Screen sharing or screen mirroring apps available out there are not good. Although most of the dedicated options are only available for Windows/Mac, you may struggle to find an open source solution for Linux.
With such an app, you can share your screen with any device connected to your network.
If you have a multi-monitor setup, you know the advantages of having multiple monitors. And with Deskreen, you can turn any device into your secondary monitor, how exciting!
Deskreen: Turn any device into a secondary monitor for your Linux system
Descreen It is a free and open source application that allows you to use any device that has a web browser to use it as a secondary monitor for your computer.
It also supports multiple devices to connect if you want.
Deskreen is easy to use and works well when all of your devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Let’s take a look at the features and how they work.
Deskreen features
Deskreen features the essentials, which include:
- The ability to share the entire screen
- Choose a specific application window to stream
- Flip mode to use your screen as a remote control
- Supports multiple devices
- Advanced video quality settings
- Offers end-to-end encryption
- Minimum system requirements
- dark mode
You don’t have a long list of features here, but it should be enough for most users.
How to use Deskreen App?
Deskreen works in three simple steps, let me show you to get you started:
First, when you launch the app, it will display a QR code and IP address to help you connect other devices to your web browser to stream your screen.
You can search for anything you want to set up the connection with the help of your web browser on your secondary device.
Once you scan a QR code or enter an IP address into your browser’s address bar, you will receive a prompt on the Deskreen app to allow or deny the connection. Unless it’s something you don’t know about, go ahead and let it be.
Next, you will be asked to select what you want to broadcast (your entire screen or a specific application window):
You can choose to stream the entire screen or select the window you want to stream. However, not every application window may be detected.
In my quick test, I didn’t get the Rocket.Chat app window but it seemed to detect the Slack app window, the Deskscreen window, and the terminal as well.
You just have to select the source and confirm, that’s it. You should notice it streaming on your secondary screen (mobile/desktop).
This is how it will look when finished:
Deskreen also gives you the ability to manage connected devices. So, if you need to disconnect any or all of the session, you can do so from the settings.
Install Deskreen in Linux
You get a DEB package and an AppImage file for Linux machines. In case you didn’t know, go to our guides on installing DEB packages and using AppImage files to install them.
You can download it from file Official Website Or find out more about it GitHub page.
Concluding thoughts
Considering that it works using Wi-Fi, there is absolutely no problem with streaming. This is a great way to share your screen with someone else to watch or just stream it to a secondary device for any purpose.
Of course, it doesn’t replace the benefits of a second screen for your computer, but you may not need a second screen for some use cases.
Now, I would like to ask you something. What practical use case can you think of that could benefit from Deskreen here?