How I Turned My Pixel Phone Into A Genuinely Productive Desktop Computer - For Free

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Pixel 8 and newer phones now person entree to Desktop Mode.
• Android Desktop Mode turns your telephone into a full-blown desktop experience.
• You'll request an outer monitor, a USB mouse, and a keyboard.

More than a decade ago, Canonical was moving connected what it called "desktop convergence." The thought was to harvester a mobile instrumentality pinch a desktop instrumentality to create thing acold much useful.

Back then, it was a quaint thought pinch astonishing possibilities. Now, however, it has moreover much compelling implications.

According to Pew Research, 98% of Americans ain a smartphone. That aforesaid study concludes that astatine slightest 16% of Americans are "smartphone-only" users. In different words, 1 successful six Americans owns neither a desktop nor a laptop machine and depends solely connected their telephone for online activity, productivity, and entertainment.

Also: The latest Pixel Drop arrives pinch 8 useful upgrades for your Android telephone - what's new

That's an important figure. And arsenic personification who's attempted -- arsenic an research -- to do without a desktop computer, I find it nan smartphone-only attack to beryllium astir arsenic productive arsenic utilizing a stone to trim butter. I dangle connected my desktops and laptops. For one, my mobile typing skills are abysmal. Also, I dangle connected moving pinch aggregate apps astatine nan aforesaid time, and nary matter really difficult smartphones try, they're not very bully astatine multitasking.

So, erstwhile Canonical announced its scheme to alteration connecting a telephone to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard, essentially turning it into a desktop, I was each for it.

Unfortunately, Canonical failed miserably astatine convergence. The institution simply couldn't deliver, and soon aft dropped nan Unity interface altogether.  

Fast guardant to Samsung and DeX, different return connected mobile/desktop convergence. Samsung had a awesome idea, and boy, did it deliver. You get a full-blown desktop mode that is seamless and easy to use.  The Samsung devices that support DeX include:

• Samsung Galaxy S phones: Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20, S21, S22, S23 and S24 series
• Samsung Galaxy Note phones: Galaxy Note 8, Note 9, Note 10, and Note 20 series
• Samsung foldables: Galaxy Z Fold, Fold 2, Fold 3, Fold 4, Fold 5, and Fold 6
• Samsung Galaxy tablets: Galaxy Tab S4, S6, S7, S8, and S9 series
• Samsung Galaxy A-series phones: Galaxy A90 5G

But what astir Pixel telephone users?

If you still agelong for desktop convergence and you ain a Pixel 8 telephone aliases newer, you're successful luck; nan latest Pixel drop brings a desktop mode to Android -- and it is very, very good. 

What is Android Desktop mode?

Android Desktop Mode is simple: Connect your Pixel 8 aliases newer telephone to an outer monitor, brace it pinch a Bluetooth rodent and keyboard, and you fundamentally person a desktop computer. Yes, it's still Android, but it's Android successful desktop mode.

Once you've connected your telephone to nan outer show and paired your telephone pinch a rodent and keyboard, you tin usage Android arsenic if it were a existent desktop operating system. You tin unfastened and activity pinch aggregate apps astatine erstwhile and tile app windows for an moreover much businesslike experience. After making nan connection, I recovered Android to beryllium moreover much useful; it's moreover group up for illustration a accepted desktop, pinch a sheet astatine nan bottom, a commencement paper (which opens nan App Drawer), and nan accustomed pull-down Notification Shade.

Also: The latest Pixel Drop arrives pinch 8 useful upgrades for your Android telephone - what's new

If you're moving Android 16 connected a Pixel 8 aliases newer, there's thing you person to do to alteration nan feature, different than person a show that tin beryllium connected via USB-C (more connected that successful a bit). Unless your show is simply a touch screen, you'll besides request a Bluetooth mouse. Although you tin type pinch nan Android virtual keyboard, you'll really want a Bluetooth keyboard arsenic well, different you'll miss retired connected nan full-blown desktop experience.

How Desktop Mode works

First: The USB-C cablegram needs to support high-speed information transfer, specified arsenic this Silkland cablegram from Amazon. You tin usage immoderate Bluetooth rodent aliases keyboard.

Also: How Google turns Android into a desktop OS successful 5 steps

When you link your Pixel telephone to your outer monitor, a pop-up appears connected your telephone asking if you want to usage it successful Desktop aliases Mirror mode.

You'll want to pat Desktop to alteration this caller feature.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Tap Desktop, and you'll spot nan caller Desktop Mode connected your outer monitor. Note: You tin besides pat "Don't inquire maine again" to group this arsenic nan default.

Once you've done that, you tin commencement utilizing Android successful this caller mode. Surprisingly, Desktop Mode shows nary signs of lag and performs arsenic good arsenic your phone. My Pixel 9 Pro ran for illustration a champ successful desktop mode and impressed maine capable that I would see it a viable action for immoderate regular use. No, I won't beryllium editing master videos pinch my phone, nor will I beryllium installing server package connected it. Other than that, I can't ideate that location are galore limitations to beryllium placed connected this mode.

A fewer things to support successful mind:

• You must person a high-speed USB cable.
• Your phone's wallpaper will not beryllium displayed successful Desktop Mode, but you tin still group one. Once you disconnect your phone, you'll person to reset that wallpaper erstwhile you reconnect.
• You'll want a show pinch an outer powerfulness source, arsenic your telephone astir apt won't powerfulness it.
• Any apps you person unfastened connected your telephone will look successful Desktop Mode successful abstracted windows, truthful you tin usage them side-by-side.
• You nary longer person to alteration Desktop Mode successful Developer Options -- it conscionable useful retired of nan box.

Also: This absurdly elemental instrumentality turns disconnected AI successful your Google Search results

I committedness that you'll beryllium impressed pinch Android Desktop Mode. In fact, I'd task to foretell that this caller action mightiness really summation nan percent of users without a desktop aliases laptop.