Microsoft is killing support for running Android apps on Windows 11
Users will no longer be able to install Android apps on Windows 11 starting next year.
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What you need to know
In a shocking move, Microsoft has announced that it is deprecating theWindows Subsystem for Android, a feature that allowedWindows 11users to run Android apps directly on their PCs. Tied to the Amazon Appstore, users have been able to browse and download Android apps since the launch of Windows 11 in 2021.
The death of the Windows Subsystem for Android wasannounced in a developer document:
“Microsoft is ending support for the Windows Subsystem for Android™️ (WSA). As a result, the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all applications and games dependent on WSA will no longer be supported beginningMarch 5, 2025. Until then, technical support will remain available to customers. Customers that have installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps prior to March 5, 2024, will continue to have access to those apps through the deprecation date of March 5, 2025.”
The company tells me that Android apps on Windows 11 will stop functioning after March 5, 2025. Users should migrate any data they may have in their Windows Subsystem for Android instance before that date to avoid losing any data. The company has already removed the ability to download new apps from the Microsoft Store.
It’s likely that Microsoft is killing the Windows Subsystem for Android because not enough people use it. There’s little use for Android apps on Windows, especially with the lack of Windows tablet hardware on the market these days.
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Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch onTwitterandThreads
