Phone link error 0x80048823

Grimwalker 20 Reputation points
2026-08-21T20:37:36.6333333+00:00

Since around 6am 8/21/26 my phone link app on pc and android has stopped working. was fine until i turned it off on my phone for 30min and when i came back to my pc and tried to reconnect it wouldnt work. After that i tried restarting on both pc and phone, then when that didnt work i signed out on both and have not been able to sign back in since. Keep getting error 0x80048823 or a "something went wrong" message.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Connect Phone and PC
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Answer accepted by question author
EmilyS726 264.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-21T21:11:18.3033333+00:00

This appears to be a widespread issue occurring today, August 21, rather than a problem specific to your PC or phone.

A rapidly growing number of users are reporting the exact same Phone Link behavior today: the Continue button does nothing, account switching does not work, and in some cases Link to Windows also fails to sign in. Users have already tried Repair, Reset, reinstalling Phone Link, clearing caches, and even testing different Windows profiles or PCs without success. See this other thread: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5982147/phone-link-stuck-on-use-your-mobile-device-from-yo

There are also independent reports from users in different locations experiencing the same failure today. https://www.reddit.com/r/PhoneLink/comments/1vu7wp9/phone_link_not_letting_me_sign_in (note, non-Microsoft source)

This strongly suggests a Microsoft-side Phone Link authentication/service issue. I have not found an official Microsoft acknowledgement yet, so I would avoid reinstalling Windows or making extensive system changes for now. Report the problem through Phone Link > Settings > Feedback & Community or Feedback Hub (Win+F) and wait for Microsoft to resolve or acknowledge the issue.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-21T20:37:56.4733333+00:00

    0x80048823 is a sign-in issue. For Phone Link, the supported steps from the available guidance are:

    1. Close and reopen Phone Link on the PC, then start setup again from the PC.
      • If code matching failed more than 3 times, close and reopen Phone Link and restart setup. The app should then prompt for permissions instead of code matching.
    2. Make sure both devices are ready for linking.
      • PC and Android phone must be nearby, turned on, and connected to the same Wi‑Fi network.
      • Check that the phone is not on Airplane mode.
      • Check that Battery Saver is off on both devices.
      • Make sure the same Microsoft account is used in Phone Link and Link to Windows.
    3. Update both apps.
      • On Android: Link to Windows > Settings > About Link to Windows > Check for updates.
      • On PC: Phone Link > Settings > General > Phone Link version > Check for updates.
    4. If Phone Link shows Scan the QR code to reconnect:
      • Open the phone camera.
      • Scan the QR code shown in Phone Link on the PC.
      • Complete the prompts on both devices and sign in with the Microsoft account.
      • If needed, select the refresh button next to the connection status in Phone Link.
    5. If the devices were previously linked and now cannot reconnect, fully unlink and relink.
      • On Android: open Link to Windows, select the Microsoft account under Linked Account, go to Account Settings > Sign out and unlink account, then confirm Unlink.
      • On PC: open Phone Link > Settings > Devices > Add new device, then follow the pairing steps.
      • If the issue continues, restart Phone Link on the PC.
    6. If the phone is signed out already, sign back in from Link to Windows and follow the on-screen relink steps.
    7. If a Something went wrong message appears, check the common connection causes:
      • Unlock the PC.
      • Verify Wi‑Fi is available.
      • Keep the phone within Wi‑Fi range.
      • Make sure the phone is not in Airplane mode.
    8. Check Android battery optimization for Link to Windows, because it can interrupt the connection.
      • Android Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization > Link to Windows > Don't optimize
      • On some devices: Android Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > All > Link to Windows > Off
    9. On the PC, confirm Phone Link can run in the background and shared experiences are healthy.
      • Start > Settings > Privacy > Background apps and ensure Phone Link is enabled.
      • Start > Settings > System > Shared experiences. If Fix now appears under Accounts, select it.
    10. If the connection still fails on non-home or public/work Wi‑Fi, that network may be blocking communication. Public, work, firewall, or VPN-restricted networks can prevent Phone Link from working correctly.

    The context also shows 0x80048823 can affect Microsoft sign-in more broadly and one accepted answer advises waiting 24–48 hours and trying sign-in again.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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