Android phones are now more connected to Word and Powerpoint for the web
Office Insiders can insert photos directly into Word or Powerpoint online from their Android phone.
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What you need to know
The majority of people who rely on Windows for work likely also own a smartphone that they regularly use. Over the last few years, Microsoft has invested heavily in improving the connection and communication between these differing devices, and the gap is growing a little smaller with Tuesday’s new feature for Office Insiders.
Asannounced by Microsoft, Office Insiders are now able to access and insert photos from their Android phone directly into a Word document or Powerpoint presentation on the web. The feature is powered by Microsoft’s powerful “Link to Windows” app available for Android devices (and baked into select Samsung phones and theSurface Duofamily of devices).
After connecting an Android device via Link to Windows,Microsoft 365subscribers will be able to choose “Mobile Device” as a new location when inserting a photo into Word or Powerpoint. Their Android phone gallery will appear, and users will be able to insert any photo without needing to dig out their phone or work out how to transfer specific pictures. This feature is currently limited to Office Insiders and only for the online-specific versions of the productivity tools, but will likely roll out to more users and places in the future.
Link to Windows is the same app that powersPhone Link, which allows Windows 10 and 11 users to access their phone’s apps, messages, calls, notifications, and certain quick settings from the comfort of their PC. This new feature for Office may be the first time the app extends beyond Phone Link. Microsoft recently revealed thatPhone Link is also gaining support for Android mobile hotspots on Samsung devices, a feature that will potentially become available to Surface Duo owners in the future.
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Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter@BoddyZachary.
