What Is Phone Link? Is It Safe to Disable at Startup?
Microsoft Phone Link connects your Windows PC to your phone for texts, calls and notifications. It is safe and optional at startup.
- Verdict
- Optional at startupPhone Link is a legitimate Microsoft app, but it does not need to start with Windows unless you want phone syncing ready all the time.
- File name
- yourphone.exe
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Platforms
- Windows
- Reviewed
What Is Your Phone / Phone Link?
Your Phone was the old name for Phone Link, a Microsoft app that connects a Windows PC to an Android phone, and in some cases an iPhone, for features like notifications, messages, calls and photo access. The executable yourphone.exe belongs to that app.
On current Windows systems, seeing the older executable name is normal because app components and process names do not always match the current product name. If you use Phone Link regularly, background activity may help it stay connected and show notifications quickly.
Is It Safe?
Yes — yourphone.exe from Microsoft Corporation is normally safe. It is part of Windows or installed from Microsoft, depending on the version of Windows and how the app was set up.
If you want to verify it, check that the process points to a Microsoft-owned location and that the file signature shows Microsoft Corporation. In Task Manager, right-click the process and open its file location, then check the file's digital signatures in Properties. If a file named yourphone.exe is running from an unusual folder or is unsigned, that is worth investigating.
Should I Disable It at Startup?
Usually, yes if you do not use it often. Phone Link is optional at startup.
Disabling it at startup does not remove the app. It usually just means Phone Link will not be ready in the background as soon as you sign in. You can still open the app manually when you want to sync your phone.
Keep it enabled if you rely on live phone notifications, quick message access or call integration throughout the day. Disable it if you never use Phone Link, rarely connect your phone, or want fewer background apps running after sign-in.
Why Is It Using High CPU or Memory?
Phone Link should usually use little CPU when idle. Higher usage can happen while it is:
- syncing messages, photos or notifications
- reconnecting to a phone after sleep or network changes
- updating through Microsoft Store components
- stuck after a pairing or permissions problem
If usage stays high for more than a few minutes, try closing and reopening Phone Link, restarting the PC and phone, and checking whether the phone connection is failing repeatedly. Re-linking the phone can also help if the app seems stuck.
How to Disable or Remove It
To stop it from launching with Windows, first check Settings > Apps > Startup and look for Phone Link. Startup behavior can also be controlled by app background settings on some Windows versions.
You can also remove it like a normal app if you do not want it at all. Open Settings > Apps and uninstall Phone Link if that option is available on your system. On some Windows installs, Microsoft apps may be managed differently, so the exact option can vary.
If you only want less background activity, disabling startup is the safer choice than uninstalling.
Where Kudu Helps
Kudu's Startup Manager can show whether Phone Link has a startup entry and lets you disable or remove supported startup items without hunting through Windows settings. If Phone Link is using too many resources, Kudu's Performance Monitor can confirm the CPU and memory use, show the process by PID, and help you see whether it is tied to a startup item.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Your Phone the same app as Phone Link?
- Yes. Your Phone was the older name, and Microsoft renamed it to Phone Link. The executable name may still appear as yourphone.exe.
- Will disabling Phone Link at startup break Windows?
- No. Phone Link is not required for Windows to run. It just will not be ready in the background until you open it.
- Can I uninstall Phone Link safely?
- Usually, yes, if you do not use it. If Windows does not offer a normal uninstall option on your system, leave it installed and disable its startup or background activity instead.
See every app that starts with your computer
Kudu’s Startup Manager lists Run keys, Startup folder entries, scheduled tasks, Launch Agents, and XDG autostart items in one place. On Windows it also shows each item’s boot time impact.
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