The relevant code appears in a component labeled RemoteControlManager. A debug log dated August 25, 2026, shows that the feature’s enable flag (isRemotePcControlsV2Enabled) is currently still false, indicating that the feature is not yet available to any users
By Frank Ulom
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Published on August 26, 2026
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3 min read
Windows Latest discovered during its analysis of the Link to Windows app (formerly known as “Your Phone”) installation package that Microsoft is developing a remote control function for the app that includes remote shutdown, restart, and sleep functionality.
The relevant code appears in a component labeled RemoteControlManager. A debug log dated August 25, 2026, shows that the feature’s enable flag (isRemotePcControlsV2Enabled) is currently still false, indicating that the feature is not yet available to any users.
Windows Latest discovered that string resources in its code describe a complete remote power control scheme:
- Basic power control: Includes “Restart” (pc_controls_restart_label) and “Shutdown” (pc_controls_shutdown_label) options.
- Integrated system updates: Provides “Update and restart” ( pc_controls_update_and_restart_label ) and “Update and shut down” ( pc_controls_update_and_shutdown_label ) options. This indicates that the remote control functionality can be linked to Windows Update status.
- Sleep Mode: Includes a “Sleep” option. When sleep is selected, the PC will disconnect from the phone and cannot be remotely woken up via the phone.
To ensure data security, warnings will be displayed when performing remote updates or restarts. Executing “Update and Restart” will prompt: “A restart is required to complete the PC update… You are not at your computer, so you cannot save here. Do you still want to restart?”; Performing a regular remote restart will also prompt that there may be unsaved data on the device, requiring the user to confirm that important content has been saved.
These features are not yet officially released, and Windows Latest does not show the actual UI. However, since separate confirmation prompts for regular operations and system updates have appeared in the code, the media outlet believes these features may be close to release.
Daily Lamp Note: Link to Windows is a companion application provided by Microsoft for Android devices, which can connect with Phone Link on Windows computers to enable functions such as notification synchronization, file transfer, and cross-device copy and paste.
Microsoft added the ability to remotely lock a PC via smartphone to its Link to Windows app by the end of 2025. The discovered code suggests that Microsoft plans to significantly expand the app’s remote management capabilities. In contrast, even Apple’s Continuity feature does not offer the option to remotely shut down or restart a Mac from an iPhone.
