You can plug recent Pixel phones into a monitor to get a desktop-style interface.
Microsoft's short-lived Continuum feature for Windows 10 Mobile was discontinued in 2017.
After months of being in beta, the Android 16 March Pixel Drop update brought Android Desktop Mode to the Pixel 8 and up.
Your mileage with Android's Desktop Mode will depend on your use case.
Android Police's testing found that the phone turned hot to the touch in 30 minutes of light usage on Desktop Mode.
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Headline as published: How to use Android's Desktop mode to turn your phone into a tiny PC
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You can plug recent Pixel phones into a monitor to get a desktop-style interface.
For years, the idea of smartphones connected to a monitor offering a desktop experience has fascinated manufacturers, developers and consumers.
Companies took to software experiences in their attempts to grant desktop-grade functionality. Microsoft's short-lived Continuum feature for Windows 10 Mobile was discontinued in 2017. Samsung's DeX lets its Galaxy phones deliver a PC-like workspace with a taskbar, optimized apps and wireless connectivity.
After months of being in beta, the Android 16 March Pixel Drop update brought Android Desktop Mode to the Pixel 8 and up.
Connect your Pixel 8 or a newer Google phone to an external monitor with a high-speed USB-C cable, and a pop-up will prompt you to switch to Android Desktop Mode or use it as a mirror.
If you disconnect your phone from your setup and reconnect it, Desktop Mode preserves your active window layout to help you resume where you left things if you didn't already close them on your phone.
Your mileage with Android's Desktop Mode will depend on your use case.
Right now, your phone won't run Chrome extensions in Desktop Mode, even if they can run on Apple Silicon or Windows on ARM devices.
Android Police's testing found that the phone turned hot to the touch in 30 minutes of light usage on Desktop Mode.
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