At the launch of Windows 11, Microsoft promised to offer a flexible and seamless commerce model and to introduce Android apps to its Store. This feature was supposed to come in a second time and it seems that we’ve arrived at the key moment. Indeed, the arrival of Android applications on Windows 11 is now effective for members of the Insiders program. For the moment only the US region seems to be concerned…But that’s often not an obstacle 😉 Concerning the possible hardware restrictions, the eligible devices are those running Intel, AMD and Qualcomm platforms. So in principle no more stress than for a Windows 11 upgrade (joke).
How will Android applications work on Windows 11?
At first, a new selection of applications and games that were not available on Windows before will appear. Insiders will be able to discover 50 applications that have been selected for Insiders to test and validate. New applications will be released in the coming months. For this step, Microsoft is partnering with Amazon and popular app developers to organize these 50 apps. Here are some examples of what you can try today:
- Mobile games: play some of the most popular mobile games like Lords Mobile, June’s Journey, Coin Master, and more.
- Reading: enjoy reading your favorite book with Kindle, or a series of digital comics with Comics on your Windows tablet and swipe pages with the ease of a finger.
- Content for kids: teach your child math, reading and writing with the award-winning Khan Academy Kids, or create new digital spaces with Lego Duplo World.
Using these apps on Windows 11 should feel familiar and effortless, at least that’s Microsoft’s promise. With the new Snap layouts, you’ll be able to run these apps side by side or pin them to the new Start menu or taskbar. These Android apps are also integrated into Alt + Tab and Task View to help you move between apps. Here are some explanations from today’s Microsoft release: You can see notifications from Android app notifications in the Maintenance Center or share your clipboard between a Windows app and an Android app. We built the experience with accessibility in mind; many Windows accessibility settings apply to Android apps and we’re working with Amazon to make more improvements.
