Microsoft Brings Seamless Cross-Device Resume to Windows 11

In a recent release of Windows 11 Preview Build 26100.4188, Microsoft introduced a cross-device resume feature akin to Apple’s HandOff functionality in macOS. This enhancement aims to enable seamless transitions of ongoing tasks from mobile devices to PCs.

According to the update notes, users can, with a single click, continue working on OneDrive files from their Android devices directly on a Windows 11 PC or resume playback of a Spotify track previously playing on their phone.

At the Build 2025 Developer Conference, Microsoft showcased this functionality, using Spotify as an illustrative example. When Spotify is simultaneously open on both a Windows 11 device and an Android phone, the app’s icon in the Windows 11 taskbar displays a subtle phone symbol, indicating its active state on a mobile device.

Hovering over the icon reveals that the app was recently launched on the phone, and a restoration option appears. Clicking it allows users to resume Spotify playback from the exact point it was left off on their mobile device—now seamlessly on the PC.

The practical applications of this feature are manifold. For instance, if a user is engaged in a WhatsApp conversation on their phone, they can effortlessly continue the same chat on their PC with a single click. The desktop version of WhatsApp will open directly to the current conversation, reducing the need for additional navigation.

This resume also extends to Microsoft 365 documents. If a user has opened a file stored on OneDrive via their mobile device, they can later resume editing it on their PC without needing to search for the file path again.

Presently, the feature remains in its testing phase, and support is limited to a few applications. Evidence suggests WhatsApp may be among the first to adopt it, and Microsoft 365 apps are expected to follow suit, promising a more streamlined user experience within Windows 11.

Moreover, Microsoft leverages its Phone Link app to grant extensive integration with Android systems. However, due to Apple’s stringent ecosystem restrictions, it remains uncertain whether similar functionality can be achieved on iOS.

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