Skip to main content

How to install Android apps on Windows 11

Windows 11 supports Android apps through the Amazon App Store, which is one of the biggest differences between Microsoft's latest operating system and Windows 10. It's not as simple as downloading Android apps and using them, though. You need to know how to install Android apps on Windows 11.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Windows 11

  • Microsoft Store

  • the Amazon Appstore app

We're focusing on natively installing Android apps on Windows 11 here. You can still use Android apps on Windows 10 through emulation, but we recommend installing Windows 11 if you want to run Android apps through Windows.

How to install Android apps on Windows 11

For Android apps on Windows 11, you need the Amazon Appstore and the Windows Subsystem for Android. You should already have the Windows Subsystem for Android installed with Windows 11, but in case you don't, you can re-download it from the Microsoft Store.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Store by using the Windows + S keys and searching for "Microsoft Store."

Microsoft Store in Windows 11.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Search for "Amazon Appstore" and select the app.

Searching for Amazon Appstore app in Microsoft Store.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Click Install.

The Microsoft Store listing for Amazon Appstore.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: At this point, you may need to enable virtualization if you haven't already done it on your computer. Windows 11 can do this automatically, as well as set up the Windows Subsystem for Android if you don't have it installed.

If you see the prompt, select Set up > Download > Next > Restart, following the prompts from the Microsoft Store. You'll need to restart your computer.

Enabling virtualization in order to use Amazon Appstore.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Once your PC has fully restarted, the Windows Subsystem for Android should appear and then the Amazon Appstore app should open automatically afterward.

Amazon Appstore sign-in on Windows 11.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 6: Sign into your Amazon account (or create a new one), and start downloading Android apps on Windows!

The Amazon Appstore interface once logged in.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You're restricted to the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11, but there is still a long list of apps you can download and use, including TikTok and Comixology. If you want to know where to get started, make sure to read our guide on the best Android apps for Windows 11.

If you want to explore outside of the Amazon Appstore, you can sideload Android apps on Windows 11. These apps aren't officially supported, though, so proceed at your own risk.

Editors' Recommendations

Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
How to remove a login password on Windows 11
A padlock surrounded by keys.

Your password is your key to Windows 11, as it protects your files and your important information. There are some cases, however, where you might want to remove a login password in Windows.

One such case is when you’re sharing a PC with someone and don’t necessarily have anything that’s private on your system. Though we don’t recommend it, removing the password can also mean faster logins to your PC.

Read more
Surprise: Windows 11 is doing much better than we thought
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

What appears to have been a slow burn in OS adoption for Windows 11 might actually be a very promising transition to Microsoft's current system.

The Windows 11 operating system is now actively running on over 400 million devices and is on track to hit half a billion installs by early 2024, according to a report from Windows Central.

Read more
I love Macs. But here are 5 reasons I keep coming back to Windows
Windows 11 set up on a computer.

Thanks to the massive success of Apple Silicon, Macs have become increasingly tempting. Plenty of folks are heading back to the Mac for the first time in years, and in doing so, making the dramatic switch from Windows 11 to macOS.

When it comes to these operating systems, though, they're not equal across the board. And in the end, here are the five things that keep me coming back to Windows 11.
Device support

Read more