The Google Pixel 8 series supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode, also known as DP Alt Mode. This support means the phones’ USB-C port can transfer DisplayPort signals. They can broadcast video to an external device through a USB-C connection.
This feature of the Google Pixel 8 was confirmed by Mishaal Rahman. With the help of a tester, Mishaal shared a video of the Pixel 8 Pro successfully displaying video through a USB-C port to a connected display. But there’s a catch. Currently, you can’t get video output through the USB-C port without tweaking the devices.
How to Get Display Output Over the USB-C Port of Google Pixel 8 Devices
At the current stage, Google hasn’t enabled the DP Alt Mode at the software level. But it’s enabled on the hardware level, which means the phones require some tinkering to get the feature up and running.
According to Mishaal Rahman, the process involves rooting the Pixel 8 device and making some changes to the configurations. But it’s important to note that the process only works with the right combinations of external display and USB-C cables.
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The testers who were able to get video output from the Pixel 8 devices used a USB-C to USB-C cable with support for DisplayPort. Also, you should consider a couple of things before rooting the device. First, rooting voids the warranty of your phone, which means no direct support from Google for anything that goes wrong through the period.
Second, rooting Android phones makes them more vulnerable to hackers and malware. Last but not least, it’s not easy to root Android devices. One wrong move can leave your Google Pixel 8 bricked. You can follow this post by Mishaal Rahman for guidance.
That said, as it’s now confirmed that the hardware of Google Pixel 8 has support for DisplayPort functionality, Google may soon release an OTA update. Perhaps it’s currently working on perfecting the feature, which is why the DisplayPort isn’t officially available for the devices now. So, it’s better to wait than to root your device to get the feature.
