Revisit whether it make sense for MobileFrontend to have a desktop toggle
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	Jdlrobson-WMF
	Sep 12 2025, 3:50 PM

Description

Background

With the removal of the mobile domain, the browser "use desktop view" feature now works. We should consider whether to remove the links from the footer as they conflict with its behaviour.

User story

As a user I want a consistent and reliable way to switch between desktop and mobile mode.

Requirements

Review data for footer link for "desktop" link post merge (link action_source: "switch_to_desktop") in the web_ui_clicks schema
If the data supports a lack of use, we can explore a transitional/user-education UX to support removing the footer links as a separate task per @RHo

BDD

For QA engineer to fill out

Test Steps

For QA engineer to fill out

Design

Add mockups and design requirements

Acceptance criteria

Add acceptance criteria

Communication criteria - does this need an announcement or discussion?

Add communication criteria

Rollback plan

What is the rollback plan in production for this task if something goes wrong?

This task was created by Version 1.2.0 of the Web team task template using phabulous

Related Objects

Mentioned In: T278004: Consider moving the "desktop version" button to the toolbar for accessibility
T407023: Inconsistent behavior when using desktop view on mobile device
Mentioned Here: T407023: Inconsistent behavior when using desktop view on mobile device

Event Timeline

Jdlrobson-WMF created this task.Sep 12 2025, 3:50 PM

Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald TranscriptSep 12 2025, 3:50 PM

RHo added a project: Wikimedia-Design.Sep 12 2025, 5:01 PM

Maintenance_bot added a project: Design.Sep 12 2025, 5:29 PM

Jdlrobson-WMF triaged this task as Low priority.Sep 12 2025, 6:46 PM

Jdlrobson-WMF moved this task from Incoming/Inbox to Backlog on the Reader Growth Team board.

Jdlrobson-WMF added a project: Readers Essential Work.

Jdlrobson-WMF moved this task from For triage to Simplify MobileFrontend on the Readers Essential Work board.

Jdlrobson-WMF edited projects, added Readers Essential Work (Simplify MobileFrontend); removed Readers Essential Work.

Izno subscribed.Sep 12 2025, 10:40 PM

CCiufo-WMF subscribed.Oct 14 2025, 8:49 PM

CCiufo-WMF mentioned this in T407023: Inconsistent behavior when using desktop view on mobile device.Oct 14 2025, 8:58 PM

I'm not sure if all the major browsers we support have a native "desktop mode" setting. If they don't and it is functionality we want to continue supporting for all users, is there a way to keep the footer links but have them behave consistently with the native browser behavior so that we don't end up with issues like T407023?

In T404454#11274457, @CCiufo-WMF wrote:

I'm not sure if all the major browsers we support have a native "desktop mode" setting.

Mobile versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari all support a native desktop mode button.

egardner moved this task from Backlog to Needs Refinement on the Reader Growth Team board.Dec 10 2025, 5:25 PM

Need some design review first-

HSwan-WMF moved this task from Needs Refinement to Ready on the Reader Growth Team board.Dec 10 2025, 5:48 PM

Jdlrobson-WMF mentioned this in T278004: Consider moving the "desktop version" button to the toolbar for accessibility.Dec 10 2025, 5:49 PM

Novem_Linguae subscribed.Dec 10 2025, 5:52 PM

Revisit whether it make sense for MobileFrontend to have a desktop toggleOpen, LowPublicActions