Android telephones to entry performance just like Apple’s Handoff.
Lately, Microsoft briefly printed – after which deleted – an illustration of a deliberate Home windows 11 characteristic that lets customers proceed app exercise between their Android units and PCs. Whereas it is nonetheless unclear when and if this characteristic turns into extensively accessible, third-party builders are presently testing it.
Aakash Varshney, Microsoft’s Senior Product Supervisor of Cross Gadgets and Experiences, detailed the brand new characteristic, referred to as Cross System Resume, in the course of the firm’s Construct 2025 session. When utilizing supported Android apps, a badge might seem subsequent to the app’s icon on the Home windows PC taskbar. Clicking the badge resumes the exercise from the cellular model of the app.
On X, person “phantomofearth” shared a screenshot from an earlier model of the Construct stream, exhibiting the desktop Spotify app resuming a music that was paused on the Android app.
It is unclear why Microsoft later eliminated this visible demonstration from the video. In line with Phantom, Microsoft plans to start rolling out Cross System Resume through OneDrive later this month, with taskbar integration to observe. Spotify and WhatsApp will reportedly be among the many first supported apps.
The characteristic mirrors Apple’s Handoff, which permits customers to seamlessly proceed songs, paperwork, browser classes, and different actions throughout iPhone, iPad, Macs, and the Apple Watch. Handoff is not the primary cross-device characteristic Microsoft has tried to duplicate from Apple both.
Taskbar hover card UI used for the upcoming taskbar suggestions characteristic + Resume on taskbar, w/ Spotify assist, in Home windows 11 (taken from a pre-recorded Construct session*) pic.twitter.com/C8eUTyjTan
– phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) Could 20, 2025
In January, Microsoft upgraded its Telephone Hyperlink app to enhance connectivity between Home windows 11, Android telephones, and iPhones. By syncing units over Bluetooth, customers can switch recordsdata, deal with calls, and ship textual content messages from their PCs.
Whereas nonetheless removed from reaching the extent of integration provided by Apple’s Continuity, which permits a Mac to remotely entry just about every little thing on a close-by iPhone, Microsoft is working to shut the hole. Apple’s tight vertical integration throughout its units stays a significant aggressive benefit in this sort of eventualities.
The Construct presentation additionally touched on Microsoft’s plans to streamline file and hyperlink sharing throughout apps and units. Quickly, customers will have the ability to share content material with contacts throughout a number of platforms with simply a few clicks. Microsoft will proceed internet hosting extra Construct classes aimed toward builders by Thursday, Could 22.
