Windows 11 Resume feature is now integrating Spotify for cross-device playback functionality. Once enabled, you will be able to transfer the music playback session from your Android phone to Windows 11 by clicking the icon on the taskbar. This idea is similar to Apple’s Handoff for iOS and macOS, and it actually works well.
“Resume” has been around for almost a year now, but it’s been limited to OneDrive-synced documents. If you use OneDrive on your phone to edit synced documents and immediately switch to your PC, Windows 11’s Resume feature allows you to continue editing the same document on the desktop.
Now, the same idea is expanding to Spotify, allowing you to resume song playing on Android.
How to enable Spotify Resume on Windows 11
In Windows, cross-device features work via the managed devices interface. If you use features such as using your phone camera as a webcam on your PC, you might have already connected your phone to the PC using this tool. On the phone side, the Link to Windows app makes the connection and pairing possible.
If not, here’s how to do it:
Install the Link to Windows app on your phone and sign in with the same Microsoft account you use on your PC.
- Press the Win key, type mobile devices, and press Enter.
- Click the Add device button, and a window will pop up.
- Select a Microsoft account and scan the QR code on your phone to pair it.
- Enable the Resume feature in the list.
- After this, you do not need to do anything else. Install Spotify on your phone and PC and sign in with the same account on both devices.
- You can confirm that Spotify Resume is active by going to Apps > Resume in the Settings app.
Play a track on your phone and then boot your PC. You will see a Spotify widget on the lock screen.
As soon as you log in, the Spotify icon will appear on your taskbar with a phone signal, indicating that you can switch playback to the PC.
My Spotify Resume experience
Resume should be instantaneous. Otherwise, it loses its purpose. In my testing, the feature worked promptly every time I played a track and then logged in to my PC. The Spotify icon appeared after a few seconds, and clicking the Resume from your phone option played the same track.
If you close the app, it will not prompt you to resume unless you sign out once. This is better than restarting the system. All apps that use Resume try to encourage you to use them again. There is no significant delay after boot. As soon as the taskbar elements load, the Spotify icon appears.
One thing I noticed is that even if you do not use Resume, Spotify is smart enough to detect that you are playing something on your phone. I disabled Resume, restarted the PC, and waited on the lock screen for a few seconds. The Spotify widget still appeared. This happens because Spotify automatically adds itself to the Startup apps list and checks whether you are playing something on your phone.
If you do not see the feature immediately, do not worry. Microsoft has placed Spotify Resume in the global rollout phase, and it will arrive later.
