25 Tips to Use Samsung DeX Like a Pro

Samsung DeX creates a PC-like experience on big screens like your smart TV where you can open multiple apps, drag, and drop between them, and do most things that you can do on your PC. It seems like a god-sent functionality for users who might not have their laptop handy. If you are new to the Samsung DeX, check out the best tips to use Samsung DeX like a pro.

1. Enable DeX from Quick Tiles

If you use DeX mode frequently, you don’t need to go to your phone Settings each time to enable it. Simply, swipe down twice from the top edge of your phone to open the Quick Panel. Then, look for the DeX tile. Tap on it to enable it and connect to the big display.

2. View and Change DeX Mode Settings

You might be wondering if there are any dedicated settings related to the DeX mode. Well, there are but those are slightly buried down.

1. Open the Settings app on the big screen in DeX mode.

2. Go to “Connected devices -> Samsung DeX.”

3. Scroll down and you will find different settings to customize the DeX mode.

4. Alternatively, go to “Settings” and scroll down to the bottom. Click on “Samsung DeX.”

3. Use Samsung Phone as Trackpad

You don’t necessarily need a separate mouse to control your DeX support. Your Samsung Phone turns into a touchpad when you enable DeX.

Just open the notification panel on your phone after enabling DeX. Tap on the “Use your phone as a touchpad.”

Note: double-tap on the touchpad is equivalent to right-clicking on a computer.

4. Open Touchpad Automatically on Phone

Generally, you will always have to tap on the Touchpad notification first in order to open it. But you can make the touchpad show automatically on your phone as soon as you enter the DeX setup.

1. Open the Settings app in DeX mode and go to “Connected devices → Samsung DeX.”

2. Scroll down and tap on “Mouse and trackpad.”

3. Enable the toggle next to “Show touchpad when DeX runs.”

Pro Tip: Use the touchpad scrolling direction option to change the down gesture scroll.

5. Change Touchpad Gestures

If you don’t like the existing touchpad gestures, you can change their behavior.

1. Go to “Settings -> Connected devices -> Samsung DeX -> Mouse and trackpad -> Touchpad gestures.”

2. Select the gesture that you want to customize and choose the desired action. For instance, you can tap with 3 fingers to go back.

Good to know: Check out a few tips that will help you use the Samsung keyboard on your phone at pro level.

6. Use Samsung Phone as a Keyboard

While having an external keyboard or mouse makes the DeX experience worthwhile, there are situations where you may not have access to them. Thankfully, just like the mouse, you can use your phone as a keyboard to type in DeX mode.

Open the DeX mode’s touchpad on your phone from the notification center as shown above. Then, open any app where you have to type something in the DeX setup. The keyboard will automatically open on your phone. Start typing.

7. Use Keyboard Shortcuts in DeX Mode

What’s a computer-like interface if you cannot use shortcuts? Thankfully, if you use a physical keyboard with the DeX setup, you can use keyboard shortcuts to control the DeX setup.

1. Go to “Settings -> General Management -> Physical keyboard -> Keyboard shortcuts.”

2. You will see the full list of DeX shortcuts.

8. Change Audio Output

When you are watching a video or playing music on the DeX mode, the DeX mode lets you choose the audio output. You can listen to the audio either through the TV or on your phone.

1. Click on the “Speaker” icon in the taskbar of the DeX mode followed by pressing the icon that looks like a double-arrow.

2. The Media output window will show up. Click on the device from which you want to hear the audio output.

9. Take a Partial Screenshot in Dex Mode

There’s no secret that you can take screenshots in DeX mode and they would be saved to your Samsung phone. But did you know that you can take partial screenshots as well? That means you can select the area whose screenshot you want to take instead of capturing the entire screen.

1. To take partial screenshots in DeX mode, right-click on the “Screenshot” icon in the DeX taskbar.
2. Select “Partial screenshot.

3. Then, select the desired area using your mouse or touchpad.

Tip: Make looking at your phone more appealing by customizing your Android lock screen to your liking.

10. Add an App to the Home Screen

If you use an app quite frequently, you can add it to the home screen of the DeX mode to access it quickly.

1. Click on the nine-dot icon at the bottom-left corner to open the Apps screen.

2. Right-click on the app and select “Add to home.”

11. Add Multiple Apps to Home Screen

To add multiple apps to the Home screen at once, follow these steps:

1. Right-click anywhere on the Apps screen and choose “Select.”

2. Tiny selection circles will show up beside each of the apps. Select the ones you want to move to the Home screen. Then, click on “Add to Home” at the top.

12. Add Files and Documents to DeX Home Screen

In addition to apps, you can add files like PDF documents, audio, etc., to the Home screen of DeX mode.

1. Open the My Files app in DeX mode.
2. Right-click on the folder or file whose shortcut you want to create and select “Add to Home screen” in the menu. Please note that you might have to scroll down in the menu to see the option.

13. Organize Apps with App Folders

Just like a regular phone, you can create app folders on the Apps or Home screen of the DeX mode. This helps in organizing similar app icons.

1. To create a folder on the Home screen, first, add the desired apps from the App screen to the Home screen as shown above.
2. Then, drag an app over another app to create a folder. Give a name to your folder. Once a folder is created, drag other apps to this folder.

3. To create app folders on the Apps screen, right-click anywhere on the apps screen and choose “Select” from the menu.

4. Then, select the apps and click on “Create folder.”

14. Sort Apps in Home and Apps Screen

If you don’t like the way the apps are arranged on the Home or Apps screen of the DeX setup, you can easily change it. The DeX mode lets you sort the installed apps in alphabetical order, according to their type, or in a way that you like using the custom order option.

Right-click on any empty space on your Home screen or in the Apps screen. Select “Sort by” from the menu and choose the desired sorting order.

15. Use Phone Layout for Apps

If you have arranged the apps in a custom order on your phone, you can have them displayed in the same layout on the DeX setup.

1. Open the Apps screen using the nine-dot icon at the bottom.

2. Click on the three-dot icon next to the search bar.

3. Select “Use phone layout for apps.”

Good to know: Need a secure place to store your sensitive files? Unlock Safe Folder on your Android device.

16. Hide Apps in DeX Setup

Don’t want an installed app from your phone to show up on the big screen? You can easily hide it in the DeX setup.

1. Open the Apps screen in DeX mode.
2. Click on the three-dot icon at the top.

3. Select “Hide apps” from the menu.

4. Click on the app that you want to hide and press “Done.” It will be added to the “Hidden apps” section on the left side. Please note that the app will be hidden only from the DeX mode and not on your phone.

Pro tip: Click on the red “-” (remove) icon on the app in the Hidden apps section to unhide it.

17. Pin Apps to Taskbar

Another way to access apps quickly from the Home screen in the DeX setup is by pinning them to the taskbar.

1. Open the desired app so that its icon shows up on the taskbar.
2. Then, right-click on the icon in the taskbar and select “Pin shortcut to taskbar.”

18. Auto Hide Taskbar

If the taskbar seems distracting in DeX mode, you can have it to auto-hide when you aren’t using it.

1. Right-click on the taskbar in the DeX mode and click on “Taskbar.”

2. Enable the toggle next to “Auto-hide taskbar.”

19. Turn off Extra Buttons on the Taskbar

Want to gain some extra space to show more apps on the taskbar? You can do that by turning off some taskbar icons that you don’t use. For instance, you can disable navigation buttons, and icons like Finder, Sounds, and Screen capture.

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select “Taskbar” from the menu.

2. Turn off the toggle next to items that you don’t want to see on the taskbar.

20. Maximize Windows Using Gesture

Typically, you need to click on the Maximize/Resize icon to change the size of a window that is open. But you can easily maximize or restore the window to its previous size by double-clicking on the window’s top area.

21. Change the Opacity of Windows

If you want to put a certain window on your DeX screen for a long time in a way that it’s not distracting, you can change its transparency.

Click on the icon that resembles a two-box icon at the top-right corner of a window and use the slider to adjust its opacity.

22. Zoom Screen

If you feel that the text and icons seem smaller in the DeX setup, you can easily zoom your screen.

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop of the DeX mode and select “Screen Zoom.”

2. Use the “+” and “–” buttons next to the “Screen zoom” slider to make items larger or smaller respectively.

23. Change the Wallpaper of the DeX Home Screen

You can use any photo from your gallery and set it as wallpaper on the home screen of the DeX setup. Interestingly, changing the wallpaper on the DeX mode will have no impact on the wallpaper of your phone.

1. To change the DeX mode wallpaper, right-click on the home screen of DeX mode and select “Wallpaper.”

2. Select “Gallery” and choose the desired wallpaper.

Pro Tip: Learn how to add a different wallpaper to each Android home screen.

24. Watch Streaming Content from Basic Plans on Big Screen

Some streaming apps have a basic pricing plan which doesn’t support bigger screens like TV or PC. It allows users to watch content only on phones.

But, interestingly, such apps do work in the DeX mode and you can watch content using the basic plan on your TV. The only thing that you need to do is resize the app by clicking on the Maximize icon for a normal horizontal experience.

25. Lock DeX Mode Temporarily

While using the DeX setup, you can leave the DeX mode temporarily without exiting the entire DeX setup. This will lock the setup and you will have to unlock it using your phone.

1. To lock DeX mode, click on the Apps icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
2. Click on “Lock DeX.”

Tip: Learn how to sign out of Netflix from one or all devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use Samsung DeX wirelessly?

Yes, you can easily connect your Samsung phone to a smart TV wirelessly, provided the TV is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Can you use Samsung DeX on other phones?

Samsung DeX can be used on flagship Samsung Galaxy phones only. You cannot install it on other Android phones or iPhones.

How much does it cost to use Samsung DeX?

Samsung DeX is a free service as such. However, associated data charges will apply based on the amount of data that the apps use while being in the DeX mode.

All screenshots by Mehvish Mushtaq