---
title: "ExpandedSurfaceHosting, DroppyKit"
description: "Adopt to take the expanded shelf over with your own content."
canonical: "https://getdroppy.app/docs/droppykit/api/expanded-surface-hosting"
last-updated: "2026-09-09"
---

# ExpandedSurfaceHosting

Adopt to take the expanded shelf over with your own content.

`@MainActor protocol ExpandedSurfaceHosting : Droplet`

This is the discovery point: the host casts a loaded droplet to `ExpandedSurfaceHosting` and reads `expandedSurfaceProvider`.

```
public final class DictationDroplet: Droplet, ExpandedSurfaceHosting {
    public static let id: DropletID = "dictation"
    private var session: DictationSession?

    public func activate(host: DropletHost) throws { session = DictationSession(host: host) }
    public func deactivate() { session = nil }

    public var expandedSurfaceProvider: (any ExpandedSurfaceProviding)? { session }
}
```

A droplet that would rather implement the provider on itself returns `self`.

- Note: Maturity: Stable. This is how Droppy finds your provider. Requires the `expanded-surface` capability. See [Host support](https://getdroppy.app/docs/droppykit/host-support).

## Properties

### expandedSurfaceProvider

`@MainActor var expandedSurfaceProvider: (any ExpandedSurfaceProviding)? { get }`

The provider, or `nil` when the droplet currently offers no expanded surface. Read each time the droplet presents a surface, on every render pass of a presented one, and after each state change the droplet broadcasts while one is up (see [`ExpandedSurfaceProviding`](https://getdroppy.app/docs/droppykit/api/expanded-surface-providing)). Taking it away does not dismiss a presented surface; dismiss it first.