More and more people are accessing the internet from their mobile devices. While many websites are optimized for mobile viewing, sometimes you may prefer to view the full desktop version of a website rather than the mobile version. Here are some tips on how to easily switch to the desktop site when browsing on your mobile device.
Why View the Desktop Version on Mobile?
There are a few key reasons why you may want to view the desktop version of a website on your phone or tablet:
- The desktop site may have more features and functionality than the mobile version
- You may find the desktop view easier to navigate and read
- The mobile site may be missing content that’s available on the desktop version
- The desktop site design may be preferable to the mobile layout
- You need to access desktop-only tools that aren’t available on mobile
For these reasons, it’s helpful to know how to easily switch to the full desktop site when needed.
Switching to Desktop View on Mobile Browsers
The easiest way to load the desktop version of a website on mobile is to change the browser settings. Here are the steps for some popular mobile browsers:
Google Chrome
- Open the Chrome app
- Go to the website you want to view
- Tap the 3 dots menu icon in the top right
- Select “Desktop site” in the menu
The desktop version of the site will now load. You can toggle this setting on and off.
Apple Safari
- Go to the website you want to view
- Tap the “AA” icon in the search bar
- Select “Request Desktop Website”
The desktop version will load. Tap the icon again to revert back to mobile view.
Mozilla Firefox
- Open the Firefox app
- Go to the website you want to view
- Tap the menu button in the top right
- Select “Desktop View” in the menu
The desktop site will now be displayed. You can toggle the desktop view on and off.
Microsoft Edge
- Open the Edge app
- Go to the website you want to view
- Tap the 3 dots menu icon in the bottom right
- Select “Desktop site” in the menu
This will enable desktop view. You can turn it off again in the same menu.
Using Desktop View in Mobile Apps
Some mobile apps also allow you to switch to desktop mode:
- Open the Facebook app
- Tap the 3 lines menu icon in the top right
- Scroll down and select “Desktop site”
The desktop Facebook site will load inside the app. Exit desktop mode from the same menu.
- Open the Twitter app
- Tap your profile icon in the top left
- Select “Settings and privacy”
- Toggle on “Use desktop version”
Twitter will now display in desktop view. Go back to settings to revert to mobile.
- Open the Reddit app
- Go to the site you want to view
- Tap the 3 dots menu icon in the top right
- Select “Request desktop site”
This will load the desktop version. Tap the menu again to return to mobile view.
Using User Agent Switchers
Another option is to use a user agent switcher. This is an extension or add-on that allows you to change the user agent your browser sends to websites.
By switching the user agent to a desktop browser, it will make the site think you are on a desktop computer and serve the desktop version of the site.
Some popular user agent switchers include:
- Desktop User Agent Switcher (Chrome)
- User-Agent Switcher for Chrome
- User-Agent Switcher and Manager (Firefox)
Install the extension, then set it to mimic a desktop browser like Chrome or Firefox on Windows or Mac. Refresh the site and it will now display the desktop version.
Accessing Desktop Sites from Mobile Google
You can also force Google search on mobile to take you directly to the desktop version of sites:
- Search on Google from your mobile browser
- Tap on the site you want to view
- Tap the downward arrow icon next to the URL
- Select “Desktop”
Google will open the desktop version of that site. Keep this in mind for accessing desktop-only content.
Using Mobile Emulators
One more advanced option is to use a mobile emulator on your computer. These tools emulate a mobile device, allowing you to access the mobile version of sites on a desktop for testing.
Some examples include:
- BrowserStack Mobile
- Mobizen Emulator
- Genymotion
- Android Studio Emulator
With these emulators, you can not only view the mobile versions of sites, but debug issues and test mobile usability.
Conclusion
Viewing desktop sites on mobile can provide a better browsing and reading experience in many cases. By using the built-in options in mobile browsers and apps, installing user agent switchers, or leveraging mobile emulators, you can easily access desktop versions of sites.
Keep these tips in mind next time you want to view the full desktop version of your favorite sites on the go.
