Best Android apps for connecting your phone and Windows 10 PC

Last month nosotros looked at apps that allow you to connect iOS devices to your Windows ten PC. But if you're on Android and Windows x, you don't demand to feel left out. In that location are a number of ways to connect your Android devices to your PC. In fact, due to the open nature of Android, there are fifty-fifty more options.

While there are many Microsoft apps available for Android, this list is about apps that connect your phone and your PC, non just services that are bachelor on both.

How Microsoft is turning Android into the mobile Os for Windows users

From mirroring your screen to connecting your devices through the web, these are the best apps to connect your Android telephone to Windows ten.

AirDroid

AirDroid extends your Android phone feel to your PC. You can mirror the entire phone screen and control your phone through your PC or just sync specific aspects of the phone such as notifications. Yous tin respond to messages from your PC through SMS, WhatsApp, Kik, and other messaging services and as well have the option to ship quick replies to someone who calls y'all on the phone.

You can also use it to transfer files between your phone and your PC and control your camera remotely.

Setting up AirDroid takes a little bit of work, you lot have to unlock developer options and plow on USB debugging, but the app and AirDroid'southward website walk you through this.

There's a basic free version of the app, or yous can upgrade to pro for $one.99 per month or $19.99 per year. The pro version removes ads, allows you lot to transfer unabridged folders, and grants you admission to more features cleaved down on their website.

I similar the idea of AirDroid, and information technology worked fairly well in my testing, but screen mirroring did meet some glitches, as did notifications. This could be based on my hardware so information technology's worth trying it out on your setup to see how information technology performs.

Come across in Google Play Store

Vysor

Vysor is some other way to mirror your Android phone onto your PC. It also allows you to drag and drop files and take screenshots. You tin can too utilise Vysor to type into text boxes on your phone using your PCs keyboard.

1 way information technology differs from AirDroid is that information technology allows you to use Vysor Share, though you lot need a Vysor Pro business relationship, which lets y'all share your telephone with people throughout your office.

There is a costless version of Vysor but to unlock high quality mirroring, wireless connection, Vysor Share, and more features y'all'll demand to upgrade to Vysor Pro which costs $2.50 per month, $10 per year or $40 for a lifetime.

Run into in Google Play Store

Textto

Rather than mirroring your entire screen or all of your notifications, Textto specializes in allowing you to text from your PC. Setting it upward is incredibly piece of cake. You just demand to sign up with a Gmail account on both the Android app and PC version of Textto. You can then text from your computer through Textto's PC program or the web. It works wirelessly and so you can fix information technology up and so only text from your phone or PC.

Textto doesn't replace your SMS app of choice on your telephone, it just relays your text messages through your PC. I was incredibly impressed while using this and it'due south particularly useful because Skype SMS relay however hasn't arrived on Android.

You can get the PC version from Textto's website and download the Android app through Google Play. Both of them are free.

Meet in Google Play Shop

Photos Companion

Photos Companion comes from the Microsoft Garage. It allows you to send your photos betwixt your Android phone and your PC as long as y'all're on the same wireless network. The connection works almost instantaneously and but requires scanning a QR lawmaking to ready up.

The Android version of the app is free, and the Windows 10 Photos app comes for gratuitous every bit part of Windows x.

Run into in Google Play Store

Cortana

There'southward no shortage of digital administration on Android, but if you utilize a Windows ten PC, it'south worth checking out Cortana. The banana can sync reminders, lists, notes on both your Android phone and PC. Information technology can also sync notifications from your phone with your PC.

How to sync notifications between Android and Windows 10 using Cortana

Cortana has become easier to access than ever on Android phones by its integration with Microsoft Launcher. Cortana is complimentary on Android, every bit is Microsoft Launcher which can integrate with it, and is likewise congenital into Windows 10.

Run into in Google Play Shop

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge provides a nice browser feel as its own app on Android, but it's especially useful if you want to continue your browsing experience from your phone to your PC. You tin select to keep viewing any webpage on your PC immediately or select to view it afterwards.

Even in preview, Edge on Android already shows promise

Microsoft Edge as well syncs with other aspects of the PC version of Border including favorites then you can have a close to seamless browsing experience.

Edge is part of Windows 10, and the Android version is free.

Run into in Google Play Shop

Honorable mentions

In that location are two other apps that assist you lot connect your phone to your PC, but they are restricted to specific hardware.

Dell Mobile Connect

Dell Mobile Connect allows you to brand calls and texts through your PC and too lets you read and react to notifications. Our executive editor, Daniel Rubino, has called it amazing and it looks like a big draw to anyone considering new hardware. But the app is not only restricted to working with Dell PCs, it merely works with specific Dell PCs. Hopefully, we'll come across more hardware from Dell supporting this in the time to come and other OEMs making similar applications.

Dell Mobile Connect is amazing. Full mirroring of Android on Windows ten. Make/receive calls/sms. pic.twitter.com/70zY0ZcvtL
— Daniel Rubino (@Daniel_Rubino) March 1, 2022

Come across in Google Play Store

HP Orbit

HP also has an app of their own, HP Orbit, which allows you to send photos, text, and links between your telephone and your PC. As you'd look, it requires an HP PC. It isn't as powerful as Dell Mobile Connect but is very fast.

Encounter in Google Play Shop

Over to you

These are some of the all-time ways to connect Android phones to Windows 10 PCs, simply they aren't the only ways. What are your favourite apps and services to connect your devices across platforms? Allow u.s.a. know in the comments beneath.

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