Google’s Android Desktop Mode Will Turn Your Phone Into PC, Much Like Samsung’s DeX

Google is reportedly creating a new desktop experience for its Android phones. An early version of the search giant’s new offering, which could allow users to use their smartphone like a laptop or desktop by just plugging it into a monitor, is included in a beta copy of Android 16.

Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority revealed the new feature. Rahman’s Google Pixel 8 Pro with the most recent Android 16 beta allowed him to manually enable Android Desktop Mode under developer settings. 

The Android Desktop Mode enabled desktop windowing on secondary displays, and when Rahman connected his Pixel with a USB-C-capable monitor, it showed a PC-like interface on the external monitor. 

The Android taskbar, three-button navigation access, and other functionalities were displayed in a video shared by him. The taskbar at the bottom allows a user to pin apps for convenient access and displays pinned apps like Google Chrome, Messages, Camera, and Phone. It can also show recent apps, which could lead to multitasking. The taskbar also displays the Wi-Fi and signal strength.

The taskbar offers an app drawer similar to the Windows Start Menu, and on its right end, native navigation buttons of Android can be accessed. According to Rahman, multiple apps can be simultaneously opened in floating windows, in a manner similar to Android tablets. Additionally, users might be able to resize, relocate, or align the apps to the side, just like in a Windows interface, and drag-and-drop content for simpler transfer.

The feature is quite similar to Samsung’s DeX (or Desktop eXperience). Google has been reportedly working to on a more desktop-oriented experience for its Android phones and tablets.

As regards the launch of Android Desktop Mode, Rahman said that Android 16, which is anticipated to come this spring, may not have the feature after all. It might appear later in a quarterly update or could be included in Android 17, which is not expected to be released until 2026.