How to Disable or Uninstall Phone Link in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Quick Answer

To stop Microsoft Phone Link from starting automatically, open Settings > Apps > Startup in Windows 11 or Settings > Apps > Startup in supported Windows 10 versions, and turn off Phone Link if it appears. You can also open Task Manager, select Startup apps (or the Startup tab in older versions), and disable Phone Link.

To remove its Start menu shortcut, right-click Phone Link in Start and select Unpin from Start, if that option is available. To uninstall the app, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11 or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, find Phone Link, and select Uninstall if Windows offers that option. If Uninstall is unavailable, use the alternatives below. Disabling startup, unpinning the shortcut, and uninstalling the app are three different actions.

What Is Microsoft Phone Link?

Phone Link is a Microsoft app that connects a Windows computer with a compatible Android phone or iPhone. Depending on the phone, Windows version, permissions, and available features, it can provide access to notifications, messages, photos, calls, and other phone-related functions.

If you do not use these features, you may prefer to stop Phone Link from starting automatically or remove the app. Disabling its startup entry does not uninstall it, and removing the Start menu shortcut does not stop the app from running.

Method 1: Disable Phone Link at Windows Startup

This is the recommended first step if your main goal is to prevent Phone Link from starting automatically when you sign in to Windows.

Windows 11

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Apps > Startup.
3. Find Phone Link in the list.
4. Turn its switch off.

Windows 10

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Apps > Startup, if this page is available in your Windows 10 build.
3. Find Phone Link and turn it off.

If your Windows 10 installation does not show an Apps > Startup page, use Task Manager instead.

Alternative: Disable Phone Link in Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. In Windows 11, select Startup apps from the navigation pane. In older Windows 10 versions, select the Startup tab.
3. Look for Phone Link.
4. Select it and choose Disable, if listed.

Restart the computer or sign out and sign back in to check the result. The app may still be opened manually, and this setting does not remove the app.

Method 2: Remove Phone Link from the Start Menu

If you only want to remove the Phone Link icon from Start, you do not need to uninstall the application.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Find Phone Link.
3. Right-click the app.
4. Select Unpin from Start, if shown.

This removes the pinned shortcut only. Phone Link may remain available through Windows Search or the full app list, and its startup behavior is unchanged.

Method 3: Uninstall Phone Link from Settings

Try the standard Windows uninstall procedure before using command-line methods.

Windows 11

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for Phone Link.
3. Open the menu beside the app.
4. If Uninstall is available, select it and confirm.

Windows 10

1. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Find Phone Link in the application list.
3. Select the app.
4. If Windows provides an Uninstall option, select it and follow the prompts.

The available options can vary by Windows build and app installation. If Uninstall is missing or unavailable, continue to the next method rather than assuming the app is a conventional desktop program.

Method 4: Uninstall Phone Link Using PowerShell

If Windows does not offer an uninstall option in Settings, you can check whether Phone Link is registered as a removable Appx package for your user account. PowerShell is a built-in Windows command-line environment.

Step 1: Open PowerShell

1. Open Start and search for Windows PowerShell or PowerShell.
2. Right-click it and select Run as administrator if required by your environment.

Step 2: Check whether Phone Link is installed

Run this command to list matching packages for the current user:

Get-AppxPackage *PhoneLink*

Review the returned package details. If no matching package appears, this command has not identified a removable package for the current user. Do not guess a package name or remove a different package to compensate.

Step 3: Remove the matching package

If the command returns the Phone Link package and you have confirmed that you want to remove it, run:

Get-AppxPackage *PhoneLink* | Remove-AppxPackage

This attempts to remove the matching package for the current user. It is not a guarantee that every system-wide or provisioned copy will be removed.

Step 4: Verify removal

Run the package query again:

Get-AppxPackage *PhoneLink*

If no matching package is returned, no matching package is currently registered for that user through this query. Also check Settings and Start to see whether Phone Link remains available.

Method 5: Stop Phone Link from Running in the Background

Windows does not expose identical background-app controls for every app and Windows version. First disable the startup entry using Method 1. If Phone Link has a background permission or app-specific settings page on your system, review the options there.

In Windows 10, some apps expose background permissions under Settings > Privacy > Background apps. Availability depends on the Windows build and app type; Phone Link may not appear in that list. Windows 11 also varies in which installed apps expose background-activity controls.

Do not disable unrelated Windows services or delete system files merely to prevent Phone Link from launching. Such changes may have unintended effects and are not necessary for the normal startup-disable procedure.

How to Restore Phone Link

If you later need Phone Link, the recovery method depends on what you changed.

• If you disabled startup: Return to Settings > Apps > Startup or Task Manager > Startup apps and enable Phone Link if it is listed.
• If you only unpinned it: Search for Phone Link in Start and pin it again if desired.
• If you uninstalled it: Check the Microsoft Store for Phone Link and install it if the Store offers the app for your device. Availability may vary by Windows configuration.

After reinstalling, review its startup setting again if you do not want it to launch automatically.

Troubleshooting

Phone Link still opens after I disable startup

Confirm that you disabled the correct Phone Link entry in Startup apps. Check whether another user or application is opening it, and test after a full restart or sign-in. Disabling the startup entry prevents that startup mechanism from launching the app; it does not block every possible manual or external launch.

Phone Link does not appear in Startup apps

The app may not have a registered startup entry on that system. Check whether it is currently installed and whether it opens automatically at all. Do not create registry entries or disable unrelated services solely because the entry is missing.

PowerShell cannot find the Phone Link package

The package may not be registered for the current user, may use a different installation mechanism, or may already have been removed. Check Settings and the Microsoft Store before attempting any other package-removal command.

Phone Link returns after a Windows update

App availability and registration can change with Windows servicing or device configuration. If it returns, repeat the supported startup or uninstall steps. Removing an app package is not a guarantee that Windows will never offer or restore the app again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Phone Link startup affect Windows booting?

Disabling its startup entry is intended to stop that app from launching automatically. It should not be treated as a general Windows boot-optimization procedure, and the setting does not disable unrelated Windows components.

Can I remove Phone Link without uninstalling it?

Yes. You can disable its startup entry and unpin its Start shortcut. These changes leave the app installed and available for manual use.

Does uninstalling Phone Link disconnect my phone from Windows?

Removing the app prevents you from using Phone Link on that Windows installation until it is available and installed again. Phone Link features will no longer be available through the removed app.

Is it necessary to disable a Windows service for Phone Link?

No service change is required for the standard startup-disable procedure. Avoid disabling services or changing registry settings unless a verified, specific requirement calls for it.

Can I uninstall Phone Link for every user on the computer?

The PowerShell command shown above targets package registrations for the current user. System-wide or provisioned app management is a separate operation and can vary by Windows edition and deployment configuration. Do not use broad package-removal commands without confirming their effects.

Sources

• Microsoft Support — Windows help and settings
• Microsoft Learn — Get-AppxPackage
• Microsoft Learn — Remove-AppxPackage
• Microsoft Support — Windows apps and troubleshooting