: Why do mobile websites not offer an option to view the desktop version? More sites now seem to have a mobile version and a desktop version of their website. When I'm on my phone, I'm redirected

@Kaufman445

I'd rather have the information I need from a working desktop site
than try to get information from mobile sites that sometimes don't work properly or don't provide enough information.


You are saying, then, that the same information isn't available on both and that's not true for every site including all those I work on. I consider that a design and user interface error and nothing else. While you may need to do some additional tapping to get to the same information, if it's usable on a mobile device, then you can and should be able to access it.

But not everything you see on a desktop is usable on mobile and that should be the only reason to disable it on mobile. Notice, I didn't say hide it. Hiding something only causes confusion to those who know it exists.

Attempting to view the same information on mobile is different because mobile devices can't display information the same way. Giving you the desktop version, in all its glory, is wrong but, not giving access to the same information and tools, is also wrong.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Yeniel560

You can use the settings tab on your mobile phone to view the desktop version of any website.

More info on how to do it: www.techtip.org/desktop-version-of-websites/

Vote Up Vote Down

@Ogunnowo487

Why do mobile websites not offer an option to view the desktop version?


As @HelpingHands suggests, this would seem to be at the discretion of the site owner. There might not be a strong technical argument for not doing this, apart from if they don't know how to do it (see #3 below) or the site is responsive, in which case you're already on the desktop site!

Either:


They do not think they need to, or do not want to, link to the desktop site.
They forgot to link to the desktop site. (!)
They do not know how to link to the desktop site. If their redirection is purely based on the user agent, and they have no overriding logic, then this might not be trivial.
The site is responsive, so it's not possible to link between the two. The same information should be available, but that is not a given.


Most mobile browsers do provide the option to "request desktop site". Although this will not always work, depending on the type of mobile site/redirection. I think it just sends a desktop user agent?


I'd rather have the information I need from a working desktop site


Yes, I agree.

Vote Up Vote Down