Microsoft Phone Link will soon make it easier to move on from your old phone

• Another improvement is spotted for Phone Link
• It will soon be easier to unlink handsets
• The app has been regularly updated in recent months

The Phone Link app that's part of Windows lets you sync data, texts, and calls between the desktop operating system and a mobile device – and a new upgrade for the tool is being tested that makes it easier to swap between handsets in Phone Link.

As per tipster @phantomofearth (via Windows Latest), some users now have the option to unlink a connected iPhone or Android phone from Phone Link, right from the Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices page in Windows Settings.

At the moment, you need to head into your Microsoft account settings page on the web to manage this – so it potentially saves a lot of clicking around and logging in. Previously, an unlink button was available in the Phone Link app itself, but it was removed a while ago.

One obvious reason why you would want to do this is when you're upgrading your phone, and anything that makes switching phones more straightforward is welcome – what with all the other data transfer jobs involved.

Regular upgrades

The options you get through Phone Link depend on the handset you're using. Both iPhones and Android phones are able to connect to Phone Link, though you get the most features with the best Samsung Galaxy phones.

Another feature currently in testing is an iPhone info panel to match the one for Android devices, which can be viewed right inside the Start menu. This all follows on from regular upgrades to Phone Link that we've seen over the last year or so.

Quite how long it's going to take for the improved unlinking feature to roll out to everyone remains to be seen – and it might get one or two other tweaks along the way – but it shouldn't be too long before it shows up in Windows.

Of course you get a wealth of syncing and integration features if you've got an iPhone and a Mac working together, which is the high bar Microsoft is working towards with Phone Link on Windows – with more upgrades likely to be on the way.

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