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Unlocking Phone-PC Interaction – How to Allow Input for Windows 11 Connect

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Contents
  1. Interacting with Your Android Phone on Windows 11
  2. Method 1: Install Vysor
  3. Method 2: Use the Windows Hello Companion Device Framework
  4. Method 3: Use the Phone Link App
  5. Method 4: Connect a Teams Device
  6. The Bottom Line
  7. Source Links
  8. References

Interacting with Your Android Phone on Windows 11

Windows 11 introduced a slick new feature called Connect that lets you wirelessly cast your Android phone’s screen to your Windows 11 PC. This makes it easy to view content from your phone right on your desktop. But one key thing seems to be missing – the ability to control your phone using your PC’s keyboard and mouse.

Many users have noticed that the "Allow input" checkbox previously found in Windows 10 is now gone in Windows 11. This means you can mirror your phone, but not actually interact with it from your PC. Understandably, this has caused some frustration.

After digging into forum discussions on the issue, we’ve uncovered several possible workarounds to enable input from your PC:

Method 1: Install Vysor

Vysor is an app you can install on your Android device that enables full control over your phone from your PC. Once installed, mirroring your phone to your Windows PC will allow keyboard and mouse input. Users report this as the simplest and most effective solution.

To use Vysor:

  1. Install the Vysor app on your Android phone from the Google Play Store.
  2. Open Vysor and enable USB debugging in your phone’s developer options.
  3. Connect your phone and PC to the same WiFi network.
  4. Open the Vysor app on your PC and it will detect your phone for mirroring.

You can now control your phone from your PC as if it was directly connected. Vysor essentially enables the control functionality missing from Windows 11 Connect.

Method 2: Use the Windows Hello Companion Device Framework

Windows Hello is Microsoft’s biometric authentication system for unlocking Windows devices using face recognition, fingerprints, or iris scans. Less known is that Windows Hello also has a companion device framework that can pair your phone with your PC.

Once paired, you can use your phone to unlock your PC. But it also enables your mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen to control your phone while mirroring.

To set this up:

  1. On your PC, go to Settings > Accounts > Windows Hello and select "Set up" under Companion Device.
  2. Follow the prompts to pair your Android phone. Accept the pairing request on your phone.
  3. Your PC will now be unlocked when your phone is nearby. And you’ll be able to interact with your mirrored phone using PC input devices.

This gives you the control you want without any extra apps required. The downside is that it only works to unlock your PC, rather than general continuous control.

Microsoft’s own Phone Link app for Windows 11 enables integration with Android devices – including the ability to mirror your phone’s screen and interact with it using your PC’s input devices.

To use Phone Link:

  1. Install the Phone Link app on both your Windows 11 PC and Android device.
  2. Open the app on both devices and follow the pairing prompts.
  3. On your PC, click "Apps" in Phone Link to view and launch mirroring for your phone’s apps.
  4. You can now interact with your mirrored phone using your PC’s keyboard, mouse, trackpad, or touch screen.

Phone Link provides seamless integration similar to Apple’s Sidecar feature for Macs. The only catch is that the Android phone side currently requires joining the beta program for Microsoft’s Your Phone Companion app. But this otherwise provides a robust first-party option.

Method 4: Connect a Teams Device

If you use Microsoft Teams on your work PC, connecting a Teams display or Teams desk phone enables cross-device interactions between your PC and the connected device.

This means when mirroring your Android phone to the Teams display, you can control it with your PC’s keyboard and mouse. Since many businesses rely on the Teams ecosystem, this is a handy option for enterprise users.

To set this up:

  1. Physically connect your Teams display device to your Windows 11 PC (via USB-C or HDMI).
  2. Open the Teams admin center and go to Devices > Teams devices to install the Teams display driver.
  3. Your PC input devices will now work seamlessly with the connected Teams hardware.

With this corporate-focused method, Microsoft provides one more way to wirelessly mirror your phone while retaining full control from your PC.

The Bottom Line

While the lack of input control in Windows 11 Connect is frustrating, there are several viable workarounds available until Microsoft addresses the issue. Vysor currently provides the simplest cross-device experience, but Windows Hello and Phone Link are handy first-party options as well.

Hopefully these insights from savvy Windows users help you regain the control you want over your mirrored Android phone in Windows 11. Let us know in the comments if you discover any other useful tips!

https://www.vysor.io/

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/companion-devices

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/phone-link-to-windows/9p9tnghpvd9k

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/connect-a-teams-display-or-teams-desk-phone-to-your-windows-computer-f39c9f10-6752-4d27-990b-d9253563da61

References

  1. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1339734/how-to-enable-input-on-pc-while-projecting-mirrori
  2. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/security/companion-device-unlock

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