Windows 11 Android Apps Now Available To US Users

Microsoft is rolling out an update for mainstream Windows 11 users (those not on the Insider testing previews). The big new addition to the platform is the availability of Android apps in wide release. Until now, Microsoft has kept its Windows Subsystem from Android behind the Insider Program testing framework.

As promised last year when Microsoft introduced Windows 11, the platform will support Android apps.

When Microsoft initiallyannounced Windows 11 in June 2021, one of the big announcements wassupport for Android apps, the company’s latest effort to address the App Gap. However, when Windows 11 startedrolling out in October, Android apps were not includes.

While Microsoft was unable to release the feature alongside Windows 11, the company has been previewing Android app support. With the Subsystem now stable, Microsoft is rolling out Android apps to all Windows 11 users in the United States. Users in other regions are still waiting on the feature.

Availability
thanks to a collaboration between Microsoft and the Amazon App Store. While apps show up on the Microsoft Store, clicking them sends users to the Amazon App Store to download and install. During preview, only around 50 apps and games were available, but that number is expanding significantly on wide release.

In fact, Microsoft says there are now 1,000 apps and games available to download. Of course, that is nowhere near the hundreds of thousands of apps available on the Amazon App Store, or the millions available on the Google Play Store. It seems Microsoft will slowly expend availability to cover most eligible apps over time.

Just as Microsoft ups its game in terms of Android app support, Google sees a new market to expand into. As we reported in January, Google Play Games is now available on the Microsoft Store in select markets.

Tip of the day: Though many VPN providers have their own apps, you can in many cases connect to a VPN in Windows 10 without any third-party software. This is ideal if you have a self-hosted VPN or if you’re using a PC with restricted permissions. In our tutorial, we’re showing you how to connect to a VPN in Windows 10.