Windows Phone Link is one of Windows 11's best features, but with the latest Android 15 update, it's about to get a little less useful. With Android 15, Google has implemented a new behavior that automatically redacts sensitive notifications from being sent to "untrusted" notification listeners, and this will affect Phone Link on certain devices.
Microsoft has started warning users who are affected that as of the latest Android OS update, some notifications will no longer appear in Phone Link. This includes 2FA codes and other sensitive information. Here's what the warning says, displayed within the Phone Link app:
"With the latest Android updates, Phone Link no longer shows notifications that contain sensitive information for your protection."
This change will only affect users who have downloaded the Link To Windows app from the Google Play Store. According to Android expert Mishaal Rahman, phones that come with Link To Windows pre-installed should be able to continue syncing sensitive notifications if correctly configured to do so by Microsoft and the phone maker. Samsung Galaxy AI devices are still able to continue syncing these sensitive notifications, for example.
But if you use a phone that doesn't come with Phone Link, it appears you are out of luck. That means if you use a device like the Google Pixel, Sony Xperia, or Nothing Phone, you will no longer be able to see 2FA codes and other sensitive notifications when connected to Windows Phone Link, once you update to Android 15.
Phone Link has been shipping as part of Windows since Windows 10, when it debuted as Your Phone. It's a feature that lets you see your phone's notifications, apps, messages, and phone calls directly from your computer, reducing the need to take your phone out of your pocket when working on Windows.
Most recently, it lets you use your phone's camera as a webcam for your PC, and now even lets you sync files between your PC and phone within the File Explorer. It's a very powerful tool, but the recent Android 15 changes will mean it's about to become a bit less useful for a lot of people.
