Key Points
- Google introduces a desktop mode for Android tablets, allowing window resizing.
- Users can freely arrange apps on their screens, improving multitasking.
- The feature mimics desktop OS functionality, similar to iPad and DeX.
- Available in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 for Pixel Tablets.
Google is bringing a new level of multitasking to Android tablets with its latest feature: Android tablet desktop mode.
This mode allows users to resize and arrange apps on their screens as they would on a desktop, offering a fresh and flexible experience for Android tablet users.
Currently, this feature is available as part of a developer preview and brings a significant shift in how apps are managed on these devices.
#WorthReading Google tests desktop windowing for Android tablets https://t.co/JkXl0rBcLE #WorthReading
— Paul Brody 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇪🇺🏳️🌈 prbrody.eth (@pbrody) September 14, 2024
Android Tablet Desktop Mode Enhances Multitasking
Android tablets have long been limited by a full-screen-only app experience, but Android tablet desktop mode changes this by allowing users to open apps in adjustable windows.
Each app can now appear in a window with basic controls, such as resizing, maximizing, and closing. This feature enables users to perform multiple tasks simultaneously without constantly switching between apps or minimizing windows.
Much like Apple’s iPad’s Stage Manager and Samsung’s DeX, Google’s desktop mode aims to offer a more desktop-like experience on tablets. However, Google has added its unique spin. Even apps that are locked in portrait mode will still be resizable.
While this could make some apps appear awkward if they aren’t fully optimized for the new layout, Google plans to address these issues in future updates, improving the overall usability of the feature.
The Android tablet desktop mode also includes a taskbar at the bottom of the screen, which displays running apps and allows users to easily switch between tasks without losing anything. This is a major improvement for Android tablets, which have historically lagged behind iPads in terms of multitasking efficiency.
How to Use Android Tablet Desktop Mode
For those eager to try out Android tablet desktop mode, it’s currently available in the latest Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 for Pixel Tablets. Once this feature is widely available, users will be able to enable it by pressing and holding the window handle at the top of an app.
This will switch the app from full-screen to windowed mode. For those using a keyboard with their tablet, a simple keyboard shortcut—Meta Key + Ctrl + Down—will activate desktop mode instantly.
Exiting Android tablet desktop mode is just as easy. Users can close all their active apps or drag a window back to the top of the screen to revert it to full-screen mode.
This intuitive system provides a smooth user experience for those who want a hybrid between a tablet and a desktop interface.
At this time, the feature is exclusive to Pixel Tablets and available as part of a developer preview, so it might take a little time before it rolls out to the general public.
However, Google is likely to release Android tablet desktop mode to other devices soon, potentially including their upcoming Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
A Step Toward a More Versatile Android Experience
With Android tablet desktop mode, Google aims to turn its tablets into true productivity devices. This feature is part of Google’s broader effort to improve the user experience on larger screens, catering to professionals and power users who need better multitasking capabilities.
The flexibility of being able to resize and move app windows freely makes Android tablets much more appealing as a multitasking tool, moving them closer to the functionality of traditional desktops.
While Samsung’s DeX has already brought similar functionality to its Galaxy devices, Google’s approach could pave the way for more Android tablets to adopt desktop-like features.
For now, only developers and early adopters can experience Android tablet desktop mode, but with improvements and broader rollout in the future, it could become a game-changer for Android tablets.
