14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 19H1 preview build, and although the development of this OS feature update is currently in the last stages, the company begins the testing of another major feature.
Windows 10 build 18356 allows users to try out Android screen mirroring on Windows 10, which basically makes it possible to bring the Android phone’s screen directly to your PC using nothing more than a wireless connection.
It’s all possible with Your Phone app version 1.0.20701.0, but for now, the feature is limited to Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy S9 and S9+. Android 7.0 or greater is required, and the PC must come with Bluetooth radio and support for low energy peripherals.
“You can use the Your Phone app on any Windows 10 PC running Windows builds 1803 (RS4) or newer and any Android phone running Android version 7.0 or newer. But the new phone screen feature is initially only compatible with a limited set of devices,” Microsoft says.
Several known bugs
The Surface Go will be the first device that will support this feature in the preview stage, but Microsoft says that it’s working to improve it with more PCs and phones.
Android screen mirroring is still in its early days, so touch input isn’t available just yet, while the audio would play out of the phone speakers. Double-clicking on any Android app could launch the notification center, some games and apps do not support mouse interactions just yet.
These are all issues that Microsoft has already acknowledged and is working on resolving, so the future updates should substantially refine the experience with Android devices on Windows 10.
The same build also comes with more under-the-hood improvements and several known issues, and you can check out the changelog in full in the box after the jump.