Posted by Francesco Romano – Developer Relations Engineer on Android, and Fahd Imtiaz – Product Supervisor, Android Developer
Right now, Android is launching a number of updates throughout the platform! This consists of the beginning of Android 16’s rollout, with particulars for each builders and customers, a Developer Preview for enhanced Android desktop experiences with linked shows, and updates for Android customers throughout Google apps and extra, plus the June Pixel Drop. We’re additionally recapping all of the Google I/O updates for Android builders targeted on constructing glorious, adaptive Android apps.
Android has continued to evolve to allow customers to be extra productive on giant screens.
Right now, we’re excited to share that linked shows help on suitable Android gadgets is now in developer preview with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 launch. As proven at Google I/O 2025, linked shows allow customers to connect an exterior show to their Android system and remodel a small display system into a robust software with a big display. This evolution offers customers the flexibility to maneuver apps past a single display to unlock Android’s full productiveness potential on exterior shows.
The linked show replace builds on our desktop windowing expertise, a functionality we previewed final yr. Desktop windowing is about to launch later this yr for customers on suitable tablets working Android 16. Desktop windowing allows customers to run a number of apps concurrently and resize home windows for optimum multitasking. This new windowing functionality works seamlessly with break up display and different multitasking options customers already love on Android and would not require switching to a particular mode.
Google and Samsung have collaborated to deliver a extra seamless and highly effective desktop windowing expertise to giant display gadgets and telephones with linked shows in Android 16 throughout the Android ecosystem. These developments will improve Samsung DeX, and in addition lengthen to different Android gadgets.
For builders, linked shows and desktop windowing current new alternatives for constructing extra partaking and extra productive app experiences that seamlessly adapt throughout kind components. You’ll be able to check out these options at present in your linked show with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on choose Pixel gadgets.
What’s new in linked shows help?
When a supported Android telephone or foldable is linked to an exterior show by means of a DisplayPort connection, a brand new desktop session begins on the linked show. The telephone and the exterior show function independently, and apps are particular to the show on which they’re working.
The expertise on the linked show is just like the expertise on a desktop, together with a job bar that exhibits working apps and lets customers pin apps for fast entry. Customers are capable of run a number of apps facet by facet concurrently in freely resizable home windows on the linked show.
When a desktop windowing enabled system (like a pill) is linked to an exterior show, the desktop session is prolonged throughout each shows, unlocking an much more expansive workspace. The 2 shows then operate as one steady system, permitting app home windows, content material, and the cursor to maneuver freely between the shows.
A cornerstone of this effort is the evolution of desktop windowing, which is steady in Android 16 and is full of enhancements and new capabilities.
Desktop windowing steady launch
We have made substantial enhancements within the stability and efficiency of desktop windowing in Android 16. This implies customers will encounter a smoother, extra dependable expertise when managing app home windows on linked shows. Past common stability enhancements, we’re introducing a number of new options:
- Versatile window tiling: Multitasking will get a lift with extra intuitive window tiling choices. Customers can extra simply organize a number of app home windows facet by facet or in varied configurations, making it less complicated to work throughout totally different purposes concurrently on a big display.
- A number of desktops: Customers can arrange a number of desktop periods to match their distinct productiveness necessities and change between the desktops utilizing keyboard shortcuts, trackpad gestures, and Overview.
- Enhanced app compatibility therapies: New compatibility therapies be certain that even legacy apps behave extra predictably and look higher on exterior shows by default. This reduces the burden on builders whereas offering a greater out-of-the-box expertise for customers.
- Multi-instance administration: Customers can handle a number of cases of supporting purposes (for instance, Chrome or, Maintain) by means of the app header button or taskbar context menu.
This enables for fast switching between totally different cases of the identical app. - Desktop persistence: Android can now higher preserve window sizes, positions, and states throughout totally different desktops. This implies customers can arrange their most well-liked workspace and have it restored throughout periods, providing a extra constant and environment friendly workflow.
Finest practices for optimum app experiences on linked shows
With the introduction of linked show help in Android, it is necessary to make sure your apps take full benefit of the brand new show capabilities. That can assist you construct apps that shine on this enhanced atmosphere, listed here are some key growth practices to observe:
Construct apps optimized for desktop
- Design for any window dimension: With telephones now connecting to exterior shows, your cellular app can run in a window of just about any dimension and facet ratio. This implies the app window might be as large because the display of the linked show but additionally flex to suit a smaller window. In desktop windowing, the minimal window dimension is 386 x 352 dp, which is smaller than most telephones. This essentially modifications how it is advisable take into consideration UI. With orientation and resizability modifications in Android 16, it turns into much more vital so that you can replace your apps to help resizability and portrait and panorama orientations for an optimum expertise with desktop windowing and linked shows. Be certain your app helps any window dimension by following the greatest practices on adaptive growth.
Deal with dynamic show modifications
- Do not assume a relentless Show object: The Show object related together with your app’s context can change when an app window is moved to an exterior show or if the show configuration modifications. Your app ought to gracefully deal with configuration change occasions and question show metrics dynamically fairly than caching them.
- Account for density configuration modifications: Exterior shows can have vastly totally different pixel densities than the first system display. Guarantee your layouts and sources adapt accurately to those modifications to take care of UI readability and usefulness. Use density-independent pixels (dp) for layouts, present density-specific sources, and guarantee your UI scales appropriately.
Transcend simply the display
- Accurately help exterior peripherals: When customers connect with an exterior monitor, they typically create a extra desktop-like atmosphere. This incessantly entails utilizing exterior keyboards, mice, trackpads, webcams, microphones, and audio system. In case your app makes use of digicam or microphone enter, the app ought to be capable to detect and make the most of peripherals linked by means of the exterior show or a docking station.
- Deal with keyboard actions: Desktop customers rely closely on keyboard shortcuts for effectivity. Implement commonplace shortcuts (for instance, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+Z) and contemplate app-specific shortcuts that make sense in a windowed atmosphere. Be certain your app helps keyboard navigation.
- Help mouse interactions: Past easy clicks, guarantee your app responds accurately to mouse hover occasions (for instance, for tooltips or visible suggestions), right-clicks (for contextual menus), and exact scrolling. Think about implementing customized pointers to point totally different actions.
Getting began
Discover the linked shows and enhanced desktop windowing options within the newest Android Beta. Get Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on a supported Pixel system (Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 collection) to begin testing your app at present. Then allow desktop expertise options within the developer settings.
Help for linked shows within the Android Emulator is coming quickly, so keep tuned for updates!
Dive into the up to date documentation on multi-display help and window administration to study extra about implementing these greatest practices.
Suggestions
Your suggestions is essential as we proceed to refine these experiences. Please share your ideas and report any points by means of our official suggestions channels.
We’re dedicated to creating Android a flexible platform that adapts to the various methods customers wish to work together with their apps and gadgets. The enhancements to linked show help are one other step in that course, and we will not wait to see the superb experiences you may construct!