Use Mobile Desktop

Start Mobile desktop

Expand your workspace by interacting with your mobile phone in a desktop format.

To start Mobile desktop:

  1. Pair phone with PC.
  2. On the Smart Connect dashboard, tap Mobile desktop.

  3. Tap Start mobile desktop.

    Change the orientation and resolution of the Mobile desktop window as needed.

To stop mobile desktop, close the Mobile desktop window on the PC.

Use mobile desktop taskbar

Access common tasks and settings from the taskbar at the bottom of the Mobile desktop.

Open app tray to launch phone apps. Apps that are not compatible with external displays may be used only on your phone.
Search internet.
View, select, or close apps that are running.
Go to the Mobile desktop home screen.
Lock phone screen and Mobile desktop window (if phone uses a screen lock).
Click icon, then select screenshot type. To capture a rectangle or free-form region when using the phone as a trackpad, swipe with two fingers to define the region.
Change Mobile desktop settings.
View Wi-Fi signal strength. Click icon to access Wi-Fi settings.
Adjust call volume during calls, or adjust media volume when playing media. Switch audio between phone and external display.
View phone battery status. Click icon for more battery information.
Click time to open the Clock app. Click date to open Calendar app
View notifications sent to your phone, and adjust quick settings. More quick settings are available on your phone.

Manage windows

To quickly arrange windows, click or to snap the window to fill the left or right half of the mobile desktop. If you don’t see these icons, increase the window size.

To access the window controls when a window is maximized, hover the mouse pointer over the center top of the window. Icons in the app bar are accessible at the sides of the window.

On a Windows PC, press Alt+tab to switch between windows.

Manage keyboard

Use keyboard shortcuts and configure layout.

Bluetooth keyboard shortcuts

When the cursor is in a text field, use the on-screen keyboard to type text. For a more productive experience, pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your phone.

Bluetooth keyboard shortcuts:

  • + Q opens Game experience.
  • + V opens Video chat experience.

For more keyboard shortcuts, from the Mobile desktop, select Desktop settings > Mouse & input > Keyboard > Physical keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts.

Configure keyboard layout

The keyboard settings in the Mobile desktop are independent of the keyboard settings on your PC.

Configure layout for remote keyboard:

  1. In the Mobile desktop, click Desktop settings > Mouse & input.
  2. Click Keyboard > Physical keyboard > rdp remote keyboard.
  3. Click Set up keyboard layouts, then turn on the layout you want to use.
TipTo use the on-screen keyboard (same keyboard used by phone) while the physical keyboard is active, turn on Use on-screen keyboard. Configure the on-screen keyboard at Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard > Gboard.

Change settings

Mobile desktop settings are independent of your phone settings.

  1. From the Mobile desktop, click .

  2. Do any of the following:

    Click Wallpaper to choose a different wallpaper, or click My photos to use your photo as a wallpaper.

    Click Screen timeout to specify when the external display sleeps. The phone locks after both the phone display and external display timeout.

    Click Display & font size to adjust the display zoom and font size based on the viewing distance from the external display.

    Click Advanced to control if apps restart when opening an app that is open on another display. Restarting apps that are open on another display ensures that the app opens at the optimal display resolution for the display where you are using the app.