Google began testing windowed mode on Android tablets for PC-like multitasking

Google has started testing a new Desktop Windowing feature for Android tablets, which will allow you to work with applications in separate windows, similar to how it is implemented on computers. You can freely resize these windows and move them around on the screen.

Image source: Google

Currently, apps on Android tablets open in full screen mode by default. When the new mode is activated, each application, as reported by The Verge, will be displayed in a separate window with controls that allow you to change its size, position on the screen, maximize it to full screen or close it. A taskbar with icons for running applications will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Image source: Google

The new feature is reminiscent of Stage Manager on iPad and DeX mode on Samsung Galaxy tablets and smartphones, which also offer a windowed interface that improves multitasking when working with apps. Google seems to have been inspired by these solutions, implementing the idea on tablets running the Android operating system.

Once the option is available to all users, it can be activated by holding your finger on the top of the application window. When a keyboard is connected, you can use the combination of meta keys (Windows, Command or Search) + Ctrl + down arrow. To exit windowed mode, you need to close all active applications or drag one of the windows to the top of the screen.

Image source: Google

Apps tied to portrait orientation will also be able to be resized, but as Google notes, they may not look entirely correct if they are not initially optimized by developers for this mode. However, in future updates, Google plans to solve this problem by scaling the interface of such applications while maintaining the correct proportions.

For now, the new feature is available for testing by developers in a preview version of the latest Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 update for Pixel Tablets. The release date for the final version for all users has not yet been announced, as well as information on whether it will be available on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold foldable smartphone.