Posted by Francesco Romano – Developer Relations Engineer on Android, and Fahd Imtiaz – Product Supervisor, Android Developer
Right this moment, Android is launching a number of updates throughout the platform! This contains the beginning of Android 16’s rollout, with particulars for each builders and customers, a Developer Preview for enhanced Android desktop experiences with related 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 centered on constructing wonderful, adaptive Android apps.
Android has continued to evolve to allow customers to be extra productive on giant screens.
Right this moment, we’re excited to share that related shows help on appropriate Android units is now in developer preview with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 launch. As proven at Google I/O 2025, related shows allow customers to connect an exterior show to their Android machine and remodel a small display screen machine into a strong device with a big display screen. This evolution offers customers the power to maneuver apps past a single display screen to unlock Android’s full productiveness potential on exterior shows.
The related show replace builds on our desktop windowing expertise, a functionality we previewed final 12 months. Desktop windowing is about to launch later this 12 months for customers on appropriate tablets operating 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 screen and different multitasking options customers already love on Android and would not require switching to a particular mode.
Google and Samsung have collaborated to convey a extra seamless and highly effective desktop windowing expertise to giant display screen units and telephones with related shows in Android 16 throughout the Android ecosystem. These developments will improve Samsung DeX, and likewise lengthen to different Android units.
For builders, related shows and desktop windowing current new alternatives for constructing extra participating and extra productive app experiences that seamlessly adapt throughout type components. You possibly can check out these options at present in your related show with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on choose Pixel units.
What’s new in related shows help?
When a supported Android cellphone or foldable is related to an exterior show by means of a DisplayPort connection, a brand new desktop session begins on the related show. The cellphone and the exterior show function independently, and apps are particular to the show on which they’re operating.
The expertise on the related show is much like the expertise on a desktop, together with a process bar that reveals operating apps and lets customers pin apps for fast entry. Customers are capable of run a number of apps aspect by aspect concurrently in freely resizable home windows on the related show.
When a desktop windowing enabled machine (like a pill) is related 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 secure in Android 16 and is filled with enhancements and new capabilities.
Desktop windowing secure 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 related 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 prepare a number of app home windows aspect by aspect or in varied configurations, making it less complicated to work throughout completely different purposes concurrently on a big display screen.
- A number of desktops: Customers can arrange a number of desktop classes to match their distinct productiveness necessities and change between the desktops utilizing keyboard shortcuts, trackpad gestures, and Overview.
- Enhanced app compatibility remedies: New compatibility remedies be sure 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, Hold) by means of the app header button or taskbar context menu.
This enables for fast switching between completely different cases of the identical app. - Desktop persistence: Android can now higher preserve window sizes, positions, and states throughout completely different desktops. This implies customers can arrange their most well-liked workspace and have it restored throughout classes, providing a extra constant and environment friendly workflow.
Greatest practices for optimum app experiences on related shows
With the introduction of related 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 below are some key improvement practices to observe:
Construct apps optimized for desktop
- Design for any window measurement: With telephones now connecting to exterior shows, your cellular app can run in a window of virtually any measurement and side ratio. This implies the app window might be as large because the display screen of the related show but additionally flex to suit a smaller window. In desktop windowing, the minimal window measurement is 386 x 352 dp, which is smaller than most telephones. This basically modifications how you have to take into consideration UI. With orientation and resizability modifications in Android 16, it turns into much more crucial so that you can replace your apps to help resizability and portrait and panorama orientations for an optimum expertise with desktop windowing and related shows. Be certain that your app helps any window measurement by following the finest practices on adaptive improvement.
Deal with dynamic show modifications
- Do not assume a continuing Show object: The Show object related along 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 somewhat than caching them.
- Account for density configuration modifications: Exterior shows can have vastly completely different pixel densities than the first machine display screen. Guarantee your layouts and assets adapt accurately to those modifications to keep up UI readability and usefulness. Use density-independent pixels (dp) for layouts, present density-specific assets, and guarantee your UI scales appropriately.
Transcend simply the display screen
- Accurately help exterior peripherals: When customers hook up 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 digital camera or microphone enter, the app ought to be capable to detect and make the most of peripherals related by means of the exterior show or a docking station.
- Deal with keyboard actions: Desktop customers rely closely on keyboard shortcuts for effectivity. Implement customary shortcuts (for instance, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+Z) and take into account app-specific shortcuts that make sense in a windowed atmosphere. Be certain that your app helps keyboard navigation.
- Assist 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. Take into account implementing customized pointers to point completely different actions.
Getting began
Discover the related shows and enhanced desktop windowing options within the newest Android Beta. Get Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on a supported Pixel machine (Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 sequence) to start out testing your app at present. Then allow desktop expertise options within the developer settings.
Assist for related 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 be taught extra about implementing these finest 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 numerous methods customers wish to work together with their apps and units. The enhancements to related show help are one other step in that route, and we won’t wait to see the wonderful experiences you may construct!
