find out how to simulate a mobile device in a pc browser. There are websites that offer more options and features when visited on mobile devices. When that happens, and you use a desktop browser, you get frustrated by the limited user experience you get.
Other times, you might want to try and see how a website looks on a particular mobile device like the iPhone, iPad, or a Pixel 2 smartphone.
Next, it is explained how to view (and test) a mobile site on a desktop PC:
⭐ NOTE: This guide covers Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer on Windows. Go to the section of the browser that interests you, to find the steps you need to follow. ⭐
In Google Chrome, load the mobile website you want to view. Then click or tap on the three vertical dots in the top right corner. They are the button for “Customize and control Google Chrome.”
In the menu that opens, choose More tools and then “Developer tools”. The development tools open. To achieve the same result, you can also press the keys CTRL + Shift + I on your keyboard.
Click or tap the button “Toggle device toolbar” (it’s a small button that looks like a smartphone and a tablet next to each other) or press CTRL + Shift + M on your keyboard.
This activates the device toolbar where the mobile page loads. By default, the device toolbar uses a template adaptable for the page you loaded.
Click on it and choose the mobile device you want to emulate: Samsung Galaxy S5, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, iPhone (from version 5 to iPhone X), iPad and iPad Pro.
The mobile page reloads as if you were using the smartphone or tablet you have chosen from the list. You don’t know you’re using a desktop computer.
When you’re done, press the button. X (Close) in the upper right corner of the Google Chrome developer tools to return to standard desktop browsing mode.
In Mozilla Firefox, open the mobile page you want to access as if you were using a mobile device. Then click or tap the hamburger button in the top right corner. Is named “Open menu”.
In the menu that opens, choose Web developer .
You see many options that are useful for developers. The one you are interested in is “Responsive design mode”. Click or tap on this option. This particular way of viewing a web page now loads in Firefox. The same result can be achieved by pressing CTRL + Shift + M on your keyboard.
The responsive design mode is enabled. In the center of the screen, you will see the parameters used by this mode.
If no device is selected, click or tap the dropdown list with available devices to emulate and choose the one you want to emulate: Samsung Galaxy S9, iPad, iPhone (from version 6 to iPhone X), Kindle Fire HDX, and So. The mobile page reloads as if it were loaded on the mobile device you selected for emulation.
When you’re done, press the button. X (Close Responsive Design Mode) to return to standard desktop browsing mode.
In Opera, load the mobile page you want to view as if you were using a mobile device. Then click on the Opera icon at the top left.
is the button “Customize and control Opera” . In the menu that opens, choose developer followed by developer tools .
The developer tools are displayed on the right side of the browser window. The same result can be achieved by pressing the CTRL + Shift + I keys on your keyboard.
Then click or tap the button “Toggle device toolbar” (it’s a small button that looks like a smartphone and a tablet next to each other) or press CTRL + Shift + M on your keyboard.
This activates the toolbar of the device where your web page is loaded. Click on it and choose the mobile device you want to emulate: Samsung Galaxy S5, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, iPhone (from version 5 to iPhone X), iPad and iPad Pro.
The mobile page is reloaded within Opera, using the features of the smartphone or tablet you have chosen from the list.
When you’re done, press the button. X (Close) in the upper right corner of the Opera developer tools to return to desktop navigation.
In Microsoft Edge, if you want to simulate a mobile device on a PC browser running this Microsoft operating system, load the site you want to view as if you were using a mobile device. Then click or tap the button “Settings and more” located in the upper right corner of the browser window. His icon looks like three dots.
If you’re using the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, go to “More tools” and then to “Tools for developers”. If you’re using Windows 10 April 2018 Update or earlier, choose F12 Developer Tools .
The development tools they open at the bottom of the browser window. You can achieve the same result by pressing F12 on your keyboard, no matter how old or new your Windows 10 is.
You will see several tabs on the development tools . If you see Emulation , click or tap on it. If it doesn’t, click or tap the down arrow, and from the menu that opens, choose Emulation .
Then click or tap the dropdown list Device . You can choose to emulate the following devices: Lumia 650, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, iPad, iPad Mini, Nexus 5, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.
When you’re done, press the button. X (Close) in the upper right corner of Microsoft Edge developer tools to return to desktop navigation.
To simulate a mobile device in a pc browser, in Internet Explorer, to the mobile page you want to see as if you were using a mobile device. Click the button Tools in the upper right corner or touch ALT + X on your keyboard. Then choose F12 Developer Tools .
The development tools are displayed at the bottom of Internet Explorer. The same result can be achieved by pressing F12 on your keyboard.
Click or tap the tab Emulation and then the dropdown Browser . Here you must select windows phone like your mobile device, and the web page reloads as if you were using a smartphone with windows phone .
Unfortunately, Internet Explorer doesn’t give you the option to emulate Android smartphones or iPhones and iPads.
When you’re done, press the button. X (Close) in the upper right corner of the developer tools to return to desktop navigation.
On which websites do you need to emulate a mobile device?
Now you know how to emulate all kinds of mobile devices in your favorite web browser. Before you close this tutorial, please let us know which websites you need to use this emulation feature. We are very curious. Is it the (in)famous Instagram or some other mobile site?
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