How to Install Android Apps on Windows 11
Microsoft discontinued the official route in March 2025; here's what's still possible through the community.
First, an important update many guides still don't reflect: Microsoft officially discontinued the Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore on March 5, 2025. If you search for this on your own, you'll find many articles describing that old method as if it were still available — it no longer is for new installations.
What no longer works: installing the Amazon Appstore from the Microsoft Store to run Android apps officially with Microsoft support. That route is closed.
The current alternative: community-maintained version
Microsoft's original project is open source, and the community has kept maintaining it independently, available on GitHub ("Windows Subsystem for Android" — look for the active community-maintained repository). This is an unofficial route, with no Microsoft support.
Prerequisites: virtualisation turned on in the BIOS (checkable in Task Manager → Performance → CPU, it should say "Enabled"), and preferably an SSD for better performance.
Warning: being an unofficial, volunteer-maintained route, it can stop working after a Windows update with no warning, and it doesn't have the same security verification as an official Microsoft channel. Only download from the corresponding GitHub repository, never from third-party websites promising the same thing packaged differently.
A simpler alternative: using your phone directly
If you only need to use a specific Android app on your PC occasionally, phone screen mirroring tools (like Phone Link, already built into Windows) can cover the need without installing a whole subsystem.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find the Amazon Appstore in the Microsoft Store anymore?
Because Microsoft officially discontinued this integration on March 5, 2025. It's no longer available for new installations through the official channel.
Is there any way to install Android apps on Windows 11 now?
Yes, through community-maintained versions of the original project on GitHub, though it's an unofficial route with no Microsoft support, which can stop working with future updates.
Is it simpler to use Phone Link instead of a full subsystem?
To use specific phone apps without installing anything additional, yes — Phone Link comes built into Windows and lets you see and control your phone from your PC without a full Android subsystem.