Link to Windows is testing a Power menu that lets a paired Android phone remotely shut down a Windows PC, restart it, or put it to sleep, replacing the app's standalone Lock PC button, according to Android Authority.
The controls appear in Link to Windows beta build 1.26101.103.0, but they aren't confirmed for the stable release.
This significantly expands what the app can do. Link to Windows already supports phone-PC integration, including access to calls, messages, photos, and file transfers, with remote locking as its only power-related control, a feature Microsoft rolled out in late 2025, according to Windows Latest. Shutdown, restart, and sleep bring the app closer to remote PC management, even as the features arrive through a beta build rather than a major announcement.
Microsoft hasn't published a dedicated announcement, compatibility list, or stable-release date for these controls. What's confirmed is limited to the functionality reported in the beta app, so this remains an early rollout rather than a feature every Windows and Android pairing can use.
Who gets Link to Windows power controls right now
Testers running Link to Windows beta build 1.26101.103.0 are seeing the new Power button, which replaces the previous Lock PC shortcut and opens a menu of four main actions.
Access requires an Android phone enrolled in the Link to Windows beta and paired with a Windows PC through Phone Link. Microsoft's official setup instructions explain how to establish that connection, although they don't specifically document the new power controls.
Microsoft's general Phone Link requirements include Android 10 or later and Windows 10 or 11. However, no report establishes whether the new beta controls have additional Windows build, Android version, device, or regional restrictions.
That leaves no reliable way to confirm whether a particular setup qualifies beyond checking the beta app for the new button.
The feature didn't appear out of nowhere. Windows Latest discovered the same commands in the app's code on Aug. 26, where a debug flag named isRemotePcControlsV2Enabled was set to enabled=false.
The teardown also identified string resources for Restart, Shut down, Update and restart, Update and shut down, and Sleep, alongside a RemoteControlManager component referencing those actions.
The appearance of those commands in a live beta roughly seven weeks later confirms that Microsoft has progressed beyond dormant code. It doesn't establish when development was completed or how quickly the feature will reach stable users.
Check for a Power button where Lock PC previously appeared. If the beta hasn't reached your device, the reporting doesn't identify a setting that can force the feature to appear.
What each power option actually does
The Power menu offers four main choices: Lock PC, Sleep PC, Shut down, and Restart. It also includes update-aware shutdown and restart options when applicable, according to Android Authority.
Each action has a different purpose and potential consequence.
Lock PC secures an unattended computer without intentionally closing applications or ending the Windows session. It's the least disruptive option for someone who wants to prevent others from accessing a PC left running.
Shut down and Restart let users remotely turn off or restart their Windows PC. Both display warnings about potentially losing unsaved work because the phone doesn't provide a way to save open documents before sending the command.
Use these options only when you're confident nothing important remains unsaved.
Update and restart and Update and shut down address pending Windows updates. These commands allow the PC to complete an update before restarting or shutting down.
Windows Latest documented warning text associated with the update-aware commands during its August teardown, including a message explaining that a restart is required and unsaved work may be lost.
That wording came from pre-release code, so the live beta's message may differ. The underlying risk remains the same: remotely initiating a restart or shutdown can interrupt open work.
Sleep PC behaves differently. Rather than warning primarily about unsaved files, the app tells users their phone will disconnect once the computer enters sleep mode.
The warning also says users must physically return to the PC to wake it.
Windows Latest found similar language in the earlier teardown, indicating that Microsoft had anticipated this limitation before the beta rollout.
The reported Power menu doesn't include a remote wake command. Anyone hoping to put a PC to sleep from an Android phone and later wake it remotely shouldn't assume Link to Windows supports that workflow.
Other remote-wake technologies exist, but they aren't part of the functionality demonstrated in this beta.
What Microsoft hasn't said
Microsoft's support documentation confirms the basic phone-PC setup: an Android phone running Link to Windows paired with a PC through Phone Link.
The documentation covers supported devices, permissions, and existing integration features, but it doesn't establish compatibility requirements for the new remote power controls.
Microsoft also hasn't announced a stable-release date, explained whether every supported Android phone will receive the controls, or published a complete list of Windows versions eligible for the feature.
The August teardown identified the underlying commands before they became available to testers. The October beta reports establish that the interface is now appearing for some users, but they don't settle those remaining availability questions.
Microsoft hasn't explained whether the Sleep PC disconnection behavior is a permanent design limitation or something it might address in a later update.
The expansion follows the app's gradual move beyond conventional phone-PC integration. Remote locking was its first power-related control, while shutdown, restart, and sleep extend that functionality.
Even with those additions, Link to Windows isn't a replacement for full remote-administration software. The reported controls don't include remote desktop access, unattended troubleshooting, or a way to wake a sleeping PC.
What to do if you want these controls now
Open Link to Windows on your Android phone and look for a Power button where Lock PC previously appeared.
If you're enrolled in the beta and the button is available, tapping it should reveal the remote power options. If it isn't there, the feature may not have reached your device or account.
Before using Shut down, Restart, or either update-aware option, save anything important on the PC. The app's warnings make clear that unsaved work could be lost when a remote power command is executed.
For Sleep PC, plan on returning to the computer to wake it. The current beta reports don't describe a remote wake capability.
Anyone who simply wants to secure an unattended PC without interrupting a session is better off using Lock PC.
The new Power menu makes Link to Windows more useful for managing a PC from an Android phone, but its beta-only availability and lack of remote wake support remain important limits until Microsoft provides further details.
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