Android 16 could add PC-like external display tools, and we have a first look

Google is working on new external display management features for Android, including the ability to rearrange displays

Mar 7, 2025 - 18:32

Android 16 could add PC-like external display tools, and we have a first look

Google is working on new features to manage external displays.
These include the ability to rearrange displays, seamlessly move the mouse between displays, and a toggle to switch between mirroring and extending the display.
These new external display management features could arrive in Android 16 but are more likely intended for a future release.

Google wants to turn Android into a proper desktop operating system, and in order to do that, it has to make it work better with traditional PC input methods and display options. Last year, Google added a new External Display settings page to Android, enabling users to adjust the display resolution and rotation of external monitors. This was a positive step, though it wasn’t enough for Android to compete with the likes of Windows, macOS, or even Google’s own Chrome OS. Google is now testing new external display management tools in Android 16 that bring Android closer to other desktop OSes.

When you connect recent Google Pixel phones to an external display, you have the option to mirror the screen. However, if you adjust some developer options, you can instead extend the screen, enabling the external display to show a basic desktop-like interface instead of mirroring the phone’s screen.