Windows 11 Phone Link App Removes “Photos” Feature, Android Gallery Integrates with File Explorer

The Microsoft Phone Link app is making a significant change by discontinuing the feature that allows users to view photos from their mobile galleries. This functionality is set to be integrated into File Explorer instead. Microsoft has stated that showing photos from mobile devices in two distinct locations is redundant. Initially, the Phone Link app was the primary tool for accessing mobile photos, but since last year, this feature has also been available in File Explorer.

As reported by Windows Latest, users will notice an alert within the Phone Link app’s “Photos”section, indicating that the feature is transitioning to File Explorer. Microsoft describes this as an upgrade, highlighting that File Explorer provides a more robust photo-handling experience, including multi-select, copy and paste, and drag-and-drop capabilities.

Unlike the Phone Link app’s Photos section, File Explorer grants access to the entirety of your mobile storage, enabling users to view videos as well. Currently, the Phone Link app does not allow video playback within its Photos section, nor does it support access to the other storage folders on your mobile device.

Microsoft effectively conveys this message through an alert in the Phone Link app, stating: “Photos is moving to File Explorer. Enjoy a better Photos experience with capabilities like viewing videos and managing files through multi-select, copy/paste, and drag and drop.”

For those who cannot see their mobile device storage in File Explorer, it’s recommended to visit the “Manage mobile devices” settings page and activate the “Show mobile device in File Explorer” toggle.

Evaluating File Explorer’s Mobile Integration: A New Experience

In our observations, Windows Latest found that Windows 11 incorporates your connected phone into File Explorer as a virtual shell location via the Cross-Device Experience Host.

When accessing this feature, File Explorer communicates with a broker on Windows 11 that facilitates file actions—such as listing folders or managing files—by sending remote requests to the mobile device using the “Link to Windows” service.

File Explorer’s integration performs quite effectively, allowing visibility of all folders on my mobile device. The Phone Link app redirects me to File Explorer, where I can access my phone’s camera folder:

C:\Users\thema\CrossDevice\Mayank's S23\Saved Searches\Camera.search-ms

This path conveniently showcases all images captured with my phone’s camera, as well as those taken by third-party applications. The user experience has been satisfactory, allowing me to edit, delete, rename, and move files seamlessly between the apps and my mobile storage.

Despite this functionality, I find that the Phone Link app’s Photos section distinctively caters to my needs, providing quicker access. It offers an app-level gallery view that taps into Android’s MediaStore for recent media, allowing me to see not only camera captures but also screenshots and other images.

Conversely, with File Explorer, accessing my mobile screenshots or images outside of the Camera gallery requires additional navigation through directories to locate the screenshot folder. The Phone Link app simplifies this by aggregating all visuals in one central location, similar to the gallery app available on my Samsung phone.

Unfortunately, with Phone Link discontinuing its photo viewing feature, users must adapt to File Explorer. While it boasts greater capabilities, it may prove to be a more complex user experience.

What do you think? Do you favor the File Explorer interface for managing your mobile photos, or do you prefer the streamlined view offered by Phone Link? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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