[Tip] Here is How to Install and Run Android Apps in Windows 11

Original article posted on October 25, 2021:

This article will help you in learning how to install and run Google Android mobile apps and games in Windows 11 operating system.

When Microsoft announced about new Windows 11 operating system, the company mentioned that Windows 11 will come with native built-in support for Android apps which means Windows 11 users will be able to install and use Android apps, games just like other computer programs.

More Info: Windows 11: Everything You Need to Know About Next Version

But when Microsoft released Windows 11 to public, the Android apps support feature was missing. Microsoft told that the feature will be added to Windows 11 in future via Windows Updates.

Now the good news is that Microsoft has started testing Android apps support in Windows 11 and the testing builds of Windows 11 i.e. Insider Preview builds can be used to test drive Android apps.

Related: How to Install Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds in Your Computer?

With the help of this new feature, you’ll be able to download and install your favorite Android apps in Windows 11 just like you run those apps in your Android smartphone.

If you also want to install and access Android apps in Windows 11, following steps will help you:

Things to Know Before Installing Android Apps in Windows 11

Since Android apps support feature is under development and testing phase, there are some limitations as mentioned below:

• Android apps can be installed and run in Windows 11 Insider Preview builds only at the moment.
• You must be registered to Beta channel of Windows Insiders program as the feature is only available to Beta channel and not available for Dev channel.
• Your Windows 11 PC region must be set to U.S. as the feature currently supports US region only.
• Your device must meet Windows 11 hardware requirements.
• You’ll need to enable virtualization in your PC’s BIOS or UEFI settings.
• Make sure to update Microsoft Store to version 22110.1402.6.0 or higher.
• Since Android apps will be installed via Amazon Appstore, you will also need a U.S. based Amazon account to sign in and use the App Store.
• Android apps feature is in preview state, so you might face bugs and issues while installing and running Android apps such as crashing issues.

How to Install and Run Android Apps in Windows 11

Once your PC meets above mentioned requirements, you can go ahead and download Android apps in your Windows 11 machine with the help of following steps:

Windows 11 supports Android apps installation with the help of a new system component called “Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA)”. WSA framework includes the required Linux kernel and the Android OS based on Android Open Source Project (AOSP) version 11. It’s installed from Microsoft Store as part of the Amazon Appstore install. The Subsystem for Android runs in a Hyper-V Virtual Machine similar to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Windows Subsystem for Android powers the Amazon Appstore and its catalog which helps Windows 11 users in installing and running Android apps in Windows 11.

So first of all install Amazon Appstore in your Windows 11 device using Microsoft Store. Following is the direct link to download and install Amazon Appstore via Microsoft Store in Windows 11:

Install Amazon Appstore from Microsoft Store in Windows 11

Once you install Amazon Appstore, it’ll also install and add the required Windows Subsystem for Android silently in background and you will see its shortcut listed under Start Menu.

Using the shortcut, you can adjust specific settings for Android apps experience. The version number of Windows Subsystem for Android is 1.7.32815.0. It’ll be regularly updated through Microsoft Store automatically.

You’ll need to restart your PC and after reboot, Amazon Appstore will automatically launch or you can launch it from Start Menu.

That’s it. Now you can launch Amazon Appstore and install and run your favorite Android apps and games in your Windows 11 computer system.

Known Issues or Bugs in Android Apps Support Feature in Windows 11

There are some known issues acknowledged by Microsoft which you might face while installing and using Android apps in Windows 11.

• The Microsoft Store does not display review ratings for Amazon Appstore apps.
• Accessibility options are not yet enabled when using the Amazon Appstore.
• Network access issues on Cellular LTE on ARM64.
• May see display visual artifacts on certain applications on ARM64.
• Performance may vary when running multiple concurrent Apps.
• There are known camera issues on certain apps.
• Apps coming out of modern standby will encounter issues.

How to Uninstall and Remove Amazon Appstore, Windows Subsystem for Android and Installed Android Apps from Windows 11?

In future, if you decide to uninstall or remove Android apps support feature from Windows 11, you can do as following:

• Uninstall Amazon Appstore and it’ll remove Amazon Appstore, Windows Subsystem for Android and all installed Android apps from your device.
• Uninstall Windows Subsystem for Android and it’ll remove Amazon Appstore, Windows Subsystem for Android and all installed Android apps from your device.

If you only want to uninstall a downloaded Android app from your Windows 11 device, you can uninstall it from Settings – > Apps page or by right-clicking on the app shortcut. It’ll NOT uninstall Amazon Appstore or Windows Subsystem for Android.

Also Check:

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