Android apps are finally available for you to ignore on Windows 11
On the road leading to its launch, one of the most hyped features of Windows 11 wasits ability to run Android apps. Unfortunately,the mode wasn’t quite ready in time for Microsoft to release the OS, and as a result, it got redirected to the Windows Insider beta program. Last month,the company revealed that the long-awaited Android app support would finally arrive in Februaryalong with a host of other enhancements. Now we’re ready to move on from beta testing to widespread availability, as Windows 11 introduces the Amazon Appstore Preview.
Microsoft announcedearlier today that over 1,000 apps and games are now available for Windows 11, courtesy of its partnership with the Amazon — that’s a huge improvement compared to the mere 50 apps supported in earlier testing. Users in the US will be able to try out the apps via the Amazon Appstore Preview if their systems meetthe hardware requirements— at least 8GB of RAM, an SSD, and a supported processor. Currently available apps include Amazon staples like Kindle and Audible, as well as some popular games and productivity tools — you can enjoy Subway Surfers on your desktop to your heart’s content.
To get started, update the Microsoft Store (by navigating to Library > Get updates), search for your favorite apps or games, and download them through the Amazon Appstore. The apps are intended to run and feel like a part of Windows, supporting standard input methods and window effects. The Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) thatpowers the Amazon Appstoreruns in a Hyper-V Virtual Machine and interprets Android API calls such that they can access the corresponding systems in Windows: memory buffers, graphic layers, sensors, and all the other parts of your computer.
While mainstream Android support is the part of this update we’re paying the most attention to, Microsoft also delivers a number of other new features. Notable additions include the ability to display Weather info on the Taskbar and Clock info on the Taskbar of external monitors, a button to mute and unmute the mic via the Taskbar during Teams calls, and updated Notepad and Media Player apps with new designs.
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