As Microsoft nudges Skype toward the exit, they’re steering users toward Teams. But, just as Skype waves goodbye in May, Teams will be shedding a feature.
Come April 2025, which is just a stone’s throw away, Microsoft Teams is set to drop its support for sending and receiving SMS text messages. If you’ve been using Teams to link up with an Android device, you know it displays those SMS threads right in the Chats section under Recent.
However, a Microsoft document has confirmed that this integration is on its way out. The document reads, “Important: Starting April 2025, sending and receiving SMS messages from your Android device will no longer be supported in Teams. To continue using this feature on Windows, please use Phone Link. Learn more here.”
Microsoft hasn’t really explained why they’re pulling the plug on this, but I reckon folks are finding more reasons to lean on Phone Link or other tools rather than funneling their SMS through Teams.
So, how do you keep those SMS conversations going from your PC? Well, the answer lies in an app you might already know about: Phone Link. Originally called Your Phone, this app’s got your back for sending and receiving those crucial text messages straight from your Windows PC.
Picture this: you’re on your computer, and a text pops up on the screen. That’s Phone Link doing its magic. And while Teams might soon not chat with Android devices, Phone Link has you covered for that seamless PC-mobile connection.
Microsoft’s Phone Link app isn’t new; it’s been around for some years, evolving from its original identity, Your Phone. With it, you can sync text messages, photos, and all sorts of content between your phone and PC. The extent of what you can do largely hinges on your phone type. For a top-notch experience, a Samsung Galaxy phone is your best bet, although certain OnePlus phones also hook up nicely with Phone Link.
Most Android devices still get a good chunk of functionality for syncing content, while iPhones face a tighter limit. Even so, with iPhones, you can make and take calls and reply to texts using Phone Link.
Jez Corden, our Managing Editor, was all praises back in 2022, claiming it’s the best fresh feature Windows has seen in a decade. If staying connected through SMS and calls is integral to your flow, Phone Link is a nifty asset. However, if you’re glued to other platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram, Phone Link might sit quietly in the background.
