Android 16 Improves Desktop Windowing on Tablets

Abdullah Mustapha

March 15, 2025

Tablets have large screens, making multitasking easier. However, Android has lacked proper support for running apps in resizable windows. Until recently, only manufacturer customizations allowed this feature. Last December, Google introduced desktop windowing for Android, letting users open multiple apps in freeform windows. But the feature had limitations. One major issue was the absence of a minimize button.

As reported by Androidauthority, With Android 16, Google is fixing this. Users can now minimize desktop windows, making multitasking smoother and more efficient.

How Desktop Windowing Works

When desktop windowing mode is enabled, each app gets a small handle at the top. Users can drag the handle to the center of the screen or tap it to open a menu. From there, they can switch the app to desktop windowing mode. Once an app is in windowed mode, a header bar appears. This bar shows the app’s icon, name, and control buttons. Earlier, it had options to maximize or close the window. However, there was no minimize option.

The Problem with the Initial Version

In Android 15 QPR1, users had no way to hide an app without closing it. To remove a window, they had to close it completely. This also shut down the app, causing potential data loss. For users juggling multiple apps, this made the experience frustrating.

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Android 16 Beta 3 Adds a Minimize Button

Android 16 Beta 3 introduces a minimize button in the window’s header bar. Tapping it hides the window but keeps the app running. Users can reopen it by tapping its icon in the taskbar. A small indicator below the icon shrinks when the app is minimized and enlarges when reopened. If all apps are minimized, Android exits desktop windowing mode while keeping the apps open in the background.

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More Improvements to Windowing

Google has also added new features to improve multitasking. Now, users can put apps like YouTube into picture-in-picture (PiP) mode. PiP was available before but wasn’t integrated with desktop windowing. Another update lets users drag a Chrome tab to open it in its own window. Google mentioned this feature earlier, but it wasn’t working at launch because of a disabled Chrome flag. Now, it’s fully functional, making web browsing more flexible.

Android’s Future as a Desktop OS

These updates help Android move closer to a desktop-class system. Google is working on a new “Desktop View” mode. If the company wants users to adopt it, it must keep adding useful windowing features.

With Android 16, Google is on the right path. The minimize button and improved window management make tablets more productive. If Google continues these improvements, Android could compete with traditional desktop operating systems.

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