If you want to install and run Android applications on Windows, whether they are apps of all kinds or Android games, here we will show you how. It’s not as easy as one would expect since the announcement of Windows 11, but it can be done without any major issues.
Of course, if you have Windows 10 or earlier and want to install an Android application, we recommend you take a look at the guide to compatible android emulators for Windows.
If you reside in the US, it is possible to install Android apps on your PC natively. You can run Android apps on Windows 11 thanks to a collaboration between Microsoft and Amazon, and apps are downloaded from Amazon’s own app store.
The initial setup takes a while, as software must first be installed for Android apps to run natively on Windows. After that, installing Android apps on your PC will become a very easy process.
Note: As mentioned, installing Android apps on Windows 11 is only officially available for US users at the moment.
Use the Amazon App Store
How to Install Android Apps on Windows 11
1. Open the Microsoft Store by typing “Store” in the Start menu and clicking on it.
2. Now we look for “Amazon Appstore” and click when it appears, then “Install” to install the Amazon store.
3. After clicking Install, you will be prompted to install Windows Subsystem for Android, which is software that enables Android apps to run on your PC. Click the first two prompts (Setup; Download) to start the process and wait for it to download.
4. Once the software has finished downloading, click Next and you will be prompted to restart your PC. If you are ready, click Restart.
5. Once your PC has restarted, the Amazon Appstore should open automatically. Otherwise, we can see it and open it manually by locating it in the Start menu. Once open, sign in with your Amazon account details or create an Amazon account if you don’t already have one.
6. You will now be presented with the list of available apps while you can also browse the library using the bar at the top. Once you’ve found an app you want to install, select Get under the app tile, and then click Download.
7. Once your app is installed, you can open it by clicking the Open button under its Amazon Appstore entry or by locating it in the Start menu.
Over time, we expect Amazon to add more apps and games to its Windows App Store, as the choice is currently pretty slim. Meanwhile, the best Android apps remain the reserve of the Play Store.
Using the Mobile Link App – Link to Windows
And what if we have Windows 11 but we are not in the United States? or it is the case that we cannot install the App from the Amazon Appstore, we do not want to or we simply want to use some other method. Well our second option is the “mirror”, although for this we need an application and an Android phone.
Mobile link or Link to Windows (Google Play) is a Microsoft application that allows you to manage notifications from an Android smartphone on the PC screen, and emulate the entire interface of our phone on the computer. We must link both devices with a Windows account login and a QR code. Once this is done, you can see that a screen appears in the application that will show all the applications installed on your Android smartphone. By choosing one, you can control it from your Windows 11 PC. In addition to having access to your apps, Mobile Link allows you to access your photos, make and receive calls on your PC.