Microsoft is adding a new option to Windows 11 that lets users resume app-based tasks and functions from their Android phone directly on their PC. The unnamed feature, commonly known as cross-device resume, is now available to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels.
For now, cross-device resume only offers support for Spotify, meaning those listening to a track on their Android device can continue playback on their Windows 11 computer without losing their place within that track. Microsoft is also encouraging developers to add cross-device resume support to their apps using the provided Continuity SDK. The company’s documentation and public blog invite developers to join the initiative to expand app support beyond Spotify.
The cross-device resume process requires linking an Android phone and a Windows 11 PC. When a supported app is in use on the Android device, an icon appears in the Windows 11 taskbar, showing the user that this particular app is compatible and they can continue the session on their PC. Users can manage which apps are permitted to perform cross-device resume. Microsoft says all data shared between devices is encrypted, as reported by Windows Central.
It wouldn’t be terribly surprising if Microsoft’s version of cross-device resume is designed to close the gap between Android and Windows and form a more united front against Apple’s closed ecosystem, which offers a relatively seamless cross-device experience. Microsoft has spent the last few years adding features like this, including Phone Link.
If you don’t have access to cross-device resume yet on your Windows 11 PC, hang tight—the feature is rolling out gradually.