How to fix Phonelink automatically turning off the "Use phone as connected camera" option wheh I turn it on.

Drian 0 Reputation points
2026-09-10T07:07:43.0466667+00:00

Im using a POCO x6 pro and before I updated the phonelink in my pc, the use as connected camera option used to work. I used to use it all the time as a webcam. But when I reset my pc and needed to use it again, I tried to open it but it kept on closing by itself. Can somebody please help me fix this? I tried to troubleshoot it and I tried to change versions but it still wouldnt turn on by itself

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Connect Phone and PC
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  1. Vikki-T 10,015 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-10T13:11:04.8366667+00:00

    Hi Drian,

    Thank you for explaining when the issue started. Please try these steps:

    • Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Phone Link > Advanced options, select Repair, and restart the PC. If the toggle still turns itself off, return to the same page and select Reset.
    • Open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and make sure Camera access, Let apps access your camera, and Let desktop apps access your camera are enabled.
    • Remove the POCO phone from both Phone Link > Settings > Devices and Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices.
    • Restart both devices, link them again, and approve any new camera or connection request shown on the phone.

    After reconnecting, try enabling Use as connected camera again from Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.

    If it still switches itself off, please share your Windows version/build, the Phone Link version on the PC, the Link to Windows version on the phone, and whether the POCO remains listed under Manage devices after the toggle turns off. This will help determine whether the problem is with app registration or device compatibility.

    You can also report the behavior through Phone Link > Settings > Feedback & Community > Send feedback, especially because it began immediately after an update. Thank you so much for your understanding.     

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-10T07:08:04.23+00:00

    Try this in order:

    1. Verify the feature requirements first:
      • PC must be running Windows 11 or later.
      • Phone must be running Android 10 or later.
      • Link to Windows must be version 1.24022.0 or later.
    2. Turn the feature on again from Windows:
      • Open Settings.
      • Go to Bluetooth & devices.
      • Select Mobile devices.
      • Select Manage devices.
      • Under the linked phone, turn on Use as connected camera.
    3. If it turns off again, check camera permission on the phone:
      • On the phone, open Settings.
      • Find Link to Windows in the apps list.
      • Make sure Camera permission is turned on.
    4. If the permission prompt does not appear on the phone:
      • Check the PC taskbar for a new window with a camera icon.
      • That window should show the phone name and guide the next steps.
      • If the stream does not resume automatically, use the refresh button in that window.
    5. Update both apps:
      • On the phone: open Link to Windows > Settings > About Link to Windows > Check for updates.
      • On the PC: open Phone Link > Settings > General > expand the version area > Check for updates.
    6. Re-link the phone and PC, since this started after the PC reset:
      • On the phone: open Link to Windows > tap the Microsoft account under Linked Account > Account Settings > Sign out and unlink account > confirm Unlink.
      • On the PC: open Phone Link > Settings > Devices > Add new device.
      • Complete pairing again.
    7. If Phone Link shows a QR reconnection prompt:
      • Open the phone camera.
      • Scan the QR code shown in Phone Link on the PC.
      • Follow the prompts on both devices.
      • If needed, select the refresh button next to the connection status in Phone Link.
    8. Check common connection blockers:
      • Make sure both apps use the same Microsoft account.
      • Make sure Battery saver is off on both PC and phone.
      • Make sure the phone has an active Wi-Fi connection.
      • On Android, turn off battery optimization for Link to Windows:
        • Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Link to Windows > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization > set Link to Windows to Don't optimize.
        • On some devices: Settings > Apps > Link to Windows > Battery > Optimize battery usage > choose All > find Link to Windows > turn it Off.
    9. On the PC, make sure Phone Link can keep running:
      • Open Start > Settings > Privacy > Background apps.
      • Make sure Phone Link is enabled.
      • Then go to Settings > System > Shared experiences.
      • If Fix now appears under Accounts, select it and complete the steps.
    10. If the problem started after Android permission issues:
    • On the phone, open Settings > search App Info > See all apps > Link to Windows > Permissions.
    • Allow these permissions if shown: Storage, Contacts, SMS, Phone.

    If the toggle still switches itself off after all of that, send feedback from:

    • Phone Link on PC > Settings > Feedback & Community > Send feedback
    • or Link to Windows on Android > Settings > Provide Feedback

    References:

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

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