How to Install Android Apps on Windows 11?

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The ability to install Android apps on the latest version of Windows 11 is one of the most promising features that Microsoft promoted in 2022. The feature allows you to install every app on your phone directly on your desktop. The feature was enabled after Microsoft released Amazon’s Appstore update in February.

In this post, I’ll explain upgrading to Windows 11 and using Android apps in the new operating system.

What Is New in Windows 11?

Before jumping right to the section where I explain the detailed guide for “How to install android apps on windows 11”, let’s talk a little about the new features of Windows 11.

Microsoft released the Windows update in February this spring. The update offers many new features, such as the Amazon Appstore, where you can download Android apps, the Taskbar-integrated Widgets, Integration with Microsoft Teams, Easy task view and snaps assist, and a few updates on the media player and the notepad.     

Let’s take a quick look at each of the features!

Amazon Appstore

The Amazon Appstore is the new way to install your favorite Android applications on your PC. Your computer must possess specific requirements to gain access to the Amazon Appstore. With them, the app will be available for your PC.

The Amazon Store is an exciting feature that offers more than 1,000 different applications. The installation process will be explained further in the “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide.

Fresh and Slick Redesign

Windows 11 is an upgrade that mainly focuses on modern, simple, and fresh-looking UX. The primary goal is to simplify the usage, add new features and improve the old ones. Therefore, the slick design of the Taskbar is one of the most remarkable features that Windows 11 offers. The Taskbar has brand new system icons located in the center, as opposed to the icons of any previous Windows version that were left-aligned.

The centered layout feels promptly accessible and cleaner. When you click on any system icon, a little animation will play. There was an update to the Widgets section as well. In the latest version, all widgets are moved to the left part of the Taskbar, where the start menu used to be. The new gadget will present weather info, news, calendars, photos, etc.

A new interface is presented with the Start menu as well. The new Start menu now has a simple look of an app launcher. The new look features a grid of icons and allows you to pin and reorganize them. The updated Start Menu offers a search bar at the top and three rows of icons beneath it.

Microsoft Teams Integration

Microsoft Teams users can now fully enjoy their meetings with the full integration of the app within the latest Windows release.

Every time you are on a call, you can hover over an app icon on the Taskbar, and the app will present directly. Also, you can mute or unmute your microphone now from the Taskbar.

Also, Windows 11 presents the new Teams version that allows you to connect with your friends and family, not just coworkers. There is a serious attempt to develop a fabulous chat service, but it still needs to be rough on the edges.

Extra Multitasking Productivity

This is one area that the new version of Windows puts a pin at. There are a lot of significant improvements that can boost your productivity, such as Snap Assist.

Aside from dragging apps to any part of the display, you can hover over the button with the mouse and see all the available snap layouts. This great addition helps you get more organized and simplifies snapping many apps without moving your mouse to the edge.

The newest layout feature was designed with big screens in mind. Users can now snap grids for up to three applications in a row.

Microsoft has replaced the timeline feature with open applications and virtual desktops. They’ve been moved to the screen’s footer. The virtual desktops are very customizable and have options for renaming and choosing custom wallpapers.   

Guide: How to Upgrade to Windows 11

Microsoft provides three different ways to test out Windows 11: the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, the ability to make installation media, and a downloadable disk image. The Installation Assistant option is the best. Hence that’ll be the one I’ll be explaining.

Step 01: Check if Your Computer Meets the Requirements

The latest version of Windows will only be available if your computer has a Trusted Program Module 2.0 on the motherboard. To check this, you need to download the PC Health Check app. After you run the Health Checker, it will tell you whether your PC meets the basic requirements for Windows 11 installation.

Step 02: Download and Install Windows 11

To get Windows 11 and set it up properly, do as follows:

1. Open the official site of Microsoft and type in “Software Download.”
2. Choose the “Windows 11 Installation Assistant” option
3. Click “Download Now.”
4. Click on the “.exe” file that was downloaded and follow the instructions
5. Do not forget to accept the End User Licensing Agreement
6. Click “Accept and install”
7. Wait a couple of hours until the installation is finished
8. All your files will be in the same place after the installation.

Guide: How to Install Android Apps on Windows 11

Now that you know how to upgrade to Windows 11, it is time for the second part of this article which is the guide on “How to install android apps on windows 11”.

Step 01: Check if Your Computer Can Run Android Apps

The first step of our “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide is to ensure that your computer can run the Android apps. To do that, you need to check for some basic system requirements.

The requirements for installing Android apps on your device are the following:

• The minimum requirement for computer memory is 8 GB. (it is recommended RAM of 16GB)
• Your computer’s processor should be at least one of the following (or above): Intel Core i3 (8th gen), Ryzen 3000, or Qualcomm 8c
• Your computer should have an internal SSD (solid-state drive)
• The version of the Microsoft Store app must be at least 22110.1402.6.0 built.
• OS should be 22000.526 or some higher, more stable channel.

The following steps of the “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide require you to check if your computer has all of these requirements.

1. Type “Settings” into the start menu
2. Go to “System.”
3. Visit the “About” section by scrolling down and clicking it.
4. Under the section “Device specifications,” you will find the system specifications such as RAM, processor type, etc.
5. Scroll down to the “Windows specifications” section
6. Find the “OS build.” and check if the number is at least 22000.526 or higher
7. Go back to “System” and click on “Storage.”
8. Scroll down and select “Advanced storage settings.”
9. In this section, click on “Disks & volumes.”
10. Click on the main drive and check if the type is SSD
11. If the drive is HDD, you cannot install android apps on your PC
12. If the drive is SSD, continue with Step 02 of “How to install android apps on windows 11.”

Step 02: Check if Your Computer Needs Windows Updates

Supposing your computer has the requirements, you can go on with the second step of our guide. Before installing some Android apps on the computer, we must check for windows updates. Here are the steps to confirm:

1. Type “Settings” in the start menu
2. Click on “Windows Update.”
3. Find the button “Check for updates” and click on it
4. After a few seconds, your system will tell you whether you need to install some windows updates
5. If there are updates, install them so your system can be “Up to date.”
6. After updating your Windows, please restart the computer so it can finish applying the changes.
7. Continue with Step 03 of “How to install android apps on windows 11.”  

Step 03: Check if Your Computer Needs Microsoft Store Updates

 You still need to finish the updates! The third step of this “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide is to check for Microsoft store updates. The required version of the Microsoft Store app is 22110.1402.6.0. Here are the steps to verify that:

1. Type “Microsoft Store” in the start menu
2. Click on your profile in the upper right corner menu.
3. Select “App settings” from the drop-down menu
4. Under the “About this app” section, you will find the Version number.
5. Confirm whether the Microsoft version is 22110.1402.6.0 or another higher version.
6. If it is not, you need to update the store version.
7. You will find an option in the left bar menu that says “Library.”
8. Click on the “Library” button.
9. A button labeled “Get updates” is on the right side of the screen.
10. Click on the “Get updates” button.
11. After running the updates, you can restart your computer again. Once your computer restarts, continue with Step 04 of “How to install android apps on windows 11”.    

Step 04: Turn on the Virtualization Machine Platform

The fourth and crucial step of this “How to install android apps on windows 11″ guide is to turn on the virtualization platform. This step is one of the most complex and can differ for each device. There is some good news, though – in most machines that come with Windows 11, the option is automatically enabled.

Still, this may not be the case, and you might need to enable this feature on your own. This feature is essential; hence it helps level how your software and hardware work. If the following steps are not in correlation with your device, please look for specific details on your manufacturer’s website.

1. Launch Windows and then type “Turn Windows Features On Or Off” into the search bar.
2. Find the option that says “Virtual Machine Platform.”
3. Tick the box if it isn’t already turned on
4. Click “OK.” and restart your computer.
5. If you completed the first four steps, we could move on to Step 05 of “How to install android apps on windows 11,” which is the installation of the Amazon Appstore.

Step 05: Install the Amazon Appstore

The next step of this “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide is to install the Subsystem for Android.

1. Type “Microsoft Store” in the start menu
2. In the search bar, type “Amazon Appstore.” and click on it
3. Click the “Install” button
4. After the installation is through, you will need to install the Subsystem for Android
5. A pop-up window will show with an option for “Set up.”
6. Click on the “Set up” button
7. Click on the “Download” button when it appears
8. After the subsystem is installed, click on the “Next” button
9. The app will ask you to restart the computer, so click on the “Restart” button
10. After the computer is restarted, the Amazon Appstore will open automatically
11. If, by any chance, it does not open on its own, you can find it by typing “Amazon Appstore” in the start menu.
12. If you have an Amazon account, type in the username and password
13. The pop-up box allows you to establish an Amazon account if you don’t already have one.
14. Continue with Step 06 of “How to install android apps on windows 11.”  

Step 06: Install Android Apps

 Once you have installed the Amazon Appstore, you can proceed with the sixth and final step of the “How to install android apps on windows 11” guide, which is installing the android applications.

1. Type in “Amazon Appstore” in the start menu
2. Find the application of interest via the search bar.
3. Click on the “Get” button.
4. Click on the “Download” and then the “Install” button.
5. Once the application is downloaded, you can open it via the Amazon Appstore or access it directly via the start menu.
6. The Android Applications work in the same manner as the Microsoft Store App. You can use the keyboard and mouse to type, move and resize windows, and even exit the program with a simple click on the “Close” icon.

Which Applications Are Available on Windows 11?

As I mentioned earlier, the Amazon Appstore offers more than 1,000 applications. Some of them are Lego Duplo World, Kindle, Coin Master, June’s Journey, Khan Academy Kids, and Lords Mobile.

Still, there is a disadvantage. Because Amazon Store does not include Google services, some essential apps like YouTube or Gmail need to be added to the list.

You need to install Google Play Store to gain access to Google services. The installation process requires you to prepare the system and subsystems. You’ll need to uninstall the Windows subsystem for Android and turn on the Developer mode first.

Then you can install a modified version of the subsystem available on GitHub. You’ll have to do a series of steps to install PowerShell and then turn on the developer mode, enabling you to install the Google Play Store.  

Uninstalling and Removing Android Apps

Once you learn “How to install android apps on windows 11”, it is only natural that I tell you how you can uninstall it. You can remove any android app from your computer just as simply as you downloaded it. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Locate the program’s entry in the system’s start menu.
2. When it appears, right-click on it.
3. Click on the “Uninstall” button.
4. The application will uninstall shortly.
5. Any power user knows that deleting an app is not the final step. You need to delete the application from settings as well.
6. Here are the steps for deleting an app directly from the Settings panel:
7. Type “Settings.” in the start menu  
8. Select “Apps” from the left bar menu
9. Select the first option that says “Apps & features.”
10. Find the Android app in question and click on the three dots.
11. Select the “Uninstall” button

It is recommended that you restart your computer after every uninstall so that it can refresh the setting and remove any files remaining.

Uninstalling and Removing Windows Subsystem for Android

 You may want to go further and uninstall the whole subsystem for Android. The Amazon Appstore can be removed in the following ways:

1. Type “Settings.” in the start menu  
2. Select “Apps” from the left bar menu
3. Select the first option that says “Apps & features.”
4. Find the “Windows Subsystem for Android” in the App list.
5. Tap the ellipses (…).
6. Select the “Uninstall” button

It is recommended that you restart your computer after every uninstall so that it can refresh the setting and remove any files remaining.

Conclusion: Is Amazon Appstore Worth It?

After learning “How to install android apps on windows 11,” you may wonder, is it worth it? Although Amazon Store is good, it is not Google Play Store. Many applications are unavailable on the Amazon Store, which may cause you to question whether it was worth it.

The integrated subsystem for Android has its upsides; you don’t need to install any third parties or get through too much trouble downloading your favorite apps on your PC. The once long and exhausting process is now available with a few clicks. However, Windows 11’s new function has a few drawbacks that will be addressed soon.