Samsung DeX revamped with Android 16 desktop mode in One UI 8 for a true PC like experience

Mint

a day ago

Samsung is quietly reshaping the way we think about mobile computing. DeX, its long standing desktop mode, is undergoing its boldest transformation yet. Samsung DeX first launched in 2017 alongside the Galaxy S8 series. It was designed to turn smartphones into desktop style workstations. Now connecting a phone to an external display, users could switch into a more PC style interface complete with windowed apps, a taskbar and mouse support. Over the years, Samsung expanded DeX with features like taskbar controls, app pinning, keyboard customisation, and advanced window management. But with One UI 8, things are changing in a big way.
At Google I/O, it was confirmed that Android will officially support desktop mode starting with Android 16. This is not an extra layer or workaround but a feature now being built directly into the operating system. Samsung's own DeX platform plays a key role in that shift, having helped lay the groundwork. The native desktop mode is already live in Android 16's beta, though it is still early and rough in places. Samsung is building on that foundation to deliver a redesigned DeX experience, making its debut on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7.
Today, the desktop experience is no longer a standalone experience layered entirely on Samsung's terms. With Android 16 bringing a built-in desktop mode, Samsung is now aligning its own platform with Google's system level approach. That means a more unified interface across Android devices and better long term compatibility for users. But it also means letting go of some of the long standing DeX features.
In One UI 8, the DeX settings have been reworked. The old DeX is now called a "Connected Display." Options like showing or hiding the taskbar, moving the keyboard, and choosing audio output are gone. The 'Exit DeX' and 'Lock DeX' buttons have also been removed. The app drawer now scrolls up and down instead of sideways, and some advanced shortcuts are no longer available.
While these changes in DeX may seem like a step backward, especially for those who use it regularly, they are part of a broader shift. Android 16 introduces a native desktop mode with support for freeform windows, a persistent taskbar, and improved external display handling. Rather than continuing to build DeX as a separate layer, Samsung is now working alongside Google, using this new foundation to shape what DeX will become.
The goal here is not to take away familiar features, but to create an experience that is more consistent and easier to support other devices. In the current One UI 8 Beta, DeX still holds onto its core, and that's what matters most. You can still wirelessly connect to displays, use your smartphone as a touchpad and work with an S pen. It still does the job, but now it does it with better stability and a smoother flow.
DeX is starting to feel more like a desktop. Apps open and resize more smoothly, and the whole setup looks and works less like a phone stretched onto a bigger screen. Some older settings are missing, which regular users might notice. But Samsung is now building DeX on Android 16's desktop mode. This is not the end of DeX as we know it. It's the start of DeX as it was always meant to be.