Android's Next Big Update Could Fix One Of Desktop Mode's Biggest Annoyances

Google looks to be set on improving Android's new desktop mode even more with the upcoming Android 16 QPR2 release. Based on information found in the latest beta for the QPR2, Google is adding a feature to desktop mode called "Universal cursor." When turned off, it will stop your mouse from moving between your displays, which could be handy if you often work on a larger display and find yourself accidentally moving to your phone's display.

QPR2 is essentially the second big quarterly update for the latest version of the Android operating system. And while many of the changes found in it are mostly heading to Pixel devices like the Pixel 10 Pro, Google usually brings these changes to the wider Android market later down the line. We're currently seeing this feature in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, according to Android Authority, and you can easily disable or enable it depending on how you use desktop mode.

While being able to swap to desktop mode and use your phone as a computer connected to an external display is handy, there's no denying that accidentally swiping over to your phone's tiny display when using another monitor can be very annoying and disorienting. That's why the introduction of Universal cursor is such a big deal — even if the setting itself sounds like a small upgrade.

To use Universal cursor, you'll need to visit Settings > Connected Devices > External displays and then select the toggle next to Universal cursor to disable it. The feature comes enabled by default. Disabling it will also turn off the ability to rearrange your displays, as you won't need to worry about that if you aren't moving your cursor between them.

Android's built-in desktop mode still has a long way to go before it can fully stand up to Samsung DeX, which is built into every Samsung phone now. It's also a good sign that Google is dedicated to improving desktop mode, and that it hasn't simply thrown the feature in just to appease long-standing Android fans. In the past we've also seen Google using its QPR updates as a way to upgrade Google Maps with new features, and even as a driving force for a new dark mode fix for Android 16.