Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is testing a new feature in Chrome for Android that automatically requests the desktop version of websites when used in the new Desktop Mode.
The feature works by changing the browser’s user agent when connected to an external display, so sites don’t load their mobile layouts by default.
This change is part of Google’s broader effort to enhance Android’s recently introduced Desktop Mode, making it a more viable PC alternative.
The number of Google Chrome alternatives has shot up in the past year thanks to the rise of generative AI, but Chrome remains the top dog in the browser space. While Chrome may fall behind competitors in some areas, its support for new Android features is second to none. Case in point: Google is working on a new feature that makes Chrome work better in Android’s Desktop Mode, which was only recently released as an experimental developer preview.
For context, Desktop Mode is a new feature in Android 16 QPR1 that provides a desktop-like interface when you connect a compatible Pixel phone to an external display. Rather than simply mirroring the phone’s screen, Android extends it, allowing apps to launch in freeform windows by default. Apps that are optimized for larger screens will show their tablet UIs, creating a more productive experience.
Google Chrome, for example, displays its tab strip at the top when launched on an external display, similar to how it appears on tablets. The tab strip is integrated with the window’s header, allowing it to appear next to the minimize, maximize, and close buttons. Google used Android’s new desktop windowing APIs to make this possible, creating a cleaner, more integrated look for Chrome in Desktop Mode.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Although you’re still technically browsing from your phone, many adaptive websites will automatically resize to utilize the extra screen real estate. However, some websites will still display their mobile versions. This happens because the user agent — a string that identifies the browser to a website — doesn’t change when Chrome is launched on an external display, making the site think it’s being loaded on a standard phone screen.
Fortunately, Google has a solution to this problem. The company is testing a new Chrome flag that will force the browser to send a desktop user agent when opened on an external display. This will eliminate the current need to manually toggle the “Desktop site” option in Chrome’s menu for each website, as the new flag will enable it automatically whenever you’re in Desktop Mode.
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