Google is testing a new feature for Android tablets that will allow users to freely resize applications and arrange them on the screen at will, just like windows in Windows. The feature is called Windows on the Desktop and is available as a preview for developers. This was reported by The Verge.
Once this feature is available to all users, it can be enabled by pressing and holding the window icon at the top of the program screen.
If you have a keyboard connected, you can also use the keyboard shortcut (Windows, Command, or Search) + Ctrl + Down to activate the desktop mode. You can exit the mode by closing all active programs or dragging a window to the top of the screen.
Google notes that apps locked in portrait orientation can still be resized, which can look a bit strange if certain apps are not optimized. However, Google plans to solve this problem in a future update by scaling the interface of unchanged apps while maintaining their aspect ratio.
In addition, applications that support the new feature can be opened in multiple instances, for example, you can open separate windows for two tabs in a browser.
A similar feature is available on the iPad – Stage Manager. It also allows you to resize and move windows on the screen. Samsung tablets also have DeX with window management. Now this feature is no longer exclusive to tablets from specific manufacturers.
Users can currently access the developer preview in the latest Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 for Pixel tablets. The full release date of the new feature has not yet been announced.
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