Recently we had a customer, where we restored from an older backup. When they went to launch the application for phone link, in Windows 11, they were receiving a database error and wasn’t allowing them to proceed.
Due to Windows 11 has phone link built into Windows 11 natively. It makes it extremely difficult and reload the application, from the Microsoft Store. We had to uninstall the bad phone link version and install the newer one.
Follow the steps below and you too can restore your Windows 11 Phone link.
- Open up Windows PowerShell as Administrator.
- When you have Windows Powershell open, type in the following command below to remove it.
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.YourPhone -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
- After Phone Link has been uninstalled, re-open PowerShell and if you have it still open run the following command to reinstall Phone Link.
winget install 9NMPJ99VJBWV
- It will ask you to confirm, if you are sure you want to install the application, from the Microsoft depot. Simply press “Y” to proceed with the install.
After you are done with these steps, Windows Phone Link should be reinstalled. Go through the normal procedure of re-joining your phone, to Windows Phone Link again.
Related Reading
- How to remove those relentless Google Chrome and/or Microsoft Edge notifications for GOOD! – related guidance from The IT Guys archive
- Death Of Windows 10 – October 14th 2025. – related guidance from The IT Guys archive
- How to add the newer “End Task” option to your Windows 11 Taskbar – related guidance from The IT Guys archive
FAQ
Should I make this change on every computer?
Not without checking the environment first. Business computers may have management policies, encryption requirements, backups, or software dependencies that should be reviewed before changing Windows settings.
What should I do before a major Windows change?
Back up important files, confirm recovery keys where encryption is involved, save sign-in information, and make sure you have time to test printing, VPN, email, and business apps afterward.
When should I call for help?
If the computer is used for work, has encryption warnings, stores customer data, or the instructions do not match what you see, get help before forcing the change.