By Adam Smart, Ecokeys Support Engineer — Last updated 2 September 2026

Older Windows 11 guides often explain how to install Android apps through Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore. If that is what you are trying to do, there is an important change to know before following those instructions.

Microsoft retired the official Windows Subsystem for Android route in March 2025. The Amazon Appstore and Windows Subsystem for Android are no longer available from the Microsoft Store, so the original Windows 11 method described in many older tutorials is no longer a current option.

Android apps have not disappeared from the Windows experience completely. You can still access certain Android apps through a compatible phone, play supported Android games directly on a PC and, where necessary, use third-party Android emulation software.

What Happened to Android Apps on Windows 11?

When Windows 11 launched, one of its more unusual features was the ability to run selected Android applications using Windows Subsystem for Android, usually shortened to WSA.

WSA created an Android environment inside Windows. Microsoft connected this with the Amazon Appstore, allowing supported mobile applications to be downloaded and opened alongside normal Windows programs.

Android apps installed this way could appear in the Start menu, run in their own windows and interact with Windows much more like ordinary desktop applications.

That made sense when many early Windows 11 articles described Android integration as an important new feature.

This means you should not expect to find the Amazon Appstore installation option shown in older screenshots or tutorials when setting up a current Windows 11 PC.

What if WSA is already installed?

An older computer may still contain files or applications associated with Windows Subsystem for Android if it was configured before Microsoft retired the feature.

That does not make WSA the recommended route for a new setup. It should now be treated as a discontinued platform rather than a normal current Windows 11 feature.

For most users, moving to an actively supported alternative is more sensible than trying to maintain or rebuild an old WSA installation.

What Can You Use Instead?

The best replacement depends on what you are trying to achieve. There is no longer one Microsoft feature designed to install a broad catalogue of Android apps directly into Windows.

Option 1: Use Microsoft Phone Link

For compatible Android phones, Microsoft's Phone Link is one of the easiest ways to interact with mobile applications while sitting at a Windows PC.

The Android applications remain installed on your phone. Phone Link makes them accessible from Windows over the connection between the PC and Android device.

Depending on the phone and supported features, you can interact with apps using your computer's mouse, keyboard, trackpad, touchscreen or pen.

Supported Android apps can also be added as favourites and, on compatible setups, pinned to the Windows Start menu or taskbar.

When Phone Link makes sense

• You already have the Android application installed on your phone.
• You regularly work at a PC and do not want to keep switching between the PC and phone.
• Your phone supports Microsoft's Apps feature within Phone Link.
• You want convenient access rather than a completely separate Android installation on the PC.

Compatibility varies by Android device

Not every Android phone supports the same Phone Link features. Microsoft's more advanced app-streaming functions depend on compatible hardware, Android versions and the Link to Windows integration supplied on the phone.

Some compatible devices can open more than one Android app at once, while others have more limited functionality.

If you open Phone Link and do not see an Apps option, do not assume there is a fault with Windows 11. First check whether your particular Android device supports that feature.

Option 2: Use Google Play Games on PC for Android Games

If the reason you want Android on Windows is gaming, Google's official Google Play Games on PC application is a better place to start.

It allows compatible mobile games from Google Play to run on Windows computers and can provide PC-friendly keyboard and mouse support, improved graphics in supported games and synchronised progress when you use the same Google account.

Google Play Games on PC is available in the United Kingdom.

Current minimum PC requirements

You also need a Windows administrator account. Individual games can have additional requirements, and Google may classify titles differently depending on how well they work on Windows.

You may be asked to enable Windows Hypervisor Platform

During Google Play Games installation, Windows may ask to enable Windows Hypervisor Platform. The computer may need to restart before the change takes effect.

Hardware virtualisation may also need to be enabled in the computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware.

Option 3: Check for a Windows or Browser Version First

Before trying to recreate Android on your computer, check whether you actually need the mobile version of the application.

Many services that are popular on Android also provide a Windows application, a Microsoft Store version or a full web application that runs in Edge, Chrome, Firefox or another modern browser.

For services such as messaging, music, cloud storage, email, social media and productivity tools, the Windows or browser version can be better suited to a large display, keyboard and mouse.

It also avoids running an additional Android environment, which can consume memory, processor resources and storage.

Check these options in order

1. Look for an official Windows application from the software developer.
2. Check Microsoft Store for an official version.
3. Check whether the service provides a full browser-based version.
4. Use Phone Link if the Android version provides something the Windows or web version does not.
5. Only consider an emulator when the application genuinely requires Android.

This approach is often simpler than installing additional virtualisation software for an app that already works perfectly well in Windows.

Option 4: What About Android Emulators?

Third-party Android emulators still exist. These applications create a virtual Android environment on a Windows computer and can be useful for software that has no suitable Windows version.

However, an Android emulator is separate third-party software. It is not a built-in Windows 11 feature and it is not a replacement supplied or maintained by Microsoft for Windows Subsystem for Android.

EcoKeys does not recommend a particular third-party Android emulator because compatibility, advertising, privacy practices, system requirements and supported Android versions can change independently of Windows.

If the computer belongs to an employer or organisation, check its IT and security policies before installing an emulator or other virtualisation software.

Can You Install Android APK Files Directly in Windows 11?

Windows 11 does not currently provide a normal built-in feature that lets you double-click an Android APK file and install it in the same way as a Windows application.

You may find older guides explaining how to sideload APK packages through Windows Subsystem for Android. Those instructions belong to the discontinued WSA environment.

You may also find unofficial projects that attempt to modify, restore or redistribute components connected with Windows Subsystem for Android.

If an application matters enough to install on your main computer, use a supported Windows or browser version where possible or obtain any Android software through a trusted current platform.

Do You Need Windows 11 Pro to Run Android Apps?

No. Upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro does not restore Windows Subsystem for Android or bring back the Amazon Appstore.

The retirement of WSA applies to the platform itself rather than being a Home-versus-Pro limitation.

Likewise, Google Play Games on PC does not require Windows 11 Pro specifically. Its requirements are based on the supported Windows version and compatible PC hardware.

If you are comparing Windows editions for other reasons, our Windows 11 Home vs Pro guide explains the actual differences without treating Pro as automatically better.

Which Android-on-Windows Option Should You Use?

What Not to Do

Android support on Windows is an area where old tutorials can create unnecessary problems because search results may still contain instructions written while WSA was an active Windows feature.

• Do not follow an old guide simply because its screenshots still look similar to Windows 11.
• Do not download unofficial or modified WSA packages assuming they are supplied by Microsoft.
• Do not disable Windows Security because an unknown installer asks you to.
• Do not download cracked or modified APK files.
• Do not enter a Windows product key into an Android app or emulator.
• Do not buy Windows 11 Pro purely because you think Pro is required for Android support.

If a tutorial tells you to install the Amazon Appstore from Microsoft Store, check when it was written. That was the correct official method during the WSA era, but it no longer describes a current Windows 11 setup.

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