Why Is Phone Link Not Receiving Messages?

Quick Tips

• Make sure to keep Windows, your phone, and the Phone Link and Link to Windows apps up to date to help ensure Phone Link works properly.
• Restarting the phone or the connection method might solve some issues.
• Linked mobile devices can also be managed through Windows Settings in the “Bluetooth & devices” section.

In most cases, your Phone Link not receiving messages is caused by an improper connection between the PC and the phone. However, the underlying problem is usually due to the nature of the connection of the Windows process that manages the utility. Here are the most common solutions that should help if you keep experiencing the issue over a few days.

Fix 1 – Phone Link Not Receiving Messages Due to Power Management

In some cases, Battery Saver or background app restrictions can interfere with Phone Link’s connection and syncing. Check that Battery Saver is turned off and that Phone Link is allowed to run in the background.

Step 1. Go to Settings and enter “System.”

Step 2. Find “System Components.”

Step 3. Search or scroll for “Phone Link,” then click on the three-dot icon on its entry and click “Advanced options.”

Step 4. Under “Background component permissions,” set the drop-down to “Always” and toggle on the “Runs at log-in” option.

Fix 2 – Manually Restart the Phone Service

If the background process doesn’t open, you can try to restart the service that’s responsible for it.

Step 1. Hit “Win + R” and input “services.msc” in the box, then hit “Enter.”

Step 2. Scroll down to “Phone Service” and double-click on it.

Step 3. If the service is working, click on “Stop.” Then, click on “Start” to restart it.

Step 4. You can also try changing the “Startup type” option from “Manual” to “Automatic” and restart the PC to check if that fixes the issue.

Fix 3 – Review Phone Link App Permissions on Phone

In some cases, Phone Link may not receive messages if the necessary permissions are not enabled on your phone. The exact steps will vary slightly depending on the model of phone you have.

Step 1. On your phone, go to “Settings.”

Step 2. Tap on “Apps” or “App Settings.”

Step 3. Scroll down and find “Link to Windows Service,” then tap on the entry.

Step 4. Tap “Permissions,” then find “SMS” or “Messages” and make sure the required permission is enabled.

Step 5. Go to the “Battery” section and make sure “Unrestricted” is chosen.

Step 6. Go back to the Apps section and check the “Link to Windows Service” app to make sure that it has permission for “Nearby devices.”

You can also try using the “Force Stop” option on both apps, then restarting them manually.

If you’re using a third-party app as your primary messaging app, be aware that some messages may not appear in Phone Link.

Fix 4 – Repair Phone Link

If your Windows is up to date, but Phone Link doesn’t work despite manual reconnections, you can try to repair it separately.

Step 1. Go to “Settings” and find Phone Link in “System components.”

Step 2. Click the three-dot icon next to Phone Link, select “Advanced options,” then scroll down and select “Repair.”

Step 3. Follow the on-screen prompts.