Windows Subsystem for Android Archives

Winsage

November 14, 2025

A fan project called Windows Astria resurrects Windows Phone from Microsoft’s graveyard, showing off what the OS could have been while reminding us why it still inspires tech nostalgia today

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reflected on the company's exit from the mobile phone market, describing it as one of his most difficult decisions and expressing a sense of missed opportunity. Former CEO Steve Ballmer noted that a mix of "paranoia and confidence" may have limited Microsoft's ability to succeed in the smartphone market. The decline of Windows Phone was attributed to a weak app ecosystem, which the new concept, Windows Astria, aims to improve by running Android apps natively. Windows Astria incorporates elements from Windows 11 and features like Live Tiles, designed for modern screens. The concept also adapts to larger screens and foldable devices, showcasing potential applications like MS Word and a system-integrated Wallet app.

BetaBeacon

November 13, 2025

Valve cracks the door on Steam to Android games

Valve's Steam has 35+ million concurrent users, making it the largest PC gaming storefront in terms of active engagement. Android games will run natively on Valve's new Steam Frame, which runs on an Arm-based Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 platform. Developers can reuse their existing toolchain when bringing Android games to Steam, but will need to integrate Steamworks features. Valve's broader Arm ambitions include paving the way for SteamOS to be more broadly supported across Arm devices. By embracing Android games, Valve is breaking down platform walls to benefit developers and players, potentially making it one of Steam's most important platform expansions in years.

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

Windows 11 ends Android app support: practical workarounds

Microsoft has discontinued the Windows Subsystem for Android and its integration with the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 due to low demand. Users can no longer use an official Microsoft method to install general Android apps. The primary alternatives are Google Play Games on PC, which focuses on gaming, and third-party emulators like BlueStacks, LDPlayer, and GameLoop for a broader range of applications. To use Google Play Games, users need a PC with at least 8 GB RAM, a modern quad-core processor, hardware-accelerated graphics, SSD storage with 10 GB free, and hardware virtualization enabled. Users must enable virtualization in their UEFI or BIOS settings and activate the Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform in Windows. Emulators allow users to run full Android apps on Windows. They can download apps from the Google Play Store within the emulator or sideload APK files. Users should be cautious about security risks when sideloading apps and stick to reputable sources. Performance tuning for emulators involves allocating sufficient resources, resolving virtualization conflicts, and optimizing settings like resolution and frame rate. Users are advised to install on SSDs and minimize background tasks for better performance.

AppWizard

October 13, 2025

I ditched Android emulators for this open-source app, and I can’t imagine ever going back

The integration of Android applications into desktop environments is increasingly popular due to their superior functionality compared to desktop versions. Applications like WhatsApp and Google Maps demonstrate enhanced usability on Android, with features such as flexible window resizing and better multitasking capabilities. Waydroid is an open-source project that allows Android apps to run on Linux systems without the performance issues associated with traditional emulators. It utilizes Linux namespaces and shares the host OS's kernel for near-native performance. Users can customize their experience by choosing builds with or without Google apps, and once installed, Android apps integrate into the PC's application menu. Waydroid offers smooth performance and the ability to run multiple apps simultaneously, although it has some limitations, such as restricted hardware access and notification issues. Despite these drawbacks, Waydroid presents a viable solution for users looking to combine Android and desktop computing.

Winsage

September 25, 2025

Google and Qualcomm are prepping ‘desktop’ Android to enable ‘mobile and PC’ in one device, but should Windows and x86 be afraid?

Qualcomm and Google announced a collaboration at the Snapdragon Summit 2025 to develop a desktop version of Google's Android operating system, traditionally used on smartphones. The initiative aims to create a device powered by an Arm chip, moving away from the x86 architecture prevalent in PCs. This development aligns with Google's plan to base ChromeOS on Android, allowing Android apps to run natively on laptops and desktops. The anticipated benefits of the new device include affordability, exceptional battery life due to Arm CPUs, and a seamless web browsing experience. However, challenges remain for the gaming sector, as evidenced by Valve's decision to stop plans for Steam on Chromebooks. The collaboration may indicate a significant shift towards Arm architecture in the PC market.

Winsage

June 24, 2025

Microsoft removed this feature from Windows, and it’s time to bring it back

Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) was introduced during the Windows 10 era to allow users to run Android applications on their PCs but was removed in Windows 11. Despite Microsoft's withdrawal, there remains a strong demand for Android app capabilities on Windows, as evidenced by the popularity of platforms like Bluestacks and Google's Google Play Games app for Windows. The initial implementation of WSA faced criticism due to poor execution and limited geographic availability, which hindered user access. Users had to navigate through the Microsoft Store to install the Amazon Appstore, complicating the process. The partnership with Amazon restricted the range of available applications, leading to user frustration, as many popular apps required Google services. Performance issues also affected WSA, with users facing resource consumption trade-offs. Microsoft's adjustments to allow some Android services to run in the background were a step forward, but the initial setup could have been more efficient. The discontinuation of WSA left many users puzzled, and there is hope for its reintroduction with improvements in the future.

BetaBeacon

March 25, 2025

How to play Android games on your PC

Google Play Games for Windows allows users to play hundreds of Android games on a Windows PC running Windows 10 or later, as long as the computer has a solid state drive (SSD) as its boot drive and Virtualization support enabled in the BIOS settings. The app offers keyboard and mouse support for all games on the list.

AppWizard

February 25, 2025

Windows is about to lose support for Android apps

Microsoft announced the discontinuation of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), effective March 5, which will result in the loss of access to installed Android apps. To ensure user security until the closure, Microsoft released a final set of security updates for WSA. Users seeking to continue using Android applications on Windows can consider third-party solutions, such as the Bluestacks emulator.

AppWizard

February 24, 2025

One Play Store rival fewer: Amazon shutters its Android app store

Amazon will close its app store for Android devices on August 20, after which users will not be able to access the platform or guarantee the functionality of previously downloaded apps. The app store will remain operational for devices running on Fire OS, such as Fire TV and Fire tablets. Additionally, Amazon's Appstore will be removed from the Microsoft Store on March 5, coinciding with the discontinuation of support for the Windows Subsystem for Android. Users are advised to cancel app subscriptions and seek alternatives like Google's Play Store and others. Amazon Coins will also be discontinued on August 20, but users can use existing Coins until then, with refunds for any unused Coins to be provided later.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Amazon to Discontinue Amazon Coins and Amazon Appstore on Android

Amazon will cease the availability of Amazon Coins on February 20, 2025, and the Amazon Appstore on Android devices will be discontinued on August 20, 2025. Customers must use any remaining Amazon Coins by that date, as unspent balances will be refunded afterward. The Appstore will still be available on Fire TV and Fire Tablet devices. Additionally, the Appstore will not be downloadable from the Microsoft store on Windows 11 devices starting March 6, 2024. Amazon Web Services will stop accepting new customers for Amazon Chime on February 19, 2025, with full support until February 20, 2026. The social commerce feature, Inspire, integrated into the Amazon shopping app in 2022, will also be discontinued.