Windows 11: Microsoft removes one of the best features of its Connected Mobile application

When comparing Windows to macOS, one of the main advantages of Apple’s OS over Microsoft’s is the interoperability of its ecosystem and the ease of interaction between multiple devices. To catch up, the Redmond firm has been offering Connected Mobile for a while now, a Windows and mobile application aimed at easily interacting with your smartphone from Windows 11. Always richer and more complete, this solution will however soon lose one of its main functionalities.

Connected mobile: say goodbye to photos on your smartphone

Without warning, Microsoft has since November 2025 displayed an unequivocal banner within the application on Windows 11. This announces, error in translation ofexplore (which should be translated as explorer) included: “Photos migrates to File Explorer. Enjoy a better Photos experience in Explorer. You can now view videos and easily manage your files with multi-selection, copy and paste, and drag and drop.”

So, in a short time, we imagine, the Photos tab of Connected Mobile will disappear. The latter will therefore be limited to displaying messages, applications, the screen and calls for compatible smartphones.

To compensate, Microsoft reports that it is possible to interact in a richer way with your photos and videos directly in File Explorer. One condition however, is to have activated this possibility offered for several months directly in the OS options.

A button in the banner allows you to open the parameters in question in order to activate this functionality. Otherwise, direction Bluetooth and devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices and check Show mobile device in File Explorer.

Certainly, the interactions in Explorer are richer than those offered in Connected Mobile. But removing this rope from the application without warning immediately makes it much less interesting. Hopefully this decision by Microsoft hides a future improvement of its solution at another level.