Do you use Spotify and Android with Windows? This feature will surely please you

Do you often switch between your phone and computer? Microsoft is preparing a feature that will make your life easier. The new cross-device resume feature will allow you to seamlessly continue ongoing activities between Android and Windows 11. It starts with music – specifically the Spotify app, but more are planned.

Imagine this scenario: you’re listening to a podcast on your way home, you get to your computer, and you want to continue. Until now, you had to manually search for where you left off. Now, a “Resume Alert” notification will appear on the Windows taskbar, which will switch you to the desktop version of Spotify with one click, exactly where you stopped on your mobile.

Missing Spotify on your computer? Windows will download it automatically

An interesting detail: if you don’t have Spotify installed on your computer, Windows 11 will automatically download the app from the Microsoft Store. Just click on the notification, and the system will take care of the rest. The only condition – you must be logged in with the same account on both devices.

The feature resembles Apple Handoff, which has offered similar switching between iPhone and Mac for years. Microsoft has finally decided to implement its own version, albeit in a limited form for now. Unlike the Apple ecosystem, where Handoff works across system applications, Microsoft is starting cautiously with one application.

How to get it working? You need to be an Insider

The feature is currently only available to testers in the Dev and Beta channels of the Windows Insider program. To try it out, you will need:

• Sign up for the Windows Insider program: Open Settings → Windows Update → Windows Insider Program → Get started. Select the Dev or Beta channel.
• Install Link to Windows on Android: Download the Microsoft Link to Windows app from Google Play and sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Allow mobile access in Windows: In Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mobile devices, turn on “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices” and link your Android.

When can we expect more apps?

Microsoft is actively inviting developers to implement this feature into their applications. Spotify is just the beginning – support for other popular services should gradually be added. Which ones will they be? Microsoft is keeping quiet for now, but it can be expected that they will be apps from the Microsoft Store with desktop versions.

Interestingly, the feature is rolling out gradually – even if you meet all the conditions, you might not have it available immediately. Microsoft is using a phased rollout, so some Insiders will still have to wait.

For regular users, this is just an interesting tidbit for the future. Realistically, the feature will reach the stable version of Windows 11 in several months at the earliest. The question remains how many applications Microsoft will convince to cooperate in the meantime. Without broad third-party support, it will just be another in a series of features that look good on paper but are not used by anyone in practice.

Will you use this new feature in Spotify?

Source: Windows Blog