Windows 11 could give a major boost in Android cross-device continuity

Windows 11

Microsoft is taking a huge stride towards solving one of computing’s trickier problems: getting the world’s most popular desktop operating system to genuinely play nice with the world's most ubiquitous mobile OS.

The company is now expanding its cross-device continuity features in Windows 11, moving well beyond the initial, limited integration to offer something truly useful for Android users. What this really means is that starting a task on your phone and finishing it on your PC is about to get a whole lot smoother.

The core update, currently being tested in the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271, introduces an expanded "resume" capability. Where before it was largely restricted to audio apps like Spotify, this seamless handoff is now coming to a wider range of software. For example, if you are a Vivo Android phone user, you can now continue a web browsing session on your Windows 11 PC right from the exact page you left off on your phone’s vivo Browser.

Furthermore, Microsoft is tightening the integration with its productivity suite. Owners of Android devices from major manufacturers—specifically Samsung, Oppo, Huawei, Honor, and vivo—will be able to open files from the Microsoft 365 Copilot apps (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) directly on their PC. The file will launch in the dedicated desktop app if installed, or simply open in the default web browser otherwise. It’s an intentional, clear upgrade, though it is worth noting that accessing offline files stored on the phone remains unsupported for now.

Rhis type of fluid, uninterrupted workflow—starting a task on one device and picking it up instantly on another—has been a cornerstone of Apple’s ecosystem for years. They have a simpler job, controlling both the hardware and software for their iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads.

Microsoft, navigating the wildly diverse landscape of Android hardware and software variations, has a far tougher task. The fact they are actually pulling it off, one manufacturer and app at a time, is exciting. It finally begins to bridge the historic gap between Windows and Android, making the mixed-ecosystem user experience genuinely functional and intentional, rather than a frustrating patchwork of workarounds.