We all dream about being able to work from home some days and with a combination of your Android smartphone, alongside an ingenious app, it’s easier than ever to take your work with you, wherever you are.
You can Use Android as second Display for your PC, Through the Air Display app, users can extend their computer’s display directly onto their smartphone, while not losing out on any of the functionality that your desktop computer usually has over a smartphone.
It also acts as a good way to turn your phone into a personal computer, and when paired with both a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, users will soon be able to rely more on their smartphone for their everyday computer usage.
In this tutorial we’ll guide you through the process of both downloading and connecting your smartphone to your desktop wirelessly through Air Display. We’ll then look at some of the best uses for Air Display and the great ways it can improve the functionality of your smartphone while connected.
How to Use Android as second Display
Download the app
Download both the Air Display app from the Google Play store and also the necessary software from the Air Display website. The app supports both PC and Mac, so make sure you download the correct software or you’ll soon run into compatibility issues
Connect devices
A new icon should now appear on your desktop toolbar which will act as the gateway for the Air Display software. Press on the icon to bring up a separate menu, while also opening the app on your phone, and you should see your phone listed under connected devices.
Manage settings
The two devices will connect and your phone’s screen will automatically transform into a replica of your computer’s display. Once connected, make sure you go back to your desktop and edit the various settings in Air Display to make navigating on your phone easier.
Start browsing
You’ll want to first get used to the idea of having your desktop on your phone, so make sure to browse your device to get acquainted to the layout. Although most of your installed programs will work without issue, some may struggle with the altered resolution, so keep this in mind.
Manage documents
One of the main reasons you’ll want to extend your desktop to your phone is to manage and work on documents. You can easily load up documents, presentations and spreadsheets and edit them on your phone with all the changes you make saving on your desktop computer.
Start to stream
Another key reason to try out the Air Display software is that it enables you to watch content that can sometimes be restricted on your mobile, such as Flash content. It works with the likes of Play Music and plays Java and Flash-based games without any issues.
Control your desktop
Although it primarily works as an extension to your desktop, Air Display can also be used to remotely turn your laptop off, or put it to sleep. By doing this on your phone the laptop will power off and your phone will then revert back to its standard smartphone interface.
Staying up to date
One important thing to note is that some older versions of Android may be incompatible with certain firmware updates of the Air Display software. There are also compatibility issues with some handsets, so make sure to check out the Air Display website for details before purchasing.