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The Windows 11 Android app dream is dead

By Arif Bacchus March 5, 2024

Android App running on a Windows 11 PC — Microsoft

Microsoft first brought over the option to run Android apps natively in Windows 11 in 2021, but the dream is coming to an end after just a few years. Today, the company quietly updated its documentation for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to indicate that it will be ending support for the feature on March 5, 2025. Amazon has also published updated guidance for the same issue about its Amazon App Store on Windows 11, which powers the WSA.

What’s causing this change is unknown, as Microsoft did not dive into specific details. Left to speculate, we can assume it’s due to either lack of use or licensing issues, but until we hear more, it’s left ambiguous.

At any rate, Microsoft says that the Amazon App Store and all games and applications that use the WSA will no longer be supported starting March 5, 2025, exactly a year from today. Until then, Microsoft will continue to provide technical support on the issue, but after that, you’ll no longer find the Amazon App Store in the Microsoft Store.

If you’ve installed any apps from the Amazon App Store before March 5, 2024, you’ll still be able to access the apps before March 5, 2025, though some apps might not work right. According to Amazon, developers won’t need to take action during the wind-down period, though new app submissions will not be supported soon. And, even though the Amazon App Store on Windows 11 will no longer be supported, it’ll still be available on other devices, like Amazon’s own Fire devices and Android tablets.

A screenshot of Android apps running in Windows 11 — Microsoft

It’s not uncommon for Microsoft to depreciate and remove Windows features, but the news might be rough for Windows enthusiasts. Many people have used the WSA to side-load Android apps and turn devices like the Surface Pro 9 into better tablets. Instead of the WSA, other options can be used, though it’s not as easy. Some options come 2025 will be Blue Stacks. If you own a compatible Android phone, you can stream Android apps to your PC using Microsoft’s Phone Link app.

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Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

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