Why choose KDE Connect over Microsoft Phone Link?

While Microsoft's Phone Link is great, there's a better alternative: KDE Connect. Its combination of unique features, better compatibility, and advanced customization makes it a top choice for seamless phone and PC integration.

Download KDE Connect (Free)

Table of Contents

• 1. Sync clipboard
• 2. Better integration with all Android phones
• 3. Input with remote mouse and keyboard
• 4. Presentation Remote
• 5. Easy media player control

1. Sync clipboard

One of my favorite KDE Connect features is clipboard syncing. While Microsoft’s Phone Link offers similar functionality, it’s frustratingly limited to Samsung Galaxy devices, so if you have another phone, you’ll need to use Microsoft’s SwiftKey keyboard just to sync your clipboard.

With KDE Connect, there are no such limitations. You can copy text on your Windows PC and it will instantly appear on your phone's clipboard. Likewise, you can seamlessly share clipboard data from Android to Windows with a simple tap.

2. Better integration with all Android phones

Some of Microsoft Phone Link's most useful features are exclusive to Samsung Galaxy phones, including cross-device copy and paste, RCS messaging, screen mirroring, and more. So if you're using any other kind of Android phone, you're stuck with a poorer experience.

KDE Connect offers all of these exclusive features and works with any brand of Android phone, so even if you're using a Pixel, you get the full experience without any limitations.

3. Input with remote mouse and keyboard

One useful feature that KDE Connect offers that Phone Link doesn't is the ability to turn your phone into a remote mouse and keyboard for your PC.

In the KDE Connect app, you can go to the Remote Input tab and use your phone screen as a touchpad. The app displays three buttons at the bottom that simulate the left, middle, and right click functions of a regular mouse. Similarly, the KDE Connect app on your PC allows you to use your mouse to interact with your Android phone.

When you need to type something, you can tap the keyboard icon at the top and use your phone's keyboard to enter text remotely. These little features make KDE Connect much more versatile than Phone Link.

4. Presentation Remote

Honestly, I don't think people will use the Presentation Remote feature very often, but when they do, it's incredibly useful. It allows you to start a presentation on your PC and seamlessly navigate through the slides using the KDE Connect app on your Android phone.

If you want to turn off your phone screen, you can even switch between slides using the volume up and down buttons. If you need to highlight something, you can activate the pointer feature, which will display a blue circle on the screen. Your phone will then act as a virtual laser pointer so you can move your phone around to control the blue circle on the screen.

5. Easy media player control

Most people like to listen to music and podcasts on their PC whenever possible. With KDE Connect, you can control your media player directly from your phone, a feature that Microsoft's Phone Link doesn't have.

You can easily access the Multimedia Controls section to play, pause, or skip tracks. Additionally, you can switch to the Devices tab to change audio output devices and adjust volume levels without touching your PC.

The coolest part is that the music player controls also appear in your phone's notification panel, so you can manage playback from there as well. This works both ways, meaning you can also use the KDE Connect app on your PC to control music playback on your phone.

In addition to the above features, KDE Connect also offers all the useful features of Phone Link, including seamless file transfers, viewing phone notifications on your PC, and replying to messages. Sure, KDE Connect’s interface may not be the most user-friendly, but once you get used to it, the functionality and overall experience make it well worth using.