11 Efficient Ways to Send Links Between Your Phone and Desktop

Whether you're browsing on your phone and want to switch to a bigger screen or need to access a webpage while on the go, there are several convenient methods to quickly send links between your phone and desktop. In this article, we will explore 11 efficient ways to seamlessly transfer browser links between devices on various platforms.

1. Browser History

Most mainstream browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, support history sync between devices. To switch from your phone to your desktop, simply open your browser on the desktop, go to the three-dot menu, and select “History.” Here, you will find all the web pages you have opened on all your devices. Click on the desired webpage to open it on your desktop.

To switch from your desktop to your phone, open the browser on your phone, tap on the three-dot menu, and select “History.” Tap on the desired webpage to open and start browsing.

2. Handoff (iOS and macOS)

Handoff is an exclusive feature for Apple devices. If your iOS and macOS devices are connected to the same Apple ID and Wi-Fi network and are in close proximity to each other, Handoff will automatically work. To enable Handoff, go to the Settings app on your iPhone and navigate to General > Airplay and Handoff. On your Mac, go to Settings > General and ensure that the checkbox for “Allow Handoff between Mac and your iCloud devices” is enabled.

To switch from your iPhone to your Mac, open your macOS device and find the recent Safari tab on the dock. Click on it to open and start browsing on your desktop.

To switch from your Mac to your iPhone, swipe up and hold to open the recent apps screen. You will find a suggestion to open the latest tab at the bottom of the screen. Tap on it to open and start browsing on the go.

3. Universal Clipboard (iOS and macOS)

Universal Clipboard is another Apple-exclusive feature that allows you to copy and paste between devices seamlessly. To switch from your iPhone to your Mac, open the desired tab on your phone, tap on the Share icon, and select “Copy” to copy the link. Then, open the browser on your macOS, right-click on the search bar, and click on “Paste” to open the web page on your Mac.

The process is the same when sending a link from your Mac to your iPhone. Simply copy the link on the search bar, then paste it into the browser on your iPhone. Universal Clipboard also allows you to copy and paste text or links between Apple devices.

4. Phone Hub (Android and ChromeOS)

Phone Hub is the Android equivalent of Apple's Handoff feature. To make it work, log in with the same Google account on the Chrome browser on your phone and ChromeOS. Then, connect both devices in the ChromeOS settings under “Connected devices.”

Once set up, click on the phone icon at the bottom right corner of ChromeOS to open the Phone Hub. Here, you will find the “Recent Chrome tabs” section, which displays the last two Chrome tabs. Click on them to open on Chrome and start working.

Please note that Phone Hub only supports transferring browsing from your phone to your desktop. It does not work in the opposite direction, and it is limited to the Chrome browser on Android.

5. Tabs From Other Devices

The “Tabs From Other Devices” feature is available on all major operating systems but is exclusive to the Chrome browser. Instead of displaying the entire browsing history, this feature shows active tabs from other devices, making it convenient to continue browsing where you left off.

To switch from your phone to your desktop, open Chrome, go to the three-dot menu, and select “History.” You will find your browsing history in the pop-up menu. Under the history, you can find the “Tabs from other devices” option. Click on it to continue browsing.

To switch from your desktop to your phone, open Chrome on your phone, go to the three-dot menu, and select “Recent tabs.” Tap on the desired tab to start browsing.

6. Send Tab to Device Option

Many browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, support the “Send Tab to Device” feature. To use it, log in with your account on both devices. For Chrome, use your Google account; for Firefox, use Mozilla; and for Edge, use Microsoft. Once set up, the feature will work seamlessly, and the devices do not need to be near each other as the data is saved in the cloud.

To switch from your phone to your desktop, open the desired tab on your phone, go to the three-dot menu at the top right corner, and select the “Share” option. Then, choose the “Send to your devices” option. The option name may vary depending on the browser.

To switch from your desktop to your phone, hover over the tab you want to send, right-click on it, and select the “Send to your devices” option. Choose the device you want to send the link to. You will receive the link as a browser notification on your phone, and tapping on it will open the webpage.

7. QR Code Transfer

The QR Code Transfer feature, exclusive to the Chrome browser, allows you to convert a web page into a QR code. You can scan the QR code on any device to continue your search. While this feature does not require prior setup or logging in with the same account, it is primarily a one-way transfer from desktop to phone.

To transfer from your desktop to your phone, open the desired tab and click on the address bar. Click on the “Share” option and select “Create QR code for this page” in the pop-up menu. Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere on the webpage to access the “Create QR code for this page” option.

On your phone, open a QR code scanner app, such as Google Lens or any QR code scanner app, and scan the QR code to open the link and continue browsing.

8. Phone Link App (Android and Windows)

The Phone Link app, exclusive to the Edge browser, allows you to share files, text, and links between Android and Windows devices. To use this feature, set up the Phone Link app on your Windows laptop and download the Link to Windows app on your Android phone. Once the setup process is complete, sharing links becomes seamless and easy.

To send a link from Android to Windows, open any browser on your Android phone, go to the three-dot menu, and select the “Share” option. In the Share sheet, choose the “Link to Windows” app. Then, select the computer you want to share the link with. The link will be shared and accessible from the Phone Link app. Please note that you can only open the link on the Edge browser, regardless of the browser you used to send it.

To send a link from Windows to Android, open the Edge browser (as it is the only browser that supports this feature on Windows), click on the Share icon, and select the Android device to share the link. You will only find the device if you have set up the Phone Link app and connected it to Android using the Link to Windows app.

9. AirDrop (iOS and macOS)

AirDrop is a well-known Apple-exclusive feature that enhances the ecosystem experience. To share a link from your iPhone to your Mac, tap on the share icon on your iPhone, select AirDrop, and share it with your Mac. Once accepted, the website will immediately load on the default browser.

The process is the same when sending a website from a Mac to an iPhone. AirDrop can also be used to send files, links, texts, and more.

10. Nearby Share (Android and ChromeOS)

Nearby Share is Google's version of AirDrop and works similarly. To use this feature, ensure that Nearby Share is enabled on both your Android and ChromeOS devices. On your Android phone, go to Settings > Google > Devices and sharing > Nearby Share. On ChromeOS, open Settings > Connected Devices > Nearby Share.

To share a link from your Android to ChromeOS, tap on the three-dot menu, select “Share,” then “More options,” and finally “Nearby Share.” Choose your Chromebook from the options. Once you accept the file on your ChromeOS device, it will be shared and opened immediately on your Chrome browser.

The process is the same when sending links from ChromeOS to Android. Click on the Share icon in the Omni bar and proceed to share through Nearby Share.

11. Third-Party Apps

There are many third-party apps available on major desktop and mobile operating systems that offer similar functionality. Clipboard syncing apps, such as Clipt, Shift Key Keyboard, and Send Anywhere, allow you to sync links between Android and Windows. Additionally, you can use cloud-based notes apps like Google Keep and Apple Notes. Copy the URL and paste it into Google Keep, then open another device to click on the URL and continue browsing.

In conclusion, there are numerous efficient ways to send links between your phone and desktop. Choose the methods that work best for your operating system and setup. Tabs from other devices, Airdrop, and Nearby Share are some popular options that work seamlessly in their respective ecosystems.