Deskbridge › Guides › DeX for PC alternative
Samsung DeX for PC is discontinued — what replaced it
Samsung retired the DeX for PC app for Windows and macOS with One UI 7. On Windows, Samsung points you to Link to Windows; on a Mac there's no official replacement. But Galaxy phones on One UI 8 or later can still run the full DeX desktop on a virtual display — which tools like Deskbridge or the free scrcpy show in a window on your Mac.
What DeX for PC did
DeX for PC was a free desktop app. You plugged your Galaxy into a Windows PC or a Mac, and the phone's DeX desktop — resizable windows, a taskbar, your phone's apps — appeared in a window on the computer, controlled with its keyboard and mouse. For people who lived between a laptop and a phone, it was one of Samsung's best-kept secrets.
What changed
With One UI 7, Samsung removed support for DeX for PC. DeX itself didn't disappear: it still runs on external monitors and TVs (by cable or wirelessly), and on tablets. What went away was the ability to show DeX inside a computer's window.
Your options now
| Option | Mac | Windows | Gives you the DeX desktop in a window? |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeX on a monitor or TV | — | — | No — needs a separate screen |
| Samsung Link to Windows | No | Yes | No — phone apps and mirroring, not DeX |
| scrcpy (free, open source) | Yes | Yes | Yes, on One UI 8+ — Terminal required |
| Deskbridge | Yes | No | Yes, on One UI 8+ — one click, opens when you plug in |
Why One UI 8 brought DeX-in-a-window back
On One UI 8 and later, when Android creates a new virtual display, a Galaxy phone starts the full DeX desktop on it. A virtual display doesn't need any special Samsung software on the computer: it's a standard Android feature. So a tool that creates one and streams it to your Mac gets you real DeX again, with your Mac's keyboard, trackpad and speakers. We walk through both routes in How to use Samsung DeX on a Mac.
If you're on a Mac
Mac users lost the most: there's no Link to Windows equivalent. Your choices are the free scrcpy route (our tested scrcpy guide) or Deskbridge, which wraps that setup in a menu-bar app and adds what DeX for PC never had — a dark phone screen that doesn't freeze DeX, call and notification banners on your Mac, and Android apps in their own Mac windows.
If you're on Windows
Link to Windows is Samsung's supported path for using your phone's apps on a PC. If you specifically want the DeX desktop in a window, scrcpy with --new-display works on Windows too, as long as your phone has One UI 8 or later.
FAQ
Is Samsung DeX for PC discontinued?
Yes. Samsung retired the DeX for PC desktop app for Windows and macOS with One UI 7. Phones on One UI 7 and later no longer connect to it.
What replaced DeX for PC on Windows?
Samsung points Windows users to its Link to Windows integration for using phone apps on a PC, and DeX itself still works on external monitors and TVs. Neither gives you the old DeX-in-a-window experience on a laptop screen.
Is there an official DeX app for Mac now?
No. There is no official replacement on macOS. Galaxy phones on One UI 8 or later can run DeX on a virtual display, which third-party tools like Deskbridge or the free scrcpy show in a Mac window.
Can I keep using DeX for PC on an older phone?
Only if the phone stays on a One UI version that still supports it, which means skipping security updates. That isn't a good trade for most people.
Get DeX back on your Mac
Free for 3 days — plug in and see it work. Then $12, once.