Yes—but usually by using apps from your Android phone, not by installing Android apps directly in Windows 11. Microsoft Phone Link can mirror apps from selected Android phones, where they continue to run. The former Windows Subsystem for Android and Amazon Appstore route is no longer available for new Microsoft Store installations. For games, Google Play Games on PC supports a separate selection of mobile titles.
What it means to use Android apps on Windows 11
There are two different things people may mean by “use Android apps on Windows.” One is running an Android app locally on the PC. The other is opening an app from a connected phone in a window on the PC. Phone Link offers the second experience on selected phones; it does not install those phone apps as native Windows applications.
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In Phone Link, the app runs on the Android phone and its screen is mirrored to Windows. The phone must remain connected for this phone-integration experience. Microsoft describes the feature as using apps from an Android device on a PC: Microsoft’s Phone Link Apps support page.
Ways to use Android apps or games on Windows 11
| Route | Where the app runs | What it covers | Phone required? | Availability or eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Link Apps | On the connected Android phone; the app view is mirrored to the PC | Apps available on selected, supported phones | Yes | Apps feature is limited to selected phone models; general Phone Link requirements alone do not establish eligibility. See Microsoft’s supported-device and feature information. |
| Google Play Games on PC | On the PC through Google’s gaming client | Supported mobile games, not a general Android app catalog | No connected phone is identified as a requirement | Limited to games supported by Google Play Games on PC. See Google Play Games on PC. |
| Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) and Amazon Appstore | Formerly provided an Android-app route in Windows | The former WSA/Amazon Appstore offering | No phone integration was involved | Not available in the Microsoft Store for new installations starting March 5, 2025. See Microsoft’s WSA availability notice. |
Using Phone Link’s Apps feature
Check that your phone is eligible
Microsoft’s general Phone Link requirements include Windows 11 (or a supported Windows 10 PC), Android 10 or later, and the phone and PC connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Those baseline requirements do not mean every compatible Android phone can stream apps. The Apps feature is restricted to selected supported phone models, so check Microsoft’s current device list and feature requirements before relying on it.
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Connect and open an app
- On the Windows PC, open Phone Link and follow its prompts to link your Android phone.
- Keep the phone and PC on the same Wi-Fi network and complete the setup shown by Phone Link.
- In Phone Link, open the Apps experience if it is available for your device, then select an app to open its mirrored view on the PC.
Microsoft says supported app windows can be opened on the PC, pinned to Windows locations, and controlled with the PC’s input devices. Some apps and games may not work well with a mouse or keyboard. Multiple simultaneous apps are available only for qualifying phone and operating-system combinations; most other supported phones can open one app at a time.
Accounts and profiles
Phone Link does not currently support multiple Android profiles or work or school accounts. Microsoft Support states: “The Phone Link doesn’t currently support multiple Android profiles or work/school accounts.”
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What happened to installing Android apps through Windows?
Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) and its Amazon Appstore route are no longer available in the Microsoft Store for new installations starting March 5, 2025, according to Microsoft’s WSA notice. This is a statement about Store availability for new installs; it does not mean that every component already installed stopped working on that date.
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If your goal is to play a supported Android game on a Windows PC, Google Play Games on PC is a separate PC gaming option. Its scope is supported games, not general-purpose Android apps, so it does not replace Phone Link for using apps from a connected phone or provide a broad Android app runtime for Windows. Check Google’s current Play Games on PC information for supported titles.
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