Samsung never shipped a DEX app for macOS. If you've searched for one, here's why it doesn't exist — and the way to get a real DEX window on your MacBook anyway.
Samsung DEX was designed around two paths: plug your phone into a monitor with a DEX dock or HDMI cable, or use the official DEX app — which Samsung only built for Windows. macOS was never officially supported, so searching the App Store or Samsung's site for a "DEX for Mac" app comes up empty.
That doesn't mean DEX can't run on a Mac — it means the display and input still have to come from somewhere. PhoneDesk handles that part: it connects to your phone over USB or Wi-Fi, starts the same DEX session your phone already supports, and puts it in a normal resizable window on macOS.
There's no separate hardware requirement on the Mac side. Since the Mac is just displaying and controlling a session your phone is already generating, any MacBook Air or MacBook Pro on macOS 13 or later works the same way. The DEX processing happens on the phone — the Mac just shows the window.
Full DEX window support, USB or wireless. No dock, no external monitor needed.
Identical setup and behavior to MacBook Air — DEX runs as a window either way.
The traditional way to use DEX is plugging into an external monitor — over a DEX-compatible USB-C cable, a dock, or a wireless DEX-capable display. If you're searching for which monitors support DEX, or a DEX USB-C adapter, that's solving the wrong problem if what you actually have is a Mac sitting right there.
PhoneDesk skips the monitor question entirely — your Mac's built-in screen (or any display already connected to it) becomes the DEX display. No compatibility checklist, no separate purchase, no cable spec to get right. If the monitor you were about to buy was going to sit next to a Mac anyway, this is the cheaper and faster path.
Confirm your phone supports DEX
Most recent Galaxy S and Galaxy Z phones do — check Settings for a "Samsung DEX" entry.
Enable Developer options
Settings → About phone → tap Build number seven times.
Turn on USB debugging
Settings → System → Developer options → enable USB debugging.
Install PhoneDesk and connect
Plug in over USB, or pair wirelessly with a QR code — no drivers needed on the Mac.
Click Desktop Mode from the menu bar
DEX opens as a resizable window. Resize, move, or run it fullscreen like any other app.
Real window, not a box
Resizable, native macOS window — not a phone screen crammed into a frame.
USB or wireless
Start on cable, switch to Wi-Fi with one click — or skip cables entirely.
Auto-updates
Signed, notarized, and kept current via Sparkle — no manual reinstalls.
$25 one-time, lifetime license
No subscription. 14-day no-questions refund.
No. Samsung DEX is built for Windows and for plugging into a monitor directly — there's no official Samsung DEX app for macOS. PhoneDesk fills that gap by driving your phone's existing DEX session into a native window on the Mac.
Yes, with PhoneDesk. Any MacBook Air on macOS 13 or later can run a DEX session in a window — there's no special hardware requirement on the Mac side since the Mac is just displaying and controlling the phone's own desktop session.
Yes — same as MacBook Air. PhoneDesk works identically across the MacBook line; DEX runs as a resizable window either way.
Most recent Galaxy S and Galaxy Z devices support DEX natively, including the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (confirmed working with PhoneDesk). Check Settings on your phone for a "DEX" entry to confirm support before buying.
No. That's the traditional way to use DEX — plug into a monitor with a dock or cable. PhoneDesk skips that entirely: DEX opens as a window on the Mac over USB or Wi-Fi, no dock required.
No. Screen mirroring just casts your phone's regular screen. DEX is Samsung's actual desktop interface — a taskbar, resizable app windows, and mouse/keyboard support. PhoneDesk drives that real DEX session, not a mirrored phone screen.