Posted by Francesco Romano – Developer Relations Engineer on Android, and Fahd Imtiaz – Product Supervisor, Android Developer
At this time, Android is launching just a few 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 targeted on constructing wonderful, adaptive Android apps.
Android has continued to evolve to allow customers to be extra productive on massive screens.
At this time, we’re excited to share that related shows assist on suitable 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 system and remodel a small display screen system into a robust instrument with a big display screen. This evolution provides customers the flexibility 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 yr. Desktop windowing is about to launch later this yr for customers on suitable tablets operating Android 16. Desktop windowing permits customers to run a number of apps concurrently and resize home windows for optimum multitasking. This new windowing functionality works seamlessly with cut 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 deliver a extra seamless and highly effective desktop windowing expertise to massive display screen units and telephones with related shows in Android 16 throughout the Android ecosystem. These developments will improve Samsung DeX, and likewise prolong 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 kind elements. You possibly can check out these options as we speak in your related show with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on choose Pixel units.
What’s new in related shows assist?
When a supported Android cellphone or foldable is related to an exterior show via 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 system (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 perform 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 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 easier to work throughout completely different purposes concurrently on a big display screen.
- 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 remedies: New compatibility remedies 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 situations of supporting purposes (for instance, Chrome or, Preserve) via the app header button or taskbar context menu.
This enables for fast switching between completely different situations of the identical app. - Desktop persistence: Android can now higher keep window sizes, positions, and states throughout completely different desktops. This implies customers can arrange their most popular workspace and have it restored throughout periods, providing a extra constant and environment friendly workflow.
Greatest practices for optimum app experiences on related shows
With the introduction of related show assist in Android, it is vital 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 measurement: With telephones now connecting to exterior shows, your cellular app can run in a window of virtually any measurement and facet ratio. This implies the app window will 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 could 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 assist resizability and portrait and panorama orientations for an optimum expertise with desktop windowing and related shows. Make sure that your app helps any window measurement by following the finest practices on adaptive growth.
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 fairly than caching them.
- Account for density configuration modifications: Exterior shows can have vastly completely different pixel densities than the first system display screen. Guarantee your layouts and assets adapt accurately to those modifications to take care of UI readability and value. Use density-independent pixels (dp) for layouts, present density-specific assets, and guarantee your UI scales appropriately.
Transcend simply the display screen
- Appropriately assist exterior peripherals: When customers connect with an exterior monitor, they usually create a extra desktop-like atmosphere. This often 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 via the exterior show or a docking station.
- Deal with keyboard actions: Desktop customers rely closely on keyboard shortcuts for effectivity. Implement normal shortcuts (for instance, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+Z) and take into account app-specific shortcuts that make sense in a windowed atmosphere. Make sure 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. Contemplate 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 system (Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 sequence) to begin testing your app as we speak. 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 assist and window administration to study 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 via 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 assist are one other step in that course, and we won’t wait to see the superb experiences you will construct!
