Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- After months of testing, Android Desktop Mode finally arrives with the March Pixel Drop.
- Pixel 8 and newer models can connect to external displays via USB-C for a full desktop experience.
- The mode supports multi-window apps, keyboard and mouse, and more.
After months in beta testing, Android’s Desktop Mode is finally ready for prime time. Now that the March Pixel Drop is here, Pixel owners can connect their handset to a compatible external monitor via a simple USB-C cable and enjoy a fully fledged Android desktop experience.
The desktop Pixel experience supports multi-window apps, just like on your regular laptop or PC, along with a familiar desktop and dock interface. These are the very same apps already installed on your phone, just scaled up for the big screen. If you’re looking to be productive, desktop mode also supports wired and wireless keyboards and mice, and a selection of other standard peripherals.
I tried out Android’s Desktop Mode back in the QPR1 Beta 2 and found it to be a surprisingly fluid experience even back then. I had no trouble pairing my wireless keyboard and mouse, 1 Gbps wired internet and microSD card storage worked seamlessly, and many apps felt far more usable thanks to their tablet/foldable layouts. Assuming the minor bugs are now ironed out, this should be a pretty compelling experience.
Desktop support will be available on Pixel 8 phones and newer, including the foldable models, as long as they support USB DisplayPort. Your external display also needs to support DisplayPort over USB-C, or you’ll need a USB-C to HDMI adapter dongle. Keep an eye out for that update landing from today onwards.
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