Turn on Windows 11's resume feature to pick up where you left off

Turn on Windows 11's resume feature to pick up where you left off

For many years, Apple systems have included a feature called Handoff that lets you begin a task in, say, the iPhone's Mail app or Safari and then move to another device, like a MacBook, and finish the task where you left off.

Fortunately, Microsoft has begun offering a similar feature in Windows 11 called Resume, which enables you to continue working on the task you started on your smartphone on the computer. This feature improves the seamless transition between devices through instant synchronization. 

For instance, you can open your Windows 11 laptop and finish this task on it if you are working on a document or file on your smartphone whose battery is about to die.

The feature of the day improves productivity and streamlines device switching, but how can you activate and utilize it? Before we answer this question, you need to know that this tool has special requirements. First, we will share them and then discuss how to use them.

At least for the time being, this feature depends on OneDrive in Windows 11 and Microsoft Office apps working together. Microsoft intends to enhance the feature's functionality and allow developers to incorporate it into their apps.

In any case, the feature works via cloud computing, so when you work on editing a document or spreadsheet in compatible applications such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint on the smartphone, your work is automatically saved in the background so that you can resume it when you move to the computer.

Of course, the first requirement to achieve the purpose of this feature is to sign in to your Microsoft account on both the Office applications on the phone and Windows 11 on the computer. Also, make sure to sign in to the OneDrive service on the web in your default internet browser to ensure a smooth “resume” experience without being prompted to sign in every time. It is worth noting that the Resume feature currently supports files edited in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications, in addition to OneNote pages and PDF files through the Microsoft 365 Copilot application on the Android phone or iPhone. 

Microsoft also notes that when you open a supported file on your phone to edit it, your computer must be locked—or the lock screen activated by pressing Win + L—at that time, and to resume working on it, you must open the device within 5 minutes of finishing work on the phone. This condition ensures that files don’t automatically open after a long period of time, which could pose a privacy risk if someone else is using the computer. With that in mind, here’s how to enable and use the feature.

Before we start explaining how to activate and use the feature on Windows 11, it should be noted that the feature is not currently available in stable versions but is being tested in beta versions for Windows Insider program subscribers and will be made available to everyone in future updates. To access the feature, launch the Settings app (by pressing Win + I together), navigate to the Apps section, and locate the Resume page at the bottom. 

Go to it and activate the feature, in addition to giving permission to the OneDrive app so that it can benefit from this feature via the cloud. [ As shown in the attached image above.]

Now, let’s say you’re editing a Word document on your phone using Microsoft 365 Copilot or Microsoft Word on its own. After you finish editing the document, exit the app, and go back to your computer.

Five minutes later, your computer will alert you that there is a file available for you to continue where you left off. 

You can edit the document in the browser rather than the Word version that is installed on your device because it is synchronized through the cloud. When you tap on that notification, the file will open directly in the web version of Word in your preferred browser.

Any edits you make will automatically be saved to OneDrive, ensuring that you can continue working from any device later.

The Resume feature can be summed up in the following easy steps: Start by opening a supported file (such as Word or Excel) on your smartphone, whether it is Android or iPhone, and make sure that the computer is turned off. If you want to resume working on the computer, open it after more than 5 minutes of being on the phone, and you will see a notification telling you that there is work waiting for you to resume.

In conclusion, if utilized properly, Windows 11's Resume feature is among the greatest productivity tools. 

By syncing between OneDrive and Microsoft 365 apps, you can start a task on your smartphone from anywhere and then resume it on your computer without having to manually transfer files. The only drawback that some may find in this feature is the five-minute idea, but we repeat that it is necessary to protect and enhance your privacy.