How To Run Android On Windows

Running Android apps inside Windows 11 is now but about every bit simple as running apps on your phone.

Microsoft and Amazon accept teamed up to make thousands of Amazon-curated Android apps and games available to run merely like stand up-alone programs in Windows 11.

In its current form, this feature is labeled as a preview, which grants a little leeway for crashes, bugs, and rough edges, should they pop up here and there. I've used it for a bit, and the potential is definitely there.

I do believe information technology'll get even better. And if y'all're looking for a more fully featured Android experience, and you're willing to put in a lilliputian bit of work to go information technology set up, stick effectually until the stop of this commodity—I'll tell you about another selection chosen BlueStacks.

Microsoft's solution is as like shooting fish in a barrel as it gets at the moment, though. Here's how to go started.

Fire up the Microsoft Store

You're going to need to open the Microsoft Store to then download the Amazon Appstore, which is slightly confusing—this whole process volition ideally go more streamlined over fourth dimension.

Open up the Microsoft Store by clicking the Start push button and searching for it. From there, search for "Android" or "Amazon" to find your way to Amazon Appstore.

Click through to the Amazon Appstore page and click Install.

Initial setup

The starting time time you launch the Amazon Appstore, you'll be prompted to do a one-time installation of some virtualization software. It's basically infusing some Android-y underpinnings into Windows so that it tin run Android apps reasonably gracefully.

Step through that procedure, and y'all'll be prompted to restart your computer. Once restarted, the Amazon Appstore should pop upwards, and yous'll find yourself face-to-face with a bunch of apps.

That's nigh it. In a minute or 2, you lot've readied your Windows 11 machine to run Android apps.

The actual experience

Now, this beingness a preview, things are still a bit sparse. On the apps forepart, you're basically presented with "Editor'south Picks" apps, kid-friendly stuff, and so a listing of all apps and games with no ability to filter or sort. There seems to be no rhyme or reason equally to how the complete list is ordered, either, and games seem to outnumber other types of apps by a lopsided amount.

The Editor's Picks consisted of a meager 23 apps for me, but hopefully that'll grow over time. There'south also a dedicated games department, which is slightly more than fleshed out but—over again—this does feel very much like a preview.

Every bit for the apps themselves, they open up in their ain windows, just like PC apps. However, they're not PC-optimized in any way.

The Washington Mail app, for case, loaded upwardly, welcomed me to its new tablet app, and so brash me that I tin pinch to zoom in on various stories. I oasis't figured out how to pinch with my mouse yet, but estimate I'll go along working on it.

All that said, information technology'south dead uncomplicated to set ,and seems similar it has some definite potential. Information technology just needs fourth dimension to bake a bit more.

Something a little more Android-y

For a more fully featured Android experience, I recommend a venerable free Android emulator called BlueStacks.

Setup is a bit more involved, just it'southward non rocket scientific discipline. You lot basically choose an Android device you want to mimic from a list of pop phones and tablets, and then have access to . . . well, Android. It's also available for Mac and earlier versions of Windows as well.

Whereas the Windows road lets you launch the Washington Post app into its ain window with a click, for instance, with BlueStacks, y'all're basically borer an icon on a virtual phone or tablet screen and viewing the app exactly how it would appear on an actual Android device.

It'south a minor distinction, only the Windows manner simply feels a bit more natural at the moment. Do keep in listen, though, that the BlueStacks route gives you far more apps and games—not but the ones that Amazon has rustled upward for its store.