Microsoft Rolls out Android Apps Support on Windows 11 for Beta Channel Insiders

Oct. 21, 2021

Although Microsoftstarted rolling outits next-gen desktop OS,Windows 11, to the public earlier this month, it did not enable some of the promised features at launch. Amongst others, support for Android apps on Windows 11 is one such feature that was not available at launch. But now, Microsoft has started rolling out Windows Subsystem for Android toInsiders in the Beta channel, starting from today. However, there are some things you should know before trying out Android apps on your Windows 11 PC.

The Redmond giant announced the rollout viaan official blog postrecently. Although the feature is currently live for Insiders in the Beta channel, users will require some additional system requirements to actually run the Android apps on their system.

For starters, beta testers would require a system with at least 8GB of RAM, an SSD storage drive, and an 8th-gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3000-series, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c processor or higher. Furthermore, users will need toset the region of their PC to the United Statesand allow access to the Amazon Appstore. Plus, they will also need a US-based Amazon account to access the Appstore.

After complying with the above requirements, users will also need to have virtualization enabled from their system’s BIOS/ UEFI. So, after the requirements are fulfilled, users candownload the Windows subsystem for Android from the Microsoft Store(visit link) to see the Amazon Appstore show up in theWindows 11 Start menu.

Now, once the Amazon Appstore has been installed, beta testers will be able to access the available Android apps on the marketplace and download them on their Windows 11 systems. Currently, there areonly 50 Android apps available on the Amazon Appstorethat include the Kindle app, the Washington Post, Lords Mobile, Clash of Kings, Comixology, and other educational apps for children. However, Microsoft will add more apps for users in the following months.

So, if you are a Windows Insider in the Beta channel and have the necessary hardware components to run the Android apps, you can try them out on your Windows 11 PC right now. Also, let us know about your experience of running Android apps on your Windows machine in the comments below.

A geek at heart, you’ll find me fidgeting with an iOS device or sitting in front of the laptop, scouring the internet to find interesting technological innovations. In my free time, you’d find me playing Valorant or listening to Pink Floyd.