A method for presenting a virtual operating system user interface, comprising: detecting, using a hardware processor of a mobile device, one or more media receiving devices that are capable of presenting one or more virtual operating system user interfaces of the virtual operation system, wherein each of the one or more media receiving devices is operatively coupled to a display device; causing, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, a selectable notification to be presented on a display (116, 314) of the mobile device, wherein the selectable notification indicates that the one or more media receiving devices that are capable of presenting the one or more virtual operating system user interfaces of the virtual operating system have been detected; in response to receiving a selection of the selectable notification corresponding to a media receiving device of the one or more media receiving devices, generating, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, the virtual operating system user interface, wherein generating the virtual operating system user interface comprises: receiving, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, one or more properties of the display device associated with the media receiving device in which the virtual operating system user interface is to be presented; and selecting (504, 506) a plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface based on the one or more properties of the display device and based on application properties of the plurality of applications, wherein selecting the plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface comprises selecting applications based on application metadata indicating that the application includes instructions for formatting the application user interface for a device type corresponding to the display device, wherein the virtual operating system user interface includes user interface elements corresponding to at least one of the plurality of applications; and causing, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, the media receiving device to present the virtual operating system user interface on the display device. detecting, using a hardware processor of a mobile device, one or more media receiving devices that are capable of presenting one or more virtual operating system user interfaces of the virtual operation system, wherein each of the one or more media receiving devices is operatively coupled to a display device; causing, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, a selectable notification to be presented on a display (116, 314) of the mobile device, wherein the selectable notification indicates that the one or more media receiving devices that are capable of presenting the one or more virtual operating system user interfaces of the virtual operating system have been detected; in response to receiving a selection of the selectable notification corresponding to a media receiving device of the one or more media receiving devices, generating, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, the virtual operating system user interface, wherein generating the virtual operating system user interface comprises: receiving, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, one or more properties of the display device associated with the media receiving device in which the virtual operating system user interface is to be presented; and selecting (504, 506) a plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface based on the one or more properties of the display device and based on application properties of the plurality of applications, wherein selecting the plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface comprises selecting applications based on application metadata indicating that the application includes instructions for formatting the application user interface for a device type corresponding to the display device, wherein the virtual operating system user interface includes user interface elements corresponding to at least one of the plurality of applications; and receiving, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, one or more properties of the display device associated with the media receiving device in which the virtual operating system user interface is to be presented; and selecting (504, 506) a plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface based on the one or more properties of the display device and based on application properties of the plurality of applications, wherein selecting the plurality of applications to present in the virtual operating system user interface comprises selecting applications based on application metadata indicating that the application includes instructions for formatting the application user interface for a device type corresponding to the display device, wherein the virtual operating system user interface includes user interface elements corresponding to at least one of the plurality of applications; and causing, using the hardware processor of the mobile device, the media receiving device to present the virtual operating system user interface on the display device.