Do you listen to music while you work or browse the internet on your computer? Would you like to be able to Pause, change songs, or adjust the volume without touching the keyboard or mouse.In this post we'll tell you how to control your PC's music from your mobile phone using KDE Connect.
Turn your mobile phone into a remote control with KDE Connect
Imagine you're working at your desk with your headphones on and a perfect playlist playing in the background. Suddenly, you need Pause the music to answer a call, change songs, or adjust the volumeReaching for your PC peripherals or searching for the on-screen media player can break your concentration. What if you could do all that without putting down the phone you're already holding?
Well, with KDE Connect you can turn your mobile phone into a complete remote control for your computer's music. And more than that, you can integrate both devices to share the clipboard, send files, view and reply to messages, move the cursor, and even restart or shut down your computer. Would you like to try controlling your PC's music from your mobile device with KDE Connect?
Before we get started, let's talk a little about this tool to understand it better. KDE Connect is an open-source application compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. What it does is... Connect your devices via the local Wi-Fi networkInitially designed for Linux desktop environments, it now has a cross-platform version that works perfectly.
Controlling your PC's music from your mobile device is one of the many features offered by KDE Connect. With this feature you can pause, play, skip songs or adjust the computer volume directly from my mobile device. Personally, I've been using it for a while to connect my Android phone and my Linux PC, and the smoothness with which it works is amazing.
How to control PC music from your mobile phone with KDE Connect: initial preparations
To control PC music from your mobile phone using KDE Connect, the first thing to do is Install the official app on both devices. The process is free and quite fast: if you use Android, you can download the app from the Play Store or from open repositories like F-Droid. On iPhone, the application is available in the App Store from iOS version 14 onwards.
On the computer side, you can download the official KDE Connect installer for Windows from its website. official website or install it directly from the Microsoft Store. And on Linux, simply go to the application store and install the KDE Connect package. Once you've installed the app on both computers, make sure that Both are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
How to pair your mobile phone and PC
You're just one step away from controlling your PC's music from your mobile device with KDE Connect. The next step is to link both devices, which is very intuitive to do. Open the application on both devices. and you'll see a list of available devices to pair.
In the list, locate the other team's name and tap or click on it. You will immediately receive a notification on the other team with a matchmaking requestAccept it, and in a matter of seconds both devices will appear linked. You'll also see a series of options or "buttons" representing the available functions.
If pairing doesn't work the first time, Verify that the firewall ports are not blocking communicationIn Linux, for example, it may be necessary to add the service kdeconnect-kde to the firewall. But this rarely happens: on most home networks, the process is automatic (see entry Solutions to KDE Connect problems: A complete guide).
Everything is ready to control your PC music from your mobile phone with KDE Connect.
After pairing, everything is ready to control your PC's music from your mobile device using KDE Connect. The option we're interested in is called Multimedia controlsYou can see it by opening the KDE Connect app on your mobile device. Tapping on it will reveal a simple interface with buttons to play, pause, skip to the next song, or go back to the previous one.
The interface also displays a slider to control player volume whichever you use. Now, if you look at the top, you'll see two tabs: Play, which is where you are, and Device. Tap on the latter and you'll find a second slider, which is used to control the overall volume from the computer.
One advantage of this feature is that It is not limited to a single playerKDE Connect can detect which app is playing media at any given time and give you control over it. In fact, if you have multiple audio sources open—for example, Spotify in your browser and a video stream in VLC—you can switch between them directly from your phone to choose which one to control.
Another advantage is that You don't need to open the app on your mobile to control the music on your PC.You don't even need to unlock your phone! The control buttons appear as a notification on the lock screen. You can also access them from the status bar (by swiping down from the top of the screen).
Pause media during calls
But there's more. KDE Connect has a very handy feature called Pause Media During Calls. If you activate this option, the music or video you're playing on your PC will pause. It will automatically pause when you receive or answer a call on my mobile. And after hanging up the call, the music resumes automatically (I love this feature).
To activate it, simply open the KDE Connect app on your PC and click on Plugin Preferences. In the list of options, find and select the entry. Pause media during callsIf you want to fine-tune its behavior, click the settings button to see the available options:
- Pause as soon as the mobile phone rings.
- Pause only while you're talking.
- Pause media players.
- Mute system sounds.
- Automatically resume when the call ends.
Isn't it great? We already mentioned that controlling your PC's music from your phone with KDE Connect is a fantastic feature of this app. So if you enjoy listening to good music while working at your computer, you'll love being able to do it. use your mobile phone to control the playerInstall KDE Connect and take mobile-PC integration to the next level.
From a young age, I've been fascinated by all things scientific and technological, especially those advancements that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. I love staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, and sharing my experiences, opinions, and tips about the devices and gadgets I use. This led me to become a web writer a little over five years ago, focusing primarily on Android devices and Windows operating systems. I've learned to explain complex concepts in simple terms so my readers can easily understand them.