Google has initiated testing of a new Desktop Windowing feature for Android tablets. This functionality allows users to manage applications in separate windows, similar to how desktops operate. You can freely resize and move these windows around the screen.
How It Works
Currently, Android tablet applications open in full-screen mode by default. With the new windowing mode, each app can be displayed in a separate window, as reported by The Verge. Users will have controls to resize, move, maximize, or close these windows. Additionally, a taskbar with icons of running applications will appear at the bottom of the screen, further streamlining multitasking.
This feature is similar to Stage Manager on iPads and Samsung’s DeX mode, both of which improve multitasking with a windowed interface. Google appears to have drawn inspiration from these models, bringing a similar functionality to Android tablets.
What to Expect
Once the feature becomes available to all users, you can activate it by holding your finger on the top of the app window or, if using a keyboard, by pressing the meta key (Windows, Command, or Search) + Ctrl + down arrow. Exiting windowed mode can be done by closing all apps or dragging a window to the top of the screen.
Even apps that are primarily designed for portrait orientation will be resizable. However, as Google notes, these apps may not display correctly if they haven’t been optimized for this mode. Future updates are expected to address this issue, ensuring proper scaling while maintaining proportionality, adds NIXsolutions.
Availability
Currently, this feature is available only to developers in the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 update for Pixel Tablets. Google has yet to announce when the feature will be rolled out to all users or whether it will be available on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold foldable smartphone. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.