For macOS · Samsung DEX & Pixel

Samsung DEX and Pixel desktop mode, in a window on your Mac

PhoneDesk lives in your menu bar and drives your phone's real desktop mode — Samsung DEX or Pixel — as a window on your Mac. One click, USB or wireless, no cables required after setup.

Same app also turns your phone into a real second monitor for your Mac, and sends files and text from phone to Mac in one tap.

$25 one-time · lifetime license · 14-day refund

Gallery

What it actually looks like

Real windows, real menu bar — no mockups pretending to be the product.

Built to disappear into your workflow

No Dock icon, no launcher, no fuss — just a menu bar dropdown and a real window.

Real desktop mode, in a window

Drives Samsung DEX (confirmed on Galaxy Z Fold 6) and the Pixel 9 Pro's built-in desktop mode as a normal resizable macOS window — not a phone screen crammed into a box.

Your phone as a real second monitor

Flip the direction: PhoneDesk creates a real macOS display and streams it to your phone, which renders it as an actual arrangeable second monitor — drag windows onto it like any other screen. Works over USB or Wi-Fi.

Send files & text straight to your Mac

Share from any app, pick files in the companion app, or drag and drop onto its window — files land in Downloads and shared text lands on your clipboard. No cable-drag, no MTP mount.

Invisible virtual-display option

Prefer the phone screen to stay off during a session? The virtual-display variant runs desktop mode without lighting up the device.

USB or fully wireless

Start over USB, then switch to Wi-Fi with one click. Or skip cables entirely — pair wirelessly with a QR code or pairing code, straight from Android's own Wireless debugging screen.

Auto-discovered, zero config

Plug in any phone with USB debugging on and it just appears — name, resolution, and Wi-Fi port are detected automatically. Everything is still editable if you want to tune it.

One click from the menu bar

No Dock icon, no app switcher clutter. Desktop Mode, Mirror Screen, and Switch to Wi-Fi live in a lightweight menu bar dropdown, per device.

Auto-updates, signed & notarized

Ships through Sparkle so you always have the latest build. Signed and notarized by Apple — no Gatekeeper workarounds.

Setup

One-time setup, then one click forever

The same guided setup that shows the first time you open the app.

1

Enable Developer options

On the phone: Settings → About phone → tap Build number seven times.

2

Turn on USB debugging

Settings → System → Developer options → enable USB debugging.

3

Connect — cable or wireless

Plug in over USB, or pair wirelessly with a QR code. No drivers to install on the Mac.

4

Click Desktop Mode

One click from the menu bar. Your phone opens as a full desktop window, right there on your Mac.

See it in action

Watch the full setup, start to finish

A real walkthrough pairing a Galaxy Z Fold 6 and launching Desktop Mode as a window on the Mac.

Lifetime license
$25

One-time. No subscription, no trial gate.

  • Unlimited devices, one Mac
  • Desktop mode + invisible variant
  • Screen mirroring
  • Wireless & USB pairing
  • Auto-updates via Sparkle
  • 14-day refund, no questions
Actively developed

What's new

One purchase, updates for life — delivered automatically through the built-in updater.

What's new in 1.2.0

Jul 20, 2026

  • New: use your phone as a second monitor for your Mac — pick "Use as Second Display" and your phone becomes a real, arrangeable display you can drag windows onto
  • Works over USB or Wi-Fi, with a smooth full-motion picture and a pointer that keeps up
  • For the sharpest image, open System Settings → Displays, turn on "Show all resolutions", and pick the highest one for PhoneDesk Display
  • Now supports phones running Android 9 and later, so older handsets can be second screens too

Version history

1.1.1Jul 19, 2026
  • Clearer setup guidance for connecting your phone wirelessly
  • Licensing and reliability improvements
1.1.0Jul 18, 2026
  • New: PhoneDesk companion app for your phone — installs automatically when you connect, nothing to set up
  • Send files from phone to Mac: share from any app, pick files in the companion, or drag & drop them onto its window in desktop mode
  • Share links and text from your phone straight to your Mac's clipboard
  • Your phone now cleans up its desktop display instantly when you unplug the cable, reboot, or quit PhoneDesk
  • Session windows now show PhoneDesk (name and icon) in the menu bar and Dock, with your device's name in the title
1.0.2Jul 17, 2026
  • New app icon
  • Small fixes and polish
1.0.1Jul 17, 2026
  • Reliability fixes for wireless pairing and device removal
1.0.0Jul 17, 2026
  • Initial release: Android desktop mode on your Mac, over USB or Wi-Fi
  • Cable-free setup with pairing code or QR scan
  • Everything bundled — no Homebrew, no command line
  • One-time $25 license, activated offline

Questions

Does PhoneDesk work with Samsung DEX?

Yes — PhoneDesk drives Samsung DEX as a resizable window on your Mac, confirmed on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It's the same DEX session your phone already supports; PhoneDesk just puts it in a proper macOS window instead of requiring a separate monitor or dock.

Full Samsung DEX for Mac setup guide →

Which phones does PhoneDesk support?

Any Android phone with "desk-eligible" desktop mode built in — confirmed on Samsung DEX (Galaxy Z Fold 6) and the Pixel 9 Pro. Other phones with USB debugging enabled will still connect for screen mirroring even without native desktop mode.

Do I need to install anything else?

PhoneDesk bundles adb and scrcpy, so there's nothing extra to install on the Mac. USB debugging just needs to be turned on in the phone's Developer options.

Can I use my phone as a second monitor for my Mac?

Yes — pick "Use as Second Display" and PhoneDesk creates a real, arrangeable macOS display and streams it to your phone over USB or Wi-Fi. It shows up in Displays settings like any other monitor, and you can drag windows onto it.

Full second monitor setup guide →

How do I send files from my phone to my Mac?

Share from any app on your phone (PhoneDesk shows up as a "Send to Mac" share target), pick files in the companion app, or drag and drop them onto its window during a desktop session. Files land straight in your Mac's Downloads folder; shared text or links land on your clipboard.

Full file transfer guide →

What's the difference between Desktop Mode and the invisible variant?

Regular Desktop Mode shows a small overlay on the phone screen during the session — that's the trade-off Android requires for desk-eligible display. The invisible virtual-display variant skips that (needs one root device property flipped), so the phone screen stays off.

Does Wi-Fi mode survive a phone reboot?

No — Android drops the Wi-Fi adb connection on reboot, so you'll reconnect over USB once (or re-pair wirelessly) after restarting the phone.

Is this a subscription?

No. $25 once, yours for life, including future updates via the built-in auto-updater.

What if it's not for me?

14-day no-questions refund — request it yourself from the manage-order page, or reply to your license email.

Manage my order →