Every Android phone will have a desktop mode option

The Android 16 beta is hiding an early version of Google's new Android Desktop Mode, which could in the future allow users to simply connect their smartphone to an external monitor and use it as a laptop or desktop computer.

The new feature was brought to the attention of Android expert Mishaal Rahman, who described on Android Authority how he enabled desktop mode on his Google Pixel 8 Pro via developer settings in Android 16 beta. After connecting the phone to a monitor via USB-C, an interface similar to that on a PC automatically appeared on the external display.

The interface is very reminiscent of Samsung's established DeX feature, which allows you to use a Samsung Galaxy smartphone as a PC interface with windowed applications. Huawei, HONOR, and Motorola phones also have a similar feature.

Android Desktop Mode moves Android's status bar to the top of the screen, showing signal, Wi-Fi, and battery, and below that, a taskbar appears where you can pin apps for quick access. The taskbar also features a Windows-style Start menu-style app launcher, with classic Android navigation buttons to the right. Apps run in windowed mode, reminiscent of the Android tablet experience, while also supporting Windows-like features like snapping windows to the left or right half of the screen.

Last year, Rahman spotted a very limited version of Google's desktop interface that only allowed an expanded app window to be displayed on a larger screen. In March of this year, Google added a new display layout management option that lets users arrange the phone and external monitor screens, similar to managing multiple displays on desktop operating systems.

According to Rahman, desktop mode may not be available with the official release of Android 16, which is scheduled for spring. It is possible that the feature will be introduced in one of the later quarterly updates or only as part of Android 17, which is expected to be released in 2026.