Windows Subsystem for Android: Discontinued on 5 March 2025

Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) was a Microsoft component for Windows 11 that let the PC run Android apps from the Amazon Appstore. Microsoft discontinued it on 5 March 2025, so it no longer receives updates or support, and the Amazon Appstore for Windows was retired at the same time. The last version listed on this page is 2407.40000.4.0.

What was WSA?

WSA was a compatibility layer: a lightweight virtual machine with an Android system inside, tightly integrated with Windows 11. Android apps installed through the Amazon Appstore appeared in the Start menu, ran in their own windows next to Windows programs, used notifications and the clipboard, and could be pinned to the taskbar. For users it felt like a native feature rather than an emulator. Developers could also sideload APK files through a debugging connection, which made WSA a handy testing platform. The catalogue of the Amazon Appstore was much smaller than Google Play, and Google services were not included, so many popular apps were missing. Microsoft published documentation and an issue tracker on GitHub under the MIT License, and the documentation now lives in its previous versions archive.

What does discontinued mean in practice?

Since 5 March 2025, WSA and the Amazon Appstore are no longer available for new installations from the Microsoft Store, and Microsoft provides no security updates or fixes. Apps that relied on Amazon's store and account services may stop working. Microsoft's WSA documentation archive and the support article on mobile apps describe the end of support.

Can I still use an archived version?

An archived package may still be useful for research, app testing or studying how the subsystem worked. Be realistic: it gets no updates, sign-in to the Amazon Appstore and other online features may not work, and nothing guarantees that it installs or runs on current Windows builds. Use it on a test machine, not on a PC with important data.

What were the requirements?

WSA required Windows 11 on an x64 or ARM64 processor, the Virtual Machine Platform feature enabled, and 16 GB of RAM was recommended. The package itself is large, about 1.36 GB according to catalogue data.

How do I run Android apps on a PC now?

1. Check whether the service has a web version or a Windows app; many do.
2. Use an Android emulator such as BlueStacks or LDPlayer for games and apps.
3. Use phone mirroring tools to control apps on your real phone from the PC.
4. Developers can use the official Android Studio emulator for testing.

Did it cost anything?

No, WSA was free. Some apps in the Amazon Appstore were paid.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Android apps integrated into desktop windows and the Start menu.
• Pro: useful sideloading for developers.
• Con: discontinued, no updates.
• Con: small app catalogue without Google services.
• Con: high memory requirements.

What are the alternatives?

Android emulators on our site include BlueStacks, LDPlayer and NoxPlayer. To use your real phone from Windows, iMyFone MirrorTo mirrors the screen, and Samsung Flow connects Galaxy devices.