Deskbridge › Guides › Android apps on Mac
Run Android apps in their own Mac windows
With Deskbridge, any app on your Android phone — WhatsApp, Messages, your bank, a work app — can open in its own phone-sized Mac window, right next to your Mac apps. Press ⌥⌘O, type the app's name, and it opens. The app runs on your phone, not in an emulator, so your accounts and data stay where they are.
Why not just use DeX?
The DeX desktop on your Mac is great when you want your whole phone as a workspace. But often you want one app — WhatsApp beside your email, Messages beside a document — without a second desktop around it. App windows give each app its own window that you can move, resize, put in a Space or tile with your Mac apps.
How to open an app in a window
- Connect your phone (USB or Wi-Fi) with Deskbridge running.
- Choose Open App in Window… from the Deskbridge menu, or press ⌥⌘O.
- Type part of the app's name and press Return (or double-click it). The app opens in its own window.
- Next time, it's one click under Recent App Windows.
Clicking a phone notification on your Mac also opens that app in its own window — see notifications and calls on your Mac.
Automate it with macOS Shortcuts
Deskbridge understands a simple link, so you can open phone apps from Shortcuts, Raycast, Alfred, a keyboard launcher or a script:
deskbridge://open-app?pkg=com.whatsapp&name=WhatsApp
deskbridge://open-app?pkg=com.google.android.apps.messaging&name=MessagesIn Shortcuts, use the Open URLs action. The pkg is the app's Android package name (it's in the app's Play Store link after id=).
Phone apps vs. emulators vs. web apps
| Deskbridge app windows | Android emulator | Web version | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your real accounts and data | Yes — it's your phone | Sign in again | Sometimes |
| Every app on your phone | Yes | Many apps refuse emulators | Only apps with a web version |
| Uses Mac resources | Very little — just a video window | Heavy | A browser tab |
| Needs your phone nearby | Yes (USB or same Wi-Fi) | No | No |
Good to know
- Windows are sized like a phone and stay sharp; the Text Size setting applies here too.
- Your Mac's keyboard, trackpad and clipboard work in app windows. When DeX is open, phone audio stays with the DeX window.
- If your phone sleeps or locks, apps pause or hide — Secure Blackout keeps the phone screen dark without that problem, and ⌥⌘U unlocks it from your Mac.
FAQ
Can I run Android apps on my Mac?
Yes — the apps on your phone. Deskbridge opens any app from your connected Android phone in its own phone-sized Mac window. The app runs on the phone; the Mac shows it and sends your keyboard and trackpad.
Is this an Android emulator?
No. Nothing is installed or emulated on the Mac. Your real apps, accounts and data stay on your phone.
Can I open an app from macOS Shortcuts?
Yes. Open the URL deskbridge://open-app?pkg=com.whatsapp&name=WhatsApp (with the app's package name) from a Shortcut, Raycast, Alfred or a script.
Does it need Samsung DeX?
No. App windows don't use the DeX desktop — each app gets its own display. They work alongside DeX or without it.
Your phone's apps, one window each
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