For supported devices (notably Samsung Galaxy phones and select HONOR, OPPO, and Surface Duo devices), the integration goes deeper. You can pin your favorite mobile apps to your Windows Start Menu or Taskbar and run them as if they were native Windows programs.

Connecting your devices is a straightforward process that usually takes less than five minutes.

At its core, is a URL shortcut (a redirect) managed by Microsoft. While the link looks cryptic, its destination is practical: it is the bridge that connects your Android smartphone to your Windows PC.