You may have heard that Microsoft is working on extending the Windows 11 Start Menu. Called Start Menu Companions for now, it is showing additional information and management options.
Good to know: Microsoft showcased several Companions already, including one that showed information from Windows Widgets there.
Microsoft released a new Insider build to the Beta channel that showcases the feature. This particular one adds Android phone management options to the Start Menu. Microsoft says that iOS support is coming at a later stage.
The feature extends the Phone Link feature of the Windows operating system. Phone link supports the following features at the time of writing:
- Read chat messages and respond to them.
- Call contacts, check the call history, and search contacts.
- Check, dismiss, or pin notifications.
- Share photos (Android only).
Phone Link functionality in the Start Menu
The Phone Link companion displays just a few information right now. The top lists the device’s name and status information. Below that are links to Messages, Calls, and Photos. These open messages, calls, and photos directly from the Start menu.
The bottom displays recent activity, including new messages, missed calls, or new photos.
Microsoft says the feature is rolling out gradually to users. It can be managed via Settings > Personalization > Start and requires a paired mobile device.
Closing Words
Windows users who use the Phone Link app may enable or disable the functionality in the Start menu. Everyone else won’t see it, unless Microsoft decides to advertise it.
There are a number of uncertainties that Microsoft has not addressed yet:
- Can you link more than one phone?
- Is it possible to display multiple Start menu companions at the same time?
- Will there be multiple companions to choose from? If so, which?
For now, I’m not sold totally on the feature. Is it adding something that is not accessible elsewhere or does it improve usability significantly? How often do users open the Start menu in Windows?
My count has gone down significantly ever since Microsoft introduced the pinning of apps to the taskbar.
What is your take on the companion feature? Good addition or superfluous?
Not without a Microsoft account you won’t, so no thank you.
So just sign in with your Microsoft account, and give Microsoft all the data on you phone?
The phone has to be paired to the Computer over Wi-Fi, so the phone is in the same general location. I see this as a big grab for data and not something really beneficial.
Google Voice preferred if I’m going to use a computer; Google won’t have my mobile phone, I can text and send pics, video calls, etc. And people can call me if they have my Google number. I’m sure everything said and done is recorded by Google, but . . . .
I do like the idea of Phone Link if it weren’t for the data harvesting/privacy issues. I tried pairing a device once, but never was successful. Oooo! Dare I try again?
Is it over 100 degrees everywhere, or just the US. My location allows making s’mores by the moonlight!
Yeah, give this company access to all your data https://www.propublica.org/article/microsoft-solarwinds-golden-saml-data-breach-russian-hackers There will come a time when Windows will be remembered as that horrible OS that can run Photoshop and games.
Google is already tracking me through my phone’s Android system and Google Maps and Google TV. There is absolutely no reason to send all this data to another company for no benefit to me.
Give Microsoft access to my phone? What a dreadful thought. Actually though, they more or less already have it because the Dutch government has outsourced all its email communications to the Microsoft cloud. https://nltimes.nl/2024/03/01/us-government-can-gain-access-dutch-governments-emails
My Internet access runs via KPN (mentioned in the link) and my email via Odido (I prefer to call them “Odildo” which sounds a lot more humorous, or at least to me). But my email contract which is coming up for renewal shortly runs on Odido. So I guess Microsoft can read all my emails and see what I do on the Web whenever they want. 🙁