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Use virtual displays on iPhone, iPad, and Android

On a phone or tablet, Jump Desktop can create one virtual display on the remote computer, sized to fit your screen. Text and apps appear at a readable size, and the remote desktop follows your device when you rotate it. Use it to work on a large office monitor setup from an iPad, or to get a sharp, full-screen desktop on your phone.

Applies to

  • Jump Desktop on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
  • Fluid connections to Jump Desktop Connect 10 or later. See Requirements.
  • One virtual display on all plans.

Choose virtual or host displays on first connection

The first time you connect with Fluid to a computer that supports virtual displays, Jump Desktop asks Choose how to show your desktop:

  • Single Virtual Display (Recommended): one virtual display sized for your phone or tablet.
  • Host Displays: the remote computer's own displays, as they are.

Your choice is saved for that computer; closing the prompt without choosing keeps Host Displays. You can change it later from the Display menu.

To stop the prompt for other computers, turn on Don't ask again for other computers. On Android, you can also turn Ask About Display Type off or on in Settings (the gear button above your computer list).

Open the Display menu

During a Fluid session, tap the wrench button in the session toolbar, then Display. On iPad, Display is also in the menu bar.

During a Fluid session, tap the computer button (Display) in the session toolbar. If the toolbar is collapsed, tap the three-dot bar at the top of the screen first.

Under Presets, choose Single Virtual Display or Host Displays. Presets appears only when the remote computer supports virtual displays.

Set the resolution

Single Virtual Display matches your device. The Resolution options change how it's sized.

Option What it does
Match iPhone with Retina (Recommended) or Match iPad with Retina (Recommended) Matches your screen at full Retina sharpness.
Match iPhone or Match iPad Matches your screen at standard resolution.
Custom Resolution Opens Custom Resolution: enter Width and Height, or use the slider to pick a preset, set Desktop Scale, then tap Save.
Same as Remote Computer Keeps the remote computer's resolution. Available only with Host Displays.

To set this before you connect, touch and hold the computer, tap Edit, then tap display. Choose Single Virtual Display or Host Displays, and a resolution.

Option What it does
Match Phone or Match Tablet Matches your screen's full resolution.
Custom Resolution Enter Width and Height (each 320 to 16384), choose a Scale from 100% to 300%, then tap Save.
Same as Remote Computer Keeps the remote computer's resolution. Available only with Host Displays.

Android has no display settings on the computer's Edit screen. Change them from the Display menu.

With a match option, the virtual display follows your device when you rotate it or resize the Jump Desktop window, for example in Split View or split screen.

Refresh rate

The virtual display uses your device's refresh rate, and at least 60 Hz.

  • iPhone and iPad: the highest refresh rate of your screens, such as 120 Hz on a ProMotion display.
  • Android: the refresh rate your screen is using when you connect.

With Framerate (Frame Rate on Android) set to Auto, the session's frame rate follows the same refresh rate. See High refresh rates.

External displays

When you connect an external display, tap the external display button in the session toolbar, then turn on Use External Display. With Remote Screen Only also on, the match resolution follows the external display's selected resolution instead of your device's screen.

On iPad, Use External Display takes over the external display, so keep it off if you use Stage Manager.

Jump Desktop on Android also works with external displays.

When you disconnect

iPhone, iPad, and Android don't offer Keep After Disconnect. The virtual display is removed when you disconnect, unless a team administrator has set Persistent to Always Enabled.

Limitations