Earlier this morning, Microsoft opened the operating environment requirements of the Android subsystem to Windows 11 Beta Channel users. In addition, it also introduced a way to run Android applications in Windows 11 through the Amazon App Store.
Before You Begun:
- Make sure that your computer has joined the Windows Insider Beta channel and meets Microsoft’s minimum system requirements (Build 22000.xxx series builds).
- Install the latest updates from the Microsoft Store.
- Visit this link and install the Amazon App Store. Follow the instructions on the screen.
- Launch the Amazon App Store and install any Android apps listed.
- Find these applications in your “Start” menu and start them like normal Windows applications.
The most anticipated feature of Windows 11 is finally here. You can now run Android apps in Windows 11 through the Amazon App Store and Windows Subsystem for Android. onMSFT also brought a practical demonstration video. Click here to watch.
How to Run Android Apps in Windows 11:
- Meet the requirements
Firstly, you need to consider Microsoft’s requirements for running Android applications in Windows 11. These are very basic. In the current situation, you need to become a Windows Insider whose Windows 11 computer has joined the beta channel of the Windows Insider Program.
This means that your computer needs to meet the minimum system requirements of Windows 11. Other requirements are as follows:
- You may need to enable virtualization for the BIOS/UEFI of your PC.
- Make sure you are running Microsoft Store 22110.1402.6.0 or higher. You can check for updates to the store apps by entering the Microsoft Store and clicking the “Get Updates” button.
- Your computer region must be set to the US region.
- You also need to have an American Amazon account to use the Amazon App Store.
Microsoft noted that it previously opened the Android application in Windows 11 to beta channel insiders because the focus “has now released the first preview version of the Android subsystem on the Windows 11 version.”
If you’re a Windows Insider in the Dev Channel, you’ll need to reset your computer to get the beta version of Windows 11. The Android subsystem for dev will be launched in a future development process.
- Install the Amazon App Store
Once you’ve confirmed that you meet Microsoft’s requirements, you can install the Amazon App Store in Windows 11. To do this, search for it in the Windows 11 Microsoft Store. It should be visible. If not, please try to update your store version. You can click here to go directly to the Amazon App Store.
After installing the Amazon App Store, it will activate its settings. This setting will check your computer and install the Windows Subsystem for Android in the background. Let this process complete. This may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your computer.
- Start the Amazon App Store and Install the App
After installing Amazon App Store, you can now directly install Android App. Simply search the catalog available in the Amazon App Store, or find your app.
You can click on an application list, and then click the Install button to install it. The app will be downloaded and you will be able to launch it by entering the “Start” menu. Currently, there are 50 applications to choose from, but Microsoft says more applications are on the way.
Hands-on impression:
onMSFT stated that although the current application selection is not the best, the available applications perform very well. He tried the Kindle app and Subway Surf and used one of them in the background.
These applications are not locked or frozen, but note that the Windows Android subsystem takes up a lot of memory. Out of 16GB of available memory, it’s closer to 2GB.
However, given that Windows can handle and adjust the size and windows of these applications, the experience is still impressive, especially since it’s running in a virtual machine and analog conversion environment.
There is still room for improvement in the Windows Android subsystem, and we hope that the choice of applications could be better. We also expect to support sideloading of other Android apps outside of the Amazon App Store.
