How to enable Resume feature for Apps in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable the Resume feature for Apps in Windows 11. When this feature is enabled or activated, you can resume your work on the PC that you started on your phone (Android or iPhone). For example, if you viewed or edited a Word file, PowerPoint presentation, etc., stored in OneDrive on your Android device, you can resume working on the same file on your Windows 11 PC. You will receive a notification to pick up where you left off, like the image visible below. Clicking on that notification will open that file in your default browser to continue the work.

Currently, this feature works for OneDrive files only and is available to insiders. But it will also be available in the stable release. And before you start using this feature, have a look at some important points:

1. You must sign in to OneDrive with your personal Microsoft account to use this feature. School or work accounts are not supported
2. You must sign in to your Windows 11 PC with the same Microsoft account with which you are signed in to your OneDrive account
3. You should be logged into your OneDrive account in the default browser
4. Word docs, PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, Excel files, and OneNote notebooks or pages are supported for this feature
5. Your PC must be locked when you open a supported OneDrive file on your phone
6. This feature works only when you unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing a file on your phone. Otherwise, you won’t receive any notification.

How to enable Resume feature for Apps in Windows 11

There are two native ways to enable the Resume feature for Apps on a Windows 11 PC:

1. Enable the Resume feature for Apps using the Settings app
2. Enable the Resume feature for Apps using the Registry Editor.

Let’s check these options.

1] Enable the Resume feature for Apps using the Settings app

The steps to enable the Resume feature for Apps using the Settings app in Windows 11 are as follows:

1. Use the Win+I hotkey to open the Settings app of Windows 11
2. Select the Apps category
3. Access the Resume page from the right section
4. Click on the Resume toggle to turn it on
5. In the Control which apps can use Resume section, click on the OneDrive button. This will turn on the Resume feature for OneDrive. If the button for the OneDrive option is greyed out, turn off and on the Resume button, and then use the OneDrive button to turn it on.

Now, when you receive a notification for a file (that you were editing on your phone) on your desktop, click on it. The file won’t open with the default app associated with the file type. Instead, your file will open from OneDrive on your default browser with a Microsoft 365 app. So, if you were editing a Word file, the Word app will launch to continue the work.

In the same way, you can turn on the Resume feature for other supported apps.

Later, when you want to turn off or disable the Resume feature for Apps in Windows 11, open the Settings app. Open the Resume page in the Apps category and turn off the Resume button.

In case, you want to use the Resume feature but disable it for some apps, keep the Resume button enabled and use the toggle for apps that you don’t want for the Resume feature to turn them off.

Read: Stop Windows from automatically reopening apps or programs after restart

2] Enable the Resume feature for Apps using the Registry Editor

Here are the steps:

• Open the Run Command box (Win+R), type regedit, and press Enter. This opens the Registry Editor window
• Navigate to the Configuration Registry key. The path is:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CrossDeviceResume\Configuration

• Double-click on the IsResumeAllowed DWORD (32-bit) Value
• In the Edit box, add 1 in the Value data field
• Press the OK button. This will turn on the Resume feature
• Now, to enable Resume for OneDrive, double-click on the IsOneDriveResumeAllowed DWORD (32-bit) Value
• An Edit box will open. There, add 1 in the Value data field
• Press OK.

In this way, you can enable Resume for other apps using the Registry Editor.

When you want to turn off or disable the Resume feature using the Registry Editor in Windows 11, open the Registry Editor window. Access the IsResumeAllowed DWORD (32-bit) Value and add 0 in the Value data field. Press the OK button.

That’s all.

How do I resume apps on startup Windows 11?

To automatically resume apps on startup on your Windows 11/10 PC, open the Settings app. Select the Accounts category and access the Sign-in options page. Turn on the Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in option. This will automatically restart apps when you sign in again on your system.

How do I allow apps from unknown sources in Windows 11?

If you want to allow the installation of apps from any source in Windows 11/10, access the Settings app. Navigate to System > For developers. Turn on or enable the Developer Mode. In the confirmation box, press the Yes button. Alternatively, navigate to Apps > Advanced app settings > and select the Anywhere option in the drop-down menu of Choose where to get apps.

Read next: How to block users from installing or running programs on Windows PC.