Link to Windows will replace Samsung DeX for Galaxy devices in One UI 7

Andrew Romero | Dec 2 2024 - 7:59 am PT

Samsung’s One UI 7 is coming up soon, and more than just on-device software changes, it will also bring a shift in support for certain applications. Samsung’s DeX feature will no longer be supported on Galaxy devices running One UI 7 while connected to Windows.

One UI 7 is not quite ready for primetime, but leaks have been cropping up that give users a pretty good idea at what the new OS based on Android 15 will bring. Some clues indicate that the software will debut a refreshed look, complete with new icons and a different layout for Quick Settings and notifications.

While much of it hasn’t been directly addressed by Samsung, there are some notations of the software on its website. One such mention lays out the part One UI 7 will play in Samsung DeX function. According to Samsung’s site, the DeX for PC Windows app will no longer be supported when One UI 7 rolls around (via Android Authority). Instead, the company is offering up Link to Windows as an official replacement for the tool.

Samsung’s DeX is essentially what Link to Windows was before it rolled out to more users. It was a way for Samsung users to access their files and apps through a Windows PC, all without interacting with the phone itself. Since Microsoft began working closely with Android to develop Link to Windows, the software has taken on what Samsung’s DeX could do for the average user.

One UI 7 is, according to Samsung, likely to come sometime early next year. That timeframe has been delayed significantly from the original release timeline. Whenever that One UI 7 release happens, the DeX Windows app will no longer be supported, though DeX capabilities will remain. That includes connecting peripherals to a Galaxy phone.