The main difference you’ll notice is that when you open an Android app, you’ll have to wait for the Windows Subsystem for Android to load first, which can be a little slow. They can also usually be resized at will, although you should keep in mind many Android apps are not optimized for use in landscape mode. You can generally use your mouse, keyboard, and/or touch input to interact with the apps. They will show up in your Start menu, and they can be pinned there or your taskbar as well. Other than a different aesthetic, Android apps pretty much behave like any regular Windows app. How do Android apps compare to Windows apps? The Amazon Appstore currently only offers about 1,000 apps and games - most of them rather basic - but more are being added all the time. You’ll see a curated selection of apps to choose from. Then simply search for ‘Amazon Appstore’ (that’s not a typo, it’s just Amazon’s edgy spelling) in your Start menu, open the app, and log in with (or create) your Amazon account. This will also install the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), the behind-the-scenes engine (powered by Intel Bridge technology) that allows all sorts of Android apps to run on Windows 11 relatively smoothly. Once that’s in order, simply head on over to the Microsoft Store, search for ‘ Amazon Appstore Preview ’ and install the software. If your hardware is compatible - most PCs that can run Windows 11 should be fine - then it’s just a matter of running Windows update to make sure you’re on the latest build of the OS and the Microsoft Store. The latest version of the Microsoft Store.An SSD Android apps aren’t compatible with old school hard drives for some reason.A minimum of an Intel Core i3 8th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3000, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c CPU.

First, let’s make sure your system is compatible. Luckily, setting up Android compatibility is easy-peasy - if you’re only planning on trying officially-approved apps, anyway. Here’s our guide to getting you set up with Android apps, whether you want to stick to the official method or you want to risk sideloading apps. There are some decent apps in the Microsoft Store, but there are simply way more Android apps to choose from.Īnd then - because nobody releases finished software these days - Microsoft announced the Android feature would arrive at a later date.įour months later and that highly anticipated update is finally here, albeit limited to US customers at the time of publication. In one fell swoop, Microsoft dramatically improved the utility of the oft-maligned Microsoft Store. By far the biggest surprise Microsoft had in store with Windows 11 - besides Windows 11 itself existing - was that the OS would be able to run Android apps, thanks to a partnership with Amazon.

Google play windows 11