- Google is working on a new desktop mode in Android 16.
- Spotted in the Android 16 Beta 2.1, it can be enabled by tweaking with some developer options.
- It lets you extend your phone’s display and adjust the position of windows and icons.
Google has been working on the Android 16 update for a while, and the company recently revealed that it will soon release Android 16 Beta 3. The next version of Android is shaping up to be a significant release, and it could also bring a new enhanced desktop mode. This Samsung DeX rival should transform your Pixel phone into a desktop PC. Here is everything you need to know about the desktop mode in the upcoming version of Android.
Android 16 Desktop Mode – Get More Out of External Displays
Currently being tested in Android 16 Beta 2.1, the desktop mode will add a PC-like user interface after you connect your phone to an external display. It will function similarly to Samsung’s much-touted DeX feature on Galaxy phones.
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However, it’s worth noting that the feature does not activate automatically. Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman managed to enable it. To showcase it, he connected his Pixel to the NexDockXL and was able to move mouse cursors between them.
Furthermore, you can arrange the positioning of the external display and even arrange the position of windows for multitasking, just like on a PC. You can also mirror your phone’s display instead of extending it and tweak the size of icons and text on the external display. The report also claims that you will be able to adjust the monitor’s refresh rate in the future.
While these features are currently nowhere close to Samsung’s DeX, it’s refreshing to see Android get native desktop mode functionality. The current version of Android only lets you mirror your screen when you connect it to an external monitor. With Google reportedly planning to unify ChromeOS and Android, it’s interesting to see the company add full-fledged desktop-like features to the platform.
The desktop mode was seen in the Android 16 Beta 2.1 update, although there’s no clarity on whether and when it will make it to the stable version. However, the report states that just like Lockscreen Widgets, it will arrive in the Android 16 QPR1, so you can expect it to roll out later this year.
