One of the biggest features of Windows 11 is its support for Android apps. However, the feature is still being tested. For now, the Windows Subsystem for Android is only available to Dev and Beta channel users in the United States. On top of that, only a handful of apps that are part of Amazon AppStore are available for beta testers. That means even if an Android app gets official Windows 11 support, you will still not be able to enjoy the freedom that Google Play Store users have, and that’s where sideloading comes in. If you have Windows 11 installed on your device and can’t wait to run Android apps on your PC, you can follow this guide to sideload any Android app on your Windows 11 PC.
Also Read: How To Install Windows 11 on Your Laptop or PC [Full-Guide]
How to Sideload Android Apps on Stable Windows 11
Here’s how you can sideload Android apps on any Windows 11-powered machine.
Install Windows Subsystem for Android
First, you need to install the Windows Subsystem for the Android component on your Windows 11 PC. All Windows 11 users will eventually be able to download the installer package from the Microsoft store. However, for now, we will rely on a third-party tool since the package is not available to stable Windows 11 users. To manually install Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11, here is what you need to do –
1. Go to the online link generator for Microsoft Store.
2. Select URL (link) and Slow in the first and second drop-down menu respectively.
3. Enter the following link in the text box and click on the tick button: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-subsystem-for-android/9p3395vx91nr
4. Look for Windows Subsystem for Android installer package. It will be above 1GB in size and will have a .msixbundle extension.
5. Right-click on the file. Choose Save link as in the drop-down menu and then select Save.
6. Go to Start. Enter Windows Powershell and select Run as administrator.
7. Enter the following command: Add-AppxPackage -Path “target location of the downloaded file” (with “”).
Once the installation is complete, you will see the Windows Subsystem for Android in the Start menu. The package also comes with the Amazon AppStore from where you can get a handful of Android apps for your Windows 11 PC. But like I said in the beginning, the list is short and you might not be able to install them if the Amazon AppStore is not available in your country.
Also Read: How to Download Windows 11 ISO File and Install From USB
Sideload Android Apps on Windows 11
To get past this hurdle, the best option is to sideload Android apps on Windows 11. Now, sideloading apps on Windows 11 is similar to how you would do it on an Android device – with the help of ADB and the APK file of the Android app. If this is your first time hearing about the ADB (Android Debug Bridge), download the minimal ADB setup from here. Now, back to sideloading Android apps on Windows 11, here is what you need to do –
1. Open the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings.
2. Scroll down and toggle on the Developer mode.
3. Copy the IP address. (If the IP address is not showing as unavailable, click on the redirect icon located beside the Files option at the top. This will force start the Android layer if it hasn’t already. Click on the Refresh button alongside the IP address option. You will now see the IP address)
4. Open the Command line from the Start.
5. Enter the following command: adb connect <the copied IP address>. To confirm that the connection has been established, enter adb devices and see if the device shows up under the List of devices attached.
6. Download the APK file of the Android app that you want to use on your PC.
7. Enter the following command: adb install <file location>. Alternatively, you can drag the file over the command prompt window to copy its path.
8. Press Enter. You will now see the app’s icon in the Start menu.
If you don’t want to deal with the command line to install Android apps, alternatively you can use a third-party app called “WSAInstall”. This application automates the process of installing Android apps given ADB is already installed on the device. If you want to install an APK – Open WSAInstall, locate the APK file and begin the installation process.
One thing to mind here is that the Windows Subsystem for Android is still under the beta stage, which means you will have to be prepared for occasional bugs and performance issues. Also, note that a lot of apps that rely on Google services might not work.
Also Read: How to Dual Boot Windows 11 on Your PC
