Windows Substation for Android (WSA) makes it possible to run Android apps on Windows 11 PC. This was first introduced in collaboration with Amazon AppStore which you can download from Microsoft Store. In the beginning, it was not working great when compared to other PlayStations like BlueStack, Nox, LDPlayer, etc.
However, it does improve and Android apps now run much faster on Windows 11 PC. Having Android applications running on Windows enhances the overall experience. This lets users have their most-used apps on their computers and get the notifications instantly even when working.
Note: WSA is officially available only for users residing in USA or Japan. In case you want to experience Android apps on your PC using WSA, you need to join the Release Preview Channel and change your location to the United States.
Android Apps Run faster on Windows 11
As stated earlier, if you do reside in US or Japan, you may easily download Amazon AppStore from Microsoft Store. Once you have the Amazon AppStore running on your Windows PC, you may download and install several useful and productive apps. If you love playing Android games, Windows provides a better and big interface to try your skills.
WSA works on the same principle as that of third-party PlayStations. However, this time you are using a native platform and so the interactions must be smooth and easy. The virtual machine that Microsoft uses is of Android Open Source Project (AOSP), so it doesn’t require any direct support from Google. AOSP allows Android to run on any platform with access to Google services.
Microsoft has also partnered with Intel for Bridge Technology. Intel provides a runtime post-compiler to test android apps running on x86 hardware. Though the testing is done only on Intel Processors, it runs equally well on both AMD as well as ARM devices.
Which Android Apps you may run smoothly on Windows 11?
There are so many apps that have improved functionality-wise, however, we have picked and discussed the most important ones.
1] Telegram
Telegram is the widely used Android app worldwide when it comes to downloading media or even chatting with friends. Recently, Microsoft rolls in WSA version 2208.40000.4.0 to improve the performance, reliability, and security of Android apps.
2] WhatsApp
With the latest developments in WSA, users may now initiate video chat along with Audio chat with their friends directly from the WhatsApp Desktop Client.
Microsoft has worked upon and addressed a known issue that causes delays in opening Android apps on Windows. Upgrade to the latest version of Windows Subsystem for Android, and you will find android apps opening pretty fast.
Latest Bug Fixes & Improvements on WSA
The tech company has worked upon and addressed the following issues on WSA –
- Supports Chromium WebView 104.
- Resolves compatibility shims and scrolling issues on different apps.
- Users now have better controls UX for game dialog.
- You may now find better gamepad integration even while running multiple apps.
- Improves network connectivity while playing android games online.
- Provides reliability fixes for App Not Responding (ANR) errors.
- Resolves video playback issue for apps, improvements to Linux kernel.
- Uninstalling android apps on Windows 11 takes a few seconds only.
- Addresses a known issue that crashes WSA when copying and pasting extremely large content.
- Adds general graphics improvements to WSA so that you can feel the objects while playing games. In fact, you may even notice FPS improvements if you play games on your Windows 11 PC.
After you download and install the WSA update on your computer, you may switch back to your local region.
Known Issues and Areas that still require improvements
There’s no doubt that Microsoft is constantly improving the smoother interactions between Windows and Android. Yet, there are areas that still require improvement and there are some pre-existing issues as well. In fact, this is not the first time Microsoft has tried bridging the gap between Windows and Android OS.
So, this whole bridging process might take some time but rest assured as the work is still in progress and you might get a stable version in the upcoming months.