Fix Phone Link won’t generate QR code or PIN

If Phone Link won’t generate QR code or PIN on your Windows 11/10 PC, read this post to know how to fix the problem. A few users have reportedly been facing this issue where the Phone Link app won’t generate QR code or PIN for them. When they try to generate the QR code or the PIN, nothing happens and the following message appears on the screen:

Something went wrong. It’s not you, it’s us. We’re experiencing service issues, so please try again later.

QR code or PIN generation is one of the steps of setting up a PC to connect with a mobile phone using the Phone Link app and the Link to Windows app. These Microsoft apps enable users to pair Android/iPhone and Windows devices over the same Wi-Fi network. Once the devices are paired, a PC can access photos, send messages, and receive calls from the connected phone.

If you’re one of those users who’re struggling to generate a QR code or PIN on the Phone Link app, this post is for you. Here, we will discuss various troubleshooting methods to help you fix the issue.

Fix Phone Link won’t generate QR code or PIN

First of all, make sure you’re using a compatible version of Windows. The Phone Link app only works with a PC running Windows 10 (May 2019 Update or later) or Windows 11. If you have an earlier version of Windows, it might not work for you.

If you have the supported version of Windows and the Phone Link app still doesn’t generate the QR code or PIN, use the following methods to fix the issue:

1. Check your network connection.
2. Reset the Phone Link app.
3. Reinstall the Phone Link app.
4. Use a different Microsoft account.
5. Temporarily turn off all security software and firewalls.

Let us see these in detail.

1] Check your network connection

The Phone Link app requires an active network connection to work. Make sure your Android phone and your Windows PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi network before you try to establish a connection between them. Also make sure the Metered connection setting is turned off

1. Go to Windows Settings.
2. Click on the Network & Internet option on the left panel.
3. Click on the Wi-Fi option on the right panel.
4. Click on the right arrow next to [Wi-Fi_name] properties.
5. The toggle button next to the Metered connection option should be Off.

If you’re using an iPhone, make sure you’ve enabled Bluetooth on both devices. Also, make sure you’ve updated the device drivers on your Windows PC. If you’ve accidentally uninstalled and deleted your Bluetooth driver from the Device Manager, visit your PC’s manufacturer’s website to download and install the recommended version.

2] Reset the Phone Link app

If your network is working fine, try resetting the Phone Link app. This is helped many users successfully resolve the issue.

1. Close the Phone Link app.
2. Click on the Start button icon and select Settings.
3. Click on Apps > Installed apps.
4. Type ‘phone’ in the Search bar on top. Phone Link will show up as the best match.
5. Click on the three horizontal dots at the right end and select Advanced options.
6. Navigate to the Reset section.
7. Click on the Repair button.
8. Restart the Phone Link app and try generating the QR code or PIN.
9. If it still fails, go back to the app settings and choose the Reset option.

3] Reinstall the Phone Link app

If you’re still not able to fix the issue, try reinstalling the Phone Link app. This will completely replace the existing version of the Phone Link app on your Windows PC with the latest version that won’t have any corrupt or outdated files (in case that’s causing the issue).

To uninstall the app, type ‘powershell’ in the Windows Search bar. Windows PowerShell will show up as the best match. Click on the Run as administrator option on the right side of the search results. Then click on the Yes button in the User Account Control prompt.

Once PowerShell is launched, type the following command in the PowerShell window and press the Enter key:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.YourPhone -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage

Once the Phone Link app uninstalls from your PC, download and install the latest version of the app from the Microsft Store. Then try pairing the devices through QR code or PIN.

4] Use a different Microsoft account

If everything else fails, try using a different Microsoft account to connect your phone to your PC. A Microsoft account is used for seamless access to your content when you link your phone to your PC. If you only have one Microsoft account, create another one using this guide and then try your luck.

5] Temporarily turn off all security software and firewalls

A few users have also reported that they have been able to generate the QR code or PIN after disabling Windows Firewall or other security software on their Windows PC. A security software is designed to protect your PC from potentially harmful viruses or malware that can easily spread through Wi-Fi networks. Sometimes, these security software blocks your Wi-Fi to prevent your system from establishing a connection to the internet. When this happens, the Phone Link app fails to generate a QR code or PIN. To fix this, disable your security software and then try generating the code. If it works, re-enable the security software to keep your PC safe and secure.

This is how you can fix issues with QR code or PIN generation within the Phone Link app. I hope you find this useful.

Also Read: How to send Text Message or SMS using Phone Link.

Why is Phone Link not working?

There could be various reasons why the Phone Link app is not working on your Windows 11/10 PC. If it is a newly installed app, it might not have permission to run in the background. Or there might be some specific Call or Microsoft Apps-related settings that are turned off within the Phone Link app. Other possible reasons are corrupt system files or a corrupt installation of the app.

Why won t my QR code work?

If your QR code won’t work in the Phone Link app, make sure your antivirus or firewall software isn’t blocking your Wi-Fi connection. To fix the issue, try temporarily disabling the antivirus. If the issue continues, reset the Phone Link app using your PC’s Settings page. If you’re connecting an iPhone, make sure your PC has up-to-date device drivers and Bluetooth enabled. You can also try reinstalling the app.

Read Next: Phone Link notifications not working or syncing.