Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Tl;
- Google is working on a new Android 16 developer option that allows you to enable Android’s desktop features.
- This new option enables Android’s desktop view on the device itself as well as on secondary screens.
- We do not know how the final version of Desktop View will look on secondary screens, as it is still developing.
The Best Android phones Is more than powerful enough to be the only computer for most, but most of them lack the software features that people are looking for at workstations. While Samsung and Motorola phones offer a PC-like experience when connected to an external screen, Pixel phones and other Android devices lack a desktop mode. Fortunately, Google tests a new Desktop View feature in Android 16 It can provide a better experience of desktop mode to multiple phones and tablets.
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While Android already has a desktop mode feature, they use very few, if any, users because of the Barbones nature. It is also buried inside Androids developer optionsOnly intended for developers testing app behavior in FreForm Windows. This lack of a real experience of desktop mode probably explains why most people Google Pixel phones Haven’t supported screen output until recently.
However, Google has worked regularly to improve Android’s sleeping desktop mode. The company recently introduced Basic Desktop window features in the first Android 15 quarterly release and it also tests new External display management tools in Android 16. While examining Android 16 Beta 3, I found strings that suggested a new ‘Enable desktop experience featuresThe option will soon be displayed in developer options. The strings that I found suggest that these desktop experience features can only be activated on secondary screens, or on both the device and secondary screens.
Code
Enable desktop experience features
Enable Desktop View on the device and on secondary displays.
Enable Desktop View on secondary displays. With a little tinker, I managed to surface the aforementioned developer alternative, but I couldn’t actually get the function to work on Pixel 8 Pro because of an error.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
While the function is currently called Desktop View, it is possible that this is just a place holder name. Since the feature is not yet live, the name may change before the public debut.
The functionality of functionality will definitely change before release, because Android’s current desktop functions are not as robust as robust as the ones like the Samsung dexThan full desktop operating systems. Google recently introduced these desktop windows in December, so the company still has a lot of work to do to do the desktop to see the full-fledged Desktop mode experience we have all been waiting for.
For example, Google has not yet added features such as a full stationary taskbar or launch. The lack of these features makes Android cumbersome to navigate with a keyboard and mouse. However, Google has constantly improved keyboard and mouse entrance, so the addition of Desktop View will hopefully bring Android closer to becoming a real pocket PC. We hope that at Android 17’s release, Desktop View will be available without beating a developer option.