• Microsoft will remove support for the Windows Subsystem for Android and Amazon Appstore on Windows 11.
  • The support is set to end on March 5, 2025, but in the meantime, you can continue accessing the apps.
  • You still have some alternatives to access Android apps and games from your Windows computer.

WSA is retiring on Windows 11

The original idea was to bridge the gap between Windows and Android apps, but after several years of trying, the feature didn’t gain popularity among users or developers.

Andrew Clinick , a Microsoft ex-employee who has worked closely for the Windows Subsystem for Android team, unveiled that because the platform didn’t have an app store, it didn’t make financial sense to the company.

Also, the ex-employee mentioned something similar to what I’ve been saying, which is the lack of core Google apps (such as Gmail, Maps, and others) because they require Google Play Store services, which in part prevented WSA from gaining popularity.

Apparently, Microsoft even asked Google, and when the company “walked away, the nails were in the coffin,” explained Clinick.

Android apps and games moving forward

If you have been using the Windows Subsystem for Android on your computer, you still have a few choices to continue accessing the Android apps on Windows 11. For example, you can use the Google Play Game app that brings Android games to Windows 11 and 10 for gaming.

Also, if you want to access those apps from Google and other companies, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and games, you can use solutions like BlueStacks . This particular option uses virtualization to run Android on top of Windows to access the apps and games.

Update March 7, 2024: This guide has been updated to include more details about why the company discontinued the platform.