Though Microsoft eliminated Android app assist from Windows 11, there are nonetheless methods to run Android apps in your PC if you need. Here are the perfect methods to take action, whether or not you’re utilizing Windows 10 or Windows 11.What occurred to the Windows Subsystem for Android?When Microsoft unveiled Windows 11, certainly one of its massive options was assist for working Android apps with the “Windows Subsystem for Android.”That characteristic was delayed, and Microsoft ended up launching it quietly. You may set up the Amazon Appstore from the Microsoft Store on Windows, after which you could possibly set up Android apps from the Amazon Appstore in your Windows PC.But most Android apps aren’t out there on the Amazon Appstore — as an alternative, they’re on Google Play. Neither Microsoft nor Amazon actually spent a lot time pushing or promoting these Android apps.[Boost your Windows IQ with my free Windows Intelligence newsletter — three things to know and try every Friday and a free Windows Field Guide to start!]Hobbyists crammed the void with instruments that allow you to set up (or “sideload”) Android apps from elsewhere in APK type and methods to put in Google Play Services within the Windows Subsystem for Android so it may run extra purposes. (Many Android purposes count on Google’s software program and gained’t work correctly with out it.) These third-party builders primarily did the work Microsoft and Google refused to do to make the software program extra usable.This month, Microsoft quietly introduced it was eradicating the Windows Subsystem for Android from Windows 11. It wasn’t an enormous loss as a result of few individuals used it. And, whereas the software program labored properly, Microsoft by no means labored with Google to allow the type of full Google Play Store assist on Windows that Chromebooks supply. Android apps could have been a boon on Windows tablets, however Windows appears to be focusing on “tablets” lower than ever lately. In a world targeted on laptops and desktops, Android apps aren’t a prime precedence. Chris Hoffman, IDG
You can nonetheless use the Amazon Appstore when you’ve already downloaded it in your Windows 11 PC — however solely till March 2025.
The greatest solution to run Android apps on Windows: BlueStacks 5BlueStacks was the easiest way to run Android apps on PCs earlier than Microsoft launched Android app assist in Windows 11. Now, with Microsoft giving up on Android apps, BlueStacks continues to be the easiest way to run Android apps on Windows.BlueStacks offers you full entry to the Google Play Store, making it straightforward to put in Android apps. It’s additionally fully free, although it does have advertisements for cellular video games and related issues, and it runs on each Windows 11 and Windows 10. Those advertisements are a bit of annoying, however they’re the value you pay — did I point out it really works properly and is totally free?Generally, you may wish to set up and run BlueStacks 5. BlueStacks provides two variations: BlueStacks 5 is the normal utility that runs Android apps in your PC. BlueStacks 10 is completely completely different: It’s an app participant targeted on working demanding cellular video games “in the cloud.” If you wish to run a very demanding cellular sport on a lower-end PC, BlueStacks 10 is perhaps a greater wager. But, for broad Android app compatibility, go for BlueStacks 5. Chris Hoffman, IDG
BlueStacks comes with built-in entry to Google’s Play Store in just some clicks — no hacks needed.
BlueStacks 5 is easy to arrange — you possibly can set up it and launch “BlueStacks 5” out of your Start menu to start. In the BlueStacks app participant window, you possibly can click on or faucet “System Apps” after which choose “Play Store” to launch the Google Play Store. Sign in with a Google account and you may then set up and use Android apps on a window in your PC. While BlueStacks is easy to make use of, it’s a reasonably mature choice filled with highly effective choices. For instance, BlueStacks has a multi-instance characteristic so you possibly can run a number of Android apps without delay. Many competing related apps aren’t anyplace close to as polished.Other methods to run Android apps on WindowsWhile BlueStacksis the perfect answer for many these seeking to run some Android apps, there are different choices, together with:
Google Play Games: Google provides a beta model of Google Play Games for PCs. It’s designed for working cellular video games on Windows PCs and helps “over 100 games” as of March 2024, in response to Google’s web site. This could also be answer if you wish to play a particular cellular sport in your PC, nevertheless it’s not a solution to run any Android app.
Google’s Android Emulator: Google provides an official Android emulator constructed into its Android Studio software program. But this software program is meant for builders, it’s not as straightforward to arrange, and would not carry out in addition to BlueStacks in my expertise.
Other Android app gamers: There is quite a lot of different BlueStacks-style purposes for working Android apps in a window. Many don’t have the Google Play Store in-built, they won’t ship the identical degree of efficiency as BlueStacks, and so they do not have the lengthy historical past BlueStacks provides. I like to recommend staying with BlueStacks.
These options run Android apps in a participant window — the BlueStacks App Player window, for instance — moderately than working particular person apps in their very own app-specific home windows, like Windows 11’s built-in Android assist used to. This is unlucky, and that lack of taskbar integration is annoying, however there’s not an ideal reply for this.Use Phone Link to make use of Android apps in your PCThere’s one other answer, although. It entails utilizing an Android telephone — in case you have one. Basically, you possibly can run an Android app in your telephone and see it in your PC’s desktop, interacting with it utilizing your mouse, keyboard, and even your contact display, if it has one. But the heavy lifting is completed in your telephone.Windows 11 and Windows 10 have built-in assist for this. It’s out there within the Phone Link app — assuming you have got a appropriate telephone. It’s one of many many helpful options included in Phone Link. You should be utilizing a telephone that comes with “Link to Windows (pre-installed).” Microsoft provides a listing of telephones that include this software program, and it contains quite a lot of Samsung Galaxy telephones in addition to telephones from OnePlus, HONOR, Asus ROG, and different producers.However, it doesn’t embody Pixel telephones — I exploit a Google Pixel telephone, so I don’t have entry to this characteristic. (If there’s one theme right here, it’s that Google and Microsoft don’t appear to be cooperating a lot!)If your telephone does assist this characteristic, you simply must launch the Phone Link utility — on first launch, it’s going to information you thru a setup course of — and search for Apps within the Phone Link window. You may even pin an Android app to your taskbar or Start menu for straightforward entry.If you have got a telephone with out this software program built-in, you don’t have the identical degree of polish in your out there choices. There are instruments like AirDroid (display mirroring) and Vysor to run Android apps in your PC and see them in your desktop, however I’m undecided there’s an enormous demand for them.Chromebooks nonetheless have Android app assist, tooWith Microsoft axing assist for this characteristic, one factor is evident — if you need an working system with first-class, built-in assist for Android apps, ChromeOS could also be your greatest wager. Chromebooks have built-in assist for Android apps.But Windows stays highly effective and versatile, and even with Microsoft abandoning the Windows Subsystem for Android, there’s nonetheless quite a bit you are able to do with third-party software program.More importantly, Android apps are far more needed on Chromebooks as a result of ChromeOS isn’t appropriate with as many purposes. Between highly effective native purposes and high-quality internet apps, Android apps simply aren’t that vital on Windows. Maybe it might be completely different if Windows had succeeded on touch-first tablets. But that dream of touch-first tablets is within the rearview mirror.Now, Microsoft and the PC trade are all-in on AI PCs.Want much more sensible Windows data? Check out my free Windows Intelligence publication to get the perfect Windows suggestions in your inbox — and get a free Windows Field Guide only for subscribing.
Copyright © 2024 IDG Communications, Inc.