Phone Link not moving past this screen

If you're experiencing issues with the Phone Link app getting stuck on the "Continue" button, here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure that both your laptop and phone are connected to the internet. A weak or unstable connection can cause issues during the linking process.
2. Update Apps: Make sure that both the Phone Link app on your laptop and the Link to Windows app on your phone are updated to the latest versions. Sometimes, compatibility issues can arise from outdated software.
3. Reboot Devices: Restart both your laptop and your phone. This can help clear any temporary glitches that might be causing the issue.
4. Reinstall Apps: If resetting and repairing the app didn't work, try uninstalling and then reinstalling both the Phone Link app on your laptop and the Link to Windows app on your phone.
5. Check Permissions: Ensure that the Link to Windows app on your phone has the necessary permissions to access your phone's features. This can include notifications, contacts, and storage.
6. Try Another Account: If the "switch account" button is highlighted, consider logging out and trying to log in with a different Microsoft account to see if that resolves the issue.
7. Firewall/Antivirus Settings: Check if your firewall or antivirus settings on your laptop are blocking the Phone Link app. You may need to allow the app through your firewall.

If none of these steps work, you may want to consult the Phone Link FAQs or reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

References:

• Phone Link - Seamless task continuity
• Phone Link FAQs

Thanks for sharing the details, HannahKremsdorf-0379!

Sometimes the Phone Link account binding gets corrupted in Windows’ hidden Account Broker & Web Account Manager cache. When this happens, the UI behaves exactly as you described:

Continue button does nothing

Switch account flashes but doesn’t change

Reset/repair of the app does NOT fix it

You need to clear these Windows system-level identity caches, not just the app.

First, stop all Phone Link background services

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc → open Task Manager

End these tasks if present:

• PhoneExperienceHost.exe
• Phone Link
• YourPhone.exe
• wsappx (if it’s running and heavy)

Next, delete the “IdentityCache” folder

Press Win + R, paste this:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PhoneExperienceHost

Delete the folder IdentityCache (or everything inside that folder).

This removes the corrupted Microsoft account handshake data.

Next, clear Windows Web Account Manager tokens

Press Win + R, paste:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\TokenBroker

Delete EVERYTHING inside:

• Cache
• Identity
• TokenBroker subfolders

Don’t worry, these regenerate automatically.

Then restart Windows Account Sign-in Services

Press Win + R → type services.msc

Restart these services:

• Web Account Manager
• Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant
• Credential Manager

Lastly, fully restart your PC and open Phone Link again.

Best regards,

Kimberly