Samsung Dex is a mode that transforms your mobile phone’s UI into a desktop-like experience. Currently, at least for older phones, the only way to activate the mode is to buy a USB-C to HDMI adapter and connect it to a display.
But what if you don’t have that adapter? Is still possible to use Samsung Dex on a laptop? As it turns out, it is, and I’ll show you how to do it below…
Can You Use Samsung Dex on a Laptop?
Yes. You can use Samsung Dex on a laptop (Windows 10 and MAC OS) but your phone needs to be compatible (S10 series or newer), connected via USB, and you need to download the Dex Mode for either Windows or Mac OS.
Unfortunately, the list of supported phones isn’t that large at the moment, and it’s mostly the new phones released in the last year or two. For example, Note 10, Note 20, S10, S20, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and others.
Slightly older models, such as the S9 should be compatible but you need to update your phone’s firmware. At the moment, the S8 series, and older models, are not supported.
Why Use Samsung Dex on a Laptop?
Lots of reasons, really.
1 – Phone Apps on a Bigger Screen
For one, it lets you use your phone on a bigger screen and in an environment that’s familiar to you. It creates Windows for apps just like most operating systems. No need to touch your phone! And that brings us to the next point…
2 – Use Your Laptop’s Mouse and Keyboard
But the best reason to use Samsung Dex on a laptop is you can use your laptop’s mouse and keyboard to interact with Samsung Dex. In other words, you don’t need any adapters, dongles, or Bluetooth devices. The mode uses the input devices that are already connected to your laptop. Very cool.
3 – Multi-Task Between Operating Systems
Any practical reasons to do this? Well, that depends. If you have to do work on both your phone and laptop, this setup is perfect because you can switch between the two in seconds.
For example, chat on apps that are only available on your phone, and whatnot. You could also attach a second monitor to your laptop and have Dex running from your phone on one of the screens, making multi-tasking much easier.
You can also use your phone’s normal screen with Dex on a bigger screen, so you can send messages from your phone while doing something else on it, at the same time.
There’s a lot of potential here. Maybe you just want to use your laptop’s keyboard to write something on your phone, either way, it’s super easy to do. Switching between operating systems is super easy and fast.
You can also run Windows programs on Dex with streaming services.
4 – Consider a Lapdock
Lapdocks are laptop shells that are completely powered by Dex. The best one on the market is HP Elite x3 lapdock but there are other ones coming out soon.
Can You Connect Samsung Dex to a Laptop Wirelessly?
Yes. To connect Samsung Dex to a laptop wirelessly you need a compatible phone (S20 and up) and a wireless adapter that supports Miracast. Windows 10 natively supports Miracast but you need the right hardware.
On laptops, it’s easier because Wifi is built-in, and they usually support Miracast, but on PCs where you don’t have a Wifi card, you’ll probably have to buy a USB Wifi adapter…
Check Amazon for USB Wi-Fi Adapters ->
(Miracast over ethernet is supposed to be supported, but it doesn’t seem to work at the moment. Miracast requires a direct Wifi connection, so if you’re on a PC, then you’ll need to buy a Wi-fi card or adapter to get this feature to work).
To connect Samsung Dex to a laptop wirelessly follow these steps:
- On Windows 10, type “Apps & Features” into the start menu
- Click on “Optional Features” and “Add Feature”
- Scroll down, find “Wireless Display” and click install
- Restart your PC
- Type “Projecting Settings” into the start menu, and double-check if Miracast is enabled
- Open your phone (Wireless dex is only available on a handful of new phones)
- Drag down the settings menu on your phone, locate “Samung Dex”
- It should search for wireless displays and find your laptop
- Hit start, and it should open Dex on your laptop
The downside to wireless Samsung Dex is it’s still prone to issues, and while you’re supposed to be able to use your laptop’s mouse and keyboard, a lot of people have a hard time getting them to work. There are also input delays, graphical issues, and other problems, that are known to occur over Wifi networks.
But for simple tasks like, showing people photos from your phone, it works really well. It only works on the latest Samsung phones though.
Conclusion:
Samsung Dex is a very underrated mode, and if you have a Samsung phone that is compatible, you should definitely take advantage of Dex. You can do a lot of cool things with it, including playing games, and it can also improve your office productivity.
So that’s how you get Samsung Dex to work on a laptop! Thanks for taking the time to read this article, drop a comment if you have any questions.
