Windows 11 Gets Handoff Feature Similar to Apple’s

Windows 11 to Get Apple-Like Handoff Feature Called “Cross Device Resume”

Microsoft is bringing a feature straight out of Apple’s playbook into Windows 11’s cross-platform ecosystem.

Apple calls its version Handoff, which lets users start a task on one device and seamlessly continue it on another. Microsoft’s take, dubbed Cross Device Resume, is being tested as a key step toward deeper Android–Windows continuity, according to a report from Android Headlines cited by Al Arabiya Business.

While basic cross-platform continuity already exists between Android or iPhone and Windows through Link to Windows and Phone Link, Microsoft’s new feature aims to streamline and enhance the experience across devices.

The update will make it easier for Android and iPhone users to move between their phones and Windows PCs. Reports suggest that Microsoft is positioning Cross Device Resume as a way to deliver the seamless task-sharing experience that has long been missing from Windows.

To work, the feature requires both Link to Windows and Phone Link apps, already available in the Microsoft Store, albeit with varying functionality. For instance, Android users can pair their phones with Windows 11 PCs to receive notifications, send SMS messages, and share files. While similar functions exist for iPhone owners, they remain less reliable and inconsistent. Starting a task on an iPhone and picking it up on a Windows PC has also been far less fluid — until now.

So how does it work? A Phone Arena report used Spotify as an example. If the app isn’t already installed on the Windows 11 PC, the taskbar notification simply prompts the user to “Continue on this PC.” If the companion app is missing, the prompt instead suggests downloading and installing it from the Microsoft Store.

Currently, Microsoft is testing Cross Device Resume in the Dev and Beta Channels of Windows 11, encouraging developers to start integrating it into their apps.

This move could mark a major step toward closing the ecosystem gap between Windows and mobile devices — and bring Microsoft a little closer to Apple’s polished cross-device experience.