phone link stopped working

Try this in order:

1. Verify both apps are fully updated.
   • On the Android phone: open Link to Windows > Settings > About Link to Windows > Check for updates.
   • On the PC: open Phone Link > Settings > General > expand the version section > Check for updates.
2. If Phone Link shows Scan the QR code to reconnect, scan it again with the phone camera. Then complete the prompts on both devices and sign in with the same Microsoft account in Link to Windows.
   • If needed, select the refresh button next to the connection status in Phone Link.
   • If the QR code expires, restart Phone Link and try again.
3. If the QR code still does not work, check the basic connection requirements:
   • Keep the PC and Android phone nearby, turned on, and connected to the same Wi‑Fi network.
   • Make sure the same Microsoft account is signed in on both devices.
   • Confirm Battery saver is off on both devices.
   • Make sure the phone can receive notifications and Do not disturb is off.
4. On the Android phone, turn off battery optimization for Link to Windows, because it can interrupt the connection.
   • Path may be: Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization > Link to Windows > Don't optimize
   • On some devices: Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > choose All > Link to Windows > toggle Off.
5. On the PC, confirm Phone Link can run in the background:
   • Start > Settings > Privacy > Background apps
   • In Choose which apps can run in the background, make sure Phone Link is enabled.
6. On the PC, check shared experiences:
   • Start > Settings > System > Shared experiences
   • If Fix now appears under Accounts, select it and complete the prompts.
7. If the devices were linked before and now will not reconnect, fully unlink and relink:
   • On Android: open Link to Windows > tap the Microsoft account under Linked Account.
   • If signed in, open account settings and Sign out / unlink the account, then reopen the app and sign in again.
   • On the PC: open Phone Link > Settings > Devices > Add new device and pair the phone again.
8. If code matching was used and failed more than 3 times, close and reopen Phone Link on the PC and start setup again. The next setup flow should prompt for permissions instead of code matching.
9. If it still fails, reset the Phone Link app on Windows:
   • Search for Phone Link from Start.
   • Right-click it > App settings.
   • Use Reset.
   • Then reopen Phone Link and try pairing again.
10. If the problem continues after reset, try reinstalling Phone Link. This is more disruptive than the steps above, so use it last.

References:

• Troubleshooting the Phone Link
• Troubleshooting setup for the Phone Link
• Use a screen reader to navigate Phone Link app
• Link to Windows & Phone Link are not communicating - Microsoft Q&A