{"id":89584,"date":"2025-07-24T21:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T21:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/89584\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T21:00:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T21:00:18","slug":"samsung-killed-its-classic-dex-mode-in-one-ui-8-but-theres-a-good-reason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/89584\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung killed its classic DeX mode in One UI 8, but there\u2019s a good reason"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\"  title=\"Samsung DeX in One UI 8 on the Galaxy Z Flip 7\"  alt=\"Samsung DeX in One UI 8 on the Galaxy Z Flip 7\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samsung-DeX-in-One-UI-8-on-the-Galaxy-Z-Flip-7-scaled.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n<p>TL;DR<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Samsung killed its \u201cclassic\u201d DeX in One UI 8, replacing it with a new version built on top of Google\u2019s native Desktop Mode in Android.<\/li>\n<li>This move aligns DeX with Google\u2019s broader effort to improve Android\u2019s desktop capabilities, which should benefit DeX in the long run.<\/li>\n<li>However, the new DeX is currently a downgrade for users, as it lacks many quality-of-life features that were present in the classic version.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/samsung-dex-3156766\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Samsung DeX<\/a> is one of the best features of One UI, letting you transform your powerful Galaxy phone or tablet into a portable PC. You simply hook up your Galaxy device to an external display, fire up DeX mode, and connect some accessories, and you have a full desktop experience. DeX has evolved over the years, but the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/one-ui-8-hands-on-3561845\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">One UI 8<\/a> release brings its most significant changes yet. Samsung has killed off the \u201cclassic\u201d DeX experience, replacing it with a new version that\u2019s arguably a downgrade for now. However, this change is poised to pay off handsomely in the future. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<p>Samsung introduced DeX with the Galaxy S8 series in 2017, over two years before Google added even a rudimentary desktop mode to Android. Because Android natively lacked much of the functionality DeX required, Samsung had to make significant under-the-hood changes to the operating system. For example, Samsung modified core Android components to add its own desktop windowing system, a dedicated desktop launcher, and an improved connected display experience. This required a massive effort that didn\u2019t stop at the initial launch, as Samsung had to carry these custom changes forward through multiple Android releases.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Samsung Dex Keyboard\"  alt=\"Samsung Dex Keyboard\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samsung-Dex-Keyboard.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Samsung is in the business of selling Android phones and Windows PCs (\u2026and a ton of other things), though, so they have little incentive to invest heavily into transforming Android into a full-fledged desktop OS. As a result, DeX has long been just \u201cgood enough\u201d for casual users wanting to watch media or do light work on the go, but it has never been robust enough to fully replace a traditional PC for professionals.<\/p>\n<p>Google, however, is a different story. The company has spent years trying to break into the PC market with ChromeOS, which has seen major success in the education sector. But developing two operating systems simultaneously is inefficient, so Google is pooling its resources to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/google-combine-chrome-os-android-3577035\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">merge the two platforms<\/a>. This effort involves bringing many Chrome OS features to Android, such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/chrome-for-android-with-extensions-demo-3540132\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">desktop version of Chrome<\/a> with extension support, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-linux-terminal-purpose-3535765\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linux environment<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n<p>As part of these efforts, Google is finally adding proper desktop windowing and a new connected display experience to Android. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-16-features-3484159\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Android 16<\/a> release introduces a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/try-android-16-desktop-mode-on-pixel-3565393\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Desktop Mode<\/a> with many DeX-like features, such as a taskbar at the bottom and support for freeform app windows. This new mode is, in fact, built on the very foundation of Samsung DeX. Google and Samsung collaborated to improve desktop windowing on Android, culminating in the new experience we see today.<\/p>\n<p>With Google now developing a native desktop mode for Android, there\u2019s no longer a need for Samsung to maintain its own heavily modified version of DeX. Doing so would be counterproductive, requiring Samsung to constantly adapt its code to Google\u2019s changes and risk breaking compatibility with apps built for large screens. While phone makers often stick with their own software features even after Google introduces a stock equivalent, this situation is different. Desktop Mode is poised to become a core part of Google\u2019s future Android strategy, making its adoption essential.<\/p>\n<p>Samsung actually began this migration in One UI 6.0 with its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-6-new-dex-3465384\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cnew\u201d DeX mode<\/a> for tablets. While the company still offered its \u201cclassic\u201d DeX as an option then, it has removed it in One UI 8 to focus on building features on top of Google\u2019s native Desktop Mode. This change is ultimately a good thing, as it means Samsung DeX will inherit the new features and improvements Google introduces in the coming years.<\/p>\n<p>However, the initial transition might annoy some users. The current version of DeX in One UI 8 lacks many of the small quality-of-life features that Samsung added to its classic mode over the years. With help from Reddit user <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/fragmentedchicken\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FragmentedChicken<\/a>, we compiled the following list of differences between Samsung\u2019s \u201cclassic\u201d DeX and the new DeX in One UI 8:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The toggle to <strong>Auto start when HDMI is connected<\/strong> has been removed from DeX settings. However, this has been effectively replaced by the <strong>Extended<\/strong> option under Settings &gt; Connected devices &gt; Samsung DeX &gt; Connected display, as by default, DeX will now start when the phone\u2019s screen is extended to an external display.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Samsung DeX options in One UI 8\"  alt=\"Samsung DeX options in One UI 8\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samsung-DeX-options-in-One-UI-8.jpg\"\/>Samsung DeX settings in One UI 8<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Connected display options in One UI 8\"  alt=\"Connected display options in One UI 8\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Connected-display-options-in-One-UI-8.jpg\"\/>Connected display settings in One UI 8<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The settings for <strong>Taskbar<\/strong>, <strong>Keyboard<\/strong>, <strong>Set default audio input<\/strong>, and <strong>App icon badges<\/strong> have been removed.\n<ul>\n<li>Taskbar: Can no longer toggle auto hide taskbar, toggle the navigation buttons, toggle the finder (search button), toggle the keyboard language, toggle the keyboard (either on screen or on phone), toggle the volume, or toggle the screenshot button.<\/li>\n<li>Keyboard: Can\u2019t set the on screen keyboard location either on the connected display or the phone by default, can\u2019t toggle showing the on screen keyboard when a physical keyboard is being used.<\/li>\n<li>Set default audio input: This setting made sounds play through the connected TV or monitor when Samsung DeX started.<\/li>\n<li>App icon badges: Changed how notifications were shown on app icons, either as a small number or a dot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Full Samsung DeX settings in One UI 7\"  alt=\"Full Samsung DeX settings in One UI 7\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Full-Samsung-DeX-settings-in-One-UI-7.png\"\/>Classic Samsung DeX settings in One UI 7<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"App icon badge settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"App icon badge settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/App-icon-badge-settings-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.png\"\/>App icon badge settings under classic DeX in One UI 7<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Taskbar settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"Taskbar settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Taskbar-settings-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.png\"\/>Taskbar settings for classic DeX in One UI 7<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Keyboard settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"Keyboard settings in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Keyboard-settings-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.png\"\/>Keyboard settings for classic DeX in One UI 7<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Flow pointer to phone screen<\/strong> page has been removed. This setting let you choose if you wanted to enable mouse continuity between the phone and external display. It has functionally been replaced by the Android 16 display topology feature that allows you to rearrange where your phone and external display are located in virtual space. However, mouse continuity is enabled by default now and cannot be disabled.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lock DeX<\/strong> and <strong>exit DeX<\/strong> buttons were removed from the app drawer: The lock DeX button locked DeX, requiring you to enter your phone\u2019s screen lock or biometrics. The Exit DeX button allowed you to quit DeX.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Pin<\/strong> app button has been removed from apps\u2019 header bars. This button allowed you to pin an app to keep it on top of other apps you open.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Flow pointer to phone screen settings in One UI 7\"  alt=\"Flow pointer to phone screen settings in One UI 7\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Flow-pointer-to-phone-screen-settings-in-One-UI-7.png\"\/>Flow pointer to phone screen settings for classic DeX in One UI 8<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Lock DeX and exit DeX buttons in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"Lock DeX and exit DeX buttons in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lock-DeX-and-exit-DeX-buttons-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.jpg\"\/>Lock DeX and exit DeX buttons for classic DeX in One UI 7<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Pin button in header bar in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"Pin button in header bar in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pin-button-in-header-bar-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.jpg\"\/>Pin button in app header for classic DeX in One UI 7<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>MultiStar removed the \u201c<strong>I\u2764\ufe0fSamsung DeX<\/strong>\u201d menu. The \u201cHigh resolutions for external display\u201d option is still there in the main MultiStar menu, but the \u201crun many apps at same time\u201d which allowed you to run more than 5 apps at a time, auto open last app which allowed you to reopen the last app you had open, and set taskbar and header bar display time option which allows you to change the delay for showing the header bar have been removed.<\/li>\n<li>Miscellaneous behavior changes\n<ul>\n<li>You can\u2019t snap windows to the top anymore, but you can still double click app headers to maximize them.<\/li>\n<li>You can\u2019t right click the taskbar to access taskbar settings<\/li>\n<li>You can\u2019t right click the desktop to change how apps are sorted, clean up the desktop, or access screen zoom settings<\/li>\n<li>Finally, the app header bar and taskbar remain on screen even if you\u2019re trying to watch a video in full screen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Full screen video in One UI 7 under classic DeX\"  alt=\"Full screen video in One UI 7 under classic DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Full-screen-video-in-One-UI-7-under-classic-DeX.jpg\"\/>Watching a full screen video in classic DeX on One UI 7<img class=\"e_3g\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"Watching a video in full screen in One UI 8 via Samsung DeX\"  alt=\"Watching a video in full screen in One UI 8 via Samsung DeX\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Watching-a-video-in-full-screen-in-One-UI-8-via-Samsung-DeX.jpg\"\/>Watching a full screen video in the new DeX in One UI 8<\/p>\n<p>As far as we can tell, the only proprietary DeX components that remain are its touchpad, wallpaper settings, S Pen integration, and wireless display connectivity. Fortunately, the new version of DeX retains most of the basic functionality of the classic experience, so most people should be satisfied with it.<\/p>\n<p>While Samsung might add some classic features back in future updates, there\u2019s no guarantee. One thing is certain, however: Samsung won\u2019t be returning to its old DeX implementation. However, assuming Google commits to its desktop Android plans, the future for the new version of DeX looks bright.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Got a tip? Talk to us!<\/strong>\u00a0Email our staff at <a class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/one-ui-8-classic-dex-3580755\/mailto:news@androidauthority.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"mailto:tips@androidauthority.com\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" aria-haspopup=\"menu\" target=\"_blank\">news@androidauthority.com<\/a>. You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it&#8217;s your choice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority TL;DR Samsung killed its \u201cclassic\u201d DeX in One UI 8, replacing it with&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":89585,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[611,2161,59758,158,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-89584","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-mobile","9":"tag-samsung","10":"tag-samsung-dex","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114910227915855917","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89584"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89584\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}