Through the past several years of Pixel phones, none have supported the ability to use the USB-C port to put anything on an external display. But with the latest Android 14 beta, Google has finally enabled display output on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Some previous Pixel smartphones have had the hardware needed for display output, but with it completely disabled. On the Pixel 8 series, Google left the functionality a little closer to being live, but plugging into an external monitor still did nothing.
That’s now changing, though, as Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 enables the ability to mirror the Pixel 8’s display to an external monitor over USB-C.
Android Authority confirmed that, without modification, Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro support connecting to an external display with this latest Android beta. When plugging into a display, the phone now pops-up a prompt asking if you’d like to “mirror to external display.” The connected monitor then shows your Pixel’s screen at the center of the display with the wallpaper extended to cover up the rest of the empty space.
This comes as Android is still building out “Desktop Mode,” which has been in the works for quite a while now.
As for whether or not this will end up launching with the final debut of Android 14 QPR3 later this year, that remains to be seen, but this is a big step for official display output support on Pixels.
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Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
