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Windows 11 could get a ‘Hand Off’ feature that brings Apple-like convenience in integrating your phone and PC

September 25, 2024
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Windows 11 could get another feature to develop a tighter level of integration between your PC and smartphone, and it’s called ‘Hand Off.’ 

Windows Latest noticed that a Windows tester on X, @techosarusrex, pointed out the feature in a tweet, having discovered the hidden capability in a recent Beta channel preview of Windows 11 (build 22635).

Windows Latest observes that the Hand Off feature looks to be related to the ‘Continue from Phone’ functionality the tech site previously wrote about a few months back (also in testing).

Whatever the case, the screenshots provided on X give us more clues as to how it might work, as there are settings to control which apps can use Hand Off (only OneDrive right now), as well as a toggle to turn on (or off) the actual Hand Off feature itself.

The overall idea is that when a Hand Off is available - meaning the ability to carry on what you were doing on your phone, on your PC instead when you return to sit at your computer - an icon will appear in the taskbar to notify you. As shown, when you’re back at your PC, it’ll allow you to, for example, pick up work on a document you were previously editing on your phone.

As far as we can tell, this ability won’t be limited to Android phones, and you should be able to carry on your activity from an iPhone as well (we don’t see why not). While OneDrive is the only option to use with Hand Off currently, this is very early (still hidden) work in testing - so broader support for more apps could be brought in yet.

A woman sitting at a table and holding an iPhone, and she has a laptop open on the table

(Image credit: Shutterstock/sergey causelove)

How does Hand Off fit in with Continue from Phone?

Exactly how Continue from Phone and Hand Off are related remains to be seen - the latter could even be the new name for the former. Clearly they are tied together closely, though, but we’ll just have to wait for more details on exactly how Hand Off will work (assuming it ever goes live in testing, that is). It’s possible Hand Off could work in both directions, meaning you can pick up activity from your PC on your phone, too.

Some of you may have noticed the similarity between this hidden Windows 11 feature and Apple’s ‘Handoff’ functionality, which allows users to seamlessly continue activities between their iPhone, iPad, and Mac. With Apple’s Handoff, you can start an email on your iPhone, for instance, and pick up where you left off on your Mac. 

Windows 11’s Continue from Phone and Hand Off features aim for a similarly seamless experience, but what’ll be interesting is that given Apple’s Handoff is tied to its iCloud ecosystem, whether Microsoft’s take will only be usable with OneDrive. Or, as mentioned above, whether support will be made more expansive.

Smoother and more robust integration between Windows 11 and smartphones will give users a reason to stick with the OS, and I think if Microsoft focuses on improving this aspect, it will prove fruitful.

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