Troubleshooting Phone screen for the Your Phone app

Wi-Fi troubleshooting

The Phone screen feature only works when your Android device and PC can communicate with each other. They’ll both need to be turned on and connected to the same network (for example, your home Wi-Fi).

Common troubleshooting for Wi-Fi:

Check if your Android device is connected to mobile data instead of Wi-Fi, by going into your device’s Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi and ensure your Wi-Fi toggle is turned On and underneath your current network is Connected.

Check if your Android device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your PC.

Start by checking your mobile connection in Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi and note the name of the network under the current network heading.

On your PC, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Verify that your PC Wi-Fi is turned On and the connected network is the same as on your Android device.

You may have two different Wi-Fi networks, e.g. one that uses the 2.4GHz band and the other 5GHz. If you click on your PC/Android device Wi-Fi icon, you should be able to see these networks in the list. Try connecting to the same network on both devices.

Are you behind a firewall or using a VPN? If so, it could be blocking communication between your devices. You could try disabling these to see if it fixes the problem.

Public and work networks may cause connection errors

If you’re attempting to use Phone screen in your workplace, a successful connection may not always be possible. In that event we’d recommend talking to your IT department or network administrator. If you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi network (like at a hotel or coffee shop), they may have network restrictions preventing you from being able to connect.

General troubleshooting

If you see an error message indicating your PC couldn’t connect to your Android device, it could be for a variety of reasons. Here are few things to try:

On your Android device, check that:

Your device is turned on.

Battery Saver is turned Off on your device.

Airplane mode is turned Off.

It’s connected to the same network or Wi-Fi as your PC.

You’re signed into the Your Phone Companion app with the same Microsoft account as you’re using on your PC.

For some Android devices, your Battery Optimization settings may interrupt your connection. We recommend turning it off for the companion app on your Android device (either Your Phone Companion or Link to Windows). Here’s how to turn it off based on which companion app you have:

If you have Your Phone Companion*:

Open Android Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > Your Phone Companion > Advanced > Battery > Manage Battery Usage > Battery optimization. Scroll down to Your Phone Companion and select Don’t optimize.

If you have Link to Windows*:

Open Android Settings > Apps > Link to Windows Service > Battery > Optimize battery usage. Select All from the drop-down list, scroll to find Link to Windows service, and turn the toggle Off.

*Note: These steps may vary based on your Android device model.

Check if your PC is connected to the Internet.

Make sure Battery Saver is turned Off.

Check that your system accounts are working correctly. In Windows, go to Settings > System > Shared experiences. If you see a Fix now link in the Accounts section, select the link and follow the instructions.

Playing sound while mirroring your Android device

Sounds from your Android device will continue to play on that device even while it’s connected to your PC. For example, mobile apps and videos that play on your PC will still play sound through your Android device.

Why doesn’t Phone screen work with my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip?

If you close your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip while mirroring it using phone screen, it can create a blurred image that doesn’t allow you to interact with your phone. To prevent this, you’ll need to keep your Galaxy Z Flip open while using phone screen.

What’s on your Windows Phone Start screen, Rich Edmonds?

The Start Screen is a unique way to personalize your Windows Phone. Not only do consumers have access to (and can customize) app launches, but there’s the possibility to pin Live Tiles that update with relevant information for apps. Part of the Start Screen layout series from Windows Phone Central staff, it’s now my turn to share what I have pinned to my Start Screen and how I’ve configured the layout to suit my needs.

Much like our Daniel Rubino, I’m also guilty at having butt-ugly layouts on the Start Screen. I simply do not have the creativity to get stuck in and have everything arranged in an effective manner – if an app needs to be pinned, I’ll pin it for future use without too much thought on positioning. The more frequently used apps are near the top, but I enjoy scrolling down to see which other apps have content to show me.

What’s on my Start screen – April 2014

Page One

• Settings (small) – Quite the obvious pinned tile. This shortcut enables me to quickly access the areas where I can configure and personalize my Windows Phone.
• People Hub (small) – The hub of all social hubs. I use this frequently to not only remain in contact with folk, but to stalk see what they’ve been up to.
• Mesaging Hub (medium) – I receive a few messages through SMS, but no where near as much as I used to. This is down to email and the evolution of the Interwebz. Still, it’s nice to have pinned.
• Twitter (medium) – My main source of social media and essentially a window into the world to see what’s happening. Also a super app to upload humorous images and publish short rants. [More coverage, Store link]
• Phone (medium) – This is a must-have for any Windows Phone owner. To not only check who called you, but for convenient access to actually use the mobile phone for calls.
• WhatsApp (small) – WhatsApp is my SMS replacement. Simply put: I use this, alongside Kik and even Telegram, depending on who I’m communicating with (this tile may change to either app). [More coverage, Store link]
• HERE Transit (small) – I absolutely worship this app from Nokia. It’s a beast for public transport in my area (and beyond). Super reliable, highly recommend it. [More coverage, Store link]
• Calendar (medium) – Since I mix work and play (I know it’s not recommended), there are times when I need to set reminders and the like. This is where the calender comes into play.
• Personal Email (medium) – Relying heavily on email, this tile is pinned so I’m kept in the loop with everything that’s happening, both at Windows Phone Central and beyond.
• HERE Drive+ (wide) – I’m still learning to drive (note: still, never needed a car with previous work), but already I’m enjoying HERE Drive+, making it simple to get to destinations. [More coverage, Store link]
• HERE Maps (medium) – Much like Drive and HERE Transit, HERE Maps is a solid app for those who venture out the front door. I use this mapping solution a lot. [More coverage, Store link]
• Instagram Beta (medium) – Sometimes I like to see what incredible photos people have published. Other times I like to see who’s interacting with me (hint: «RichsEdmonds») [More coverage, Store link]
• Bing Weather (wide) – Before heading out, checking the weather is a must – especially here in the UK. This is where my wide Bing Weather tile and lockscreen support comes in. [More coverage, Store link]
• OneNote (small) – I take notes fairly frequently and love OneNote simply because it syncs to all my other Windows devices and is a solid app/service.
• Microsoft Office (small) – For those odd times when I need to fire up the Office suite and check through expenses or to update some documentation.
• Photos Hub (medium) – Sporting Lumia Windows Phones, hundreds and hundreds of photos are captured. This convenient tile provides a shortcut to my albums.
• Games Hub (medium) – Much like albums in the Photos Hub, the Games Hub Live Tile provides quick access to my gaming content, as well as showing off my Xbox Live avatar.

Page Two

• Store (medium) – The Store is a fairly important tile to have pinned to the Start Screen. Being able to see how many apps have been updated is invaluable.
• Facebook (small) – The odd times that I use Facebook, this shortcut provides easy access to friends, family, stupid Flash game invitations and other social content. [More coverage, Store link]
• Internet Explorer (small) – The native web browser and my personal favorite. Internet Explorer is a great portal to the internet in general, especially on a 1080p screen.
• 4th & Mayor (medium) – Traveling to new places is an awesome feeling, but sometimes I wish to share where I’m at with others. This is when I load up 4th & Mayor. [More coverage, Store link]
• Skype (medium) – I utilize Skype for both work and personal use, be it chatting away with colleagues on that awesome story we recently covered or with friends who reside in other countries. [More coverage, Store link]
• Music + Videos (medium) – This Live Tile is medium-sized due to the frequency of use. I listen to Xbox Music a lot when out and about and thoroughly make use of my subscription.
• Phonly (small) – Feedly is where I head to for all my news. When not wasting hours on Reddit, I enjoy going through headlines covering numerous topics when I have some seconds to kill. [More coverage, Store link]
• Trellow (small) – For work. Planning stuff and fulfilling tasks on Windows Phone Central.
• 3 UK (small) – My network of choice, which means I’d like to have their app pinned to my Start Screen. While the app itself could do with more features, it’s a start. [More coverage, Store link]
• Xbox One SmartGlass (small) – Owning a Xbox One console, it’s a fantastic feeling to be able to walk in the house, turn on the Xbox with voice commands and use my Windows Phone to control the UI. [More coverage, Store link]
• Readit (small) – As noted above, I use Reddit a fair bit. When not going through my news sources, Reddit is where I get both my daily kicks and incredible random information. Readit is a beautiful app. [More coverage, Store link]
• Bing Sports (small) – This tile is for those times when I feel like checking up on some sport. [More coverage, Store link]
• Windows Phone Central (wide) – Do I need to explain why this awesome app is pinned to my Start Screen? [Store link]

One thing you may notice about my setup is that I don’t utlize a lot of real estate on the Start Screen. While I have a total of 30 apps pinned to the Start Screen, it’s a fairly compact layout. Still, it does the job and keeps me connected to all the apps (and games) I enjoy on my Windows Phone.

As is the case here at Windows Phone Central, we use many phones and my Start Screens on other devices are different with other apps included.

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Customize your Windows Phone 8.1 Start Screen with OneStart

One of the great customizations that Windows Phone 8.1 brings to the table is the ability to use transparent tiles and Start Screen backgrounds. OneStart is a Windows Phone 8.1 app that taps into this feature and delivers a nice range of Start Screen background options.

From creating a colorful crystal pattern to slightly blurring a photo to simply choosing a solid accent color, OneStart makes a nice first impression.

OneStart’s interface is very user friendly with options to create a Start Screen background that include:

• A solid color
• One of your photos
• A range of colored patterns (Pro Version)

The app also has the ability to create a blank tile or group label.

Each background creation will have a few editing buttons running across the bottom of the screen. These editing controls vary with the styles and include a blurring tool for photos, a color picker, a random color picker and a size randomizer.

Once you get your background just right, tap the save button and head over to your settings to set your Start Screen background to your new image.

The free version of OneStart gives you access to a selection of color options, the photo category and the tile/label creator. The colored patterns section (and a few sub-categories in the solid color section) will require a $.99 in-app purchase to unlock the Pro version.

OneStart joins the ranks of the many quality Start Screen background apps for Windows Phone 8.1. With an easy user interface and wide range of features, OneStart is an appealing option worth trying.

• OneStart — Windows Phone 8.1 — Free — Store Link

Thanks, Marc, for the tip!

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