You can still run Android apps on Windows 11 in 2026, but not through Microsoft’s own subsystem, which was retired on March 5, 2025. The four working routes are Google Play Games for PC for games, Phone Link app streaming for the apps on your own phone, an Android emulator like BlueStacks 5 for everything else, and the web version when one exists.
Quick answer: what you want, what to use
Pick your route from this table, then jump to the matching section for the steps.
| What you want | What to use |
|---|---|
| Android games (Free Fire, gacha, mobile RPGs) | Google Play Games for PC first; an emulator if the game is not in its catalog |
| WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, utility apps | An Android emulator such as BlueStacks 5 |
| The apps already installed on your own phone | Microsoft Phone Link app streaming (supported phones only) |
| Apps with a real web version (Telegram, Spotify, Canva) | The web app in your browser, no Android layer needed |
| The Amazon Appstore or Windows Subsystem for Android | Retired on March 5, 2025. Use one of the routes above |
First, the honest part: Windows Subsystem for Android is gone
For a couple of years Windows 11 could run Android apps natively through the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) and the Amazon Appstore. That era is over. Microsoft announced the deprecation in March 2024, the Amazon Appstore stopped being downloadable on March 6, 2024, and support for WSA and every app installed through it ended on March 5, 2025. Both are gone from the Microsoft Store, and Microsoft’s own WSA documentation now exists only as a deprecation notice.
So if a guide tells you to open the Microsoft Store and install the Amazon Appstore, it is out of date. Everything below is what actually works on Windows 11 today.
Route 1: Google Play Games for PC (best for games)
Google Play Games for PC is Google’s official client for playing Android games on Windows. It is free, still carries the beta label in 2026, and runs a curated catalog of games that developers have verified for keyboard, mouse, and larger screens. Your progress and purchases sync with your Google account, so you can start a game on your phone and continue on your PC.
Google’s stated requirements: Windows 10 (v2004) or Windows 11, an SSD with 10 GB of free space, 8 GB of RAM, a 4-core CPU, an Intel UHD 630 class GPU or better, and hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS/UEFI.
- Download the installer from Google’s official page and run it.
- Sign in with the same Google account you use on your phone.
- If prompted, enable virtualization (the installer links to instructions for your machine).
- Search the catalog, click Install on a game, and play. Popular titles like Free Fire run this way; see our Free Fire for PC guide for a full walkthrough of that setup.
Get Google Play Games for PC (Google)
The catch: it is games only, and only games in the catalog. You cannot install WhatsApp or a random APK here. For non-game apps, keep reading.
Route 2: Phone Link (stream your own phone’s apps to the PC)
Windows 11 ships with the Phone Link app, and on supported phones it can stream individual Android apps from your phone to a window on your desktop. Nothing installs on the PC: the app runs on your phone and mirrors to your screen, so your logins, chats, and data are exactly as you left them.
App streaming is the limited route. Per Microsoft’s support page, it works on select Samsung Galaxy, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, and Xiaomi phones that ship with Link to Windows. Recent Samsung Galaxy flagships are the best supported and can run multiple phone apps in separate windows at once.
- On the PC, open Phone Link (it is preinstalled; search the Start menu).
- On the phone, open Link to Windows (preinstalled on supported devices) and scan the QR code to pair, using the same Microsoft account on both.
- Allow the requested permissions on the phone.
- In Phone Link on the PC, open the Apps section and click any app on your phone to launch it in its own window.
Requirements to know: the phone must be on, unlocked at pairing, and on the same Wi-Fi network, and streaming pauses if the phone disconnects. If your phone is a Pixel or another unsupported brand, you still get messages, calls, photos, and notifications, just not app streaming. In that case, use an emulator instead.
Route 3: An Android emulator (works for almost everything)
An emulator runs a full Android device inside Windows, with Google Play on board. It is the only route that covers chat apps, social apps, utilities, and games outside the Play Games catalog, all without touching your phone. BlueStacks 5 is the one we recommend first: it is free, mature, and includes keymapping so games play properly with keyboard and mouse. Our BlueStacks for PC guide covers installation and settings in depth, and if you want to compare alternatives like LDPlayer, MEmu, or MuMu Player, start with our roundup of emulator apps for PC.
- Download BlueStacks 5 from the official site and run the installer.
- Launch it, open the Play Store, and sign in with your Google account.
- Search for the app you want (WhatsApp, Instagram, a game, anything on Google Play) and tap Install.
- Open it from the emulator home screen. For games, press Ctrl+Shift+A to adjust the keymapping.
Get BlueStacks 5 (official site)
Two tips from long use: enable virtualization in BIOS/UEFI before you blame the emulator for being slow, and give BlueStacks 4 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM in its settings if your machine has 16 GB. On 8 GB machines, close the browser while gaming.
Route 4: Check for a web version before installing anything
Plenty of “Android apps” do not need Android at all. Telegram, Spotify, Canva, X, and many banking and note apps have full web versions that run in Edge or Chrome, and most can be installed as a PWA (in Edge: Settings menu, Apps, Install this site as an app) so they get their own window, icon, and taskbar pin. A web app uses less RAM than any emulator, updates itself, and never trips a game’s anti-cheat. Check the vendor’s site for a web version first; it is the lightest option on this whole page. For older or weaker machines, our low-end PC emulator guide covers what actually runs and the settings that help.
Frequently asked questions
Can you run an Android app on a Windows PC?
Yes. In 2026 you have four options: Google Play Games for PC for games in its catalog, Phone Link app streaming from a supported Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, or Xiaomi phone, an emulator like BlueStacks 5 for anything on Google Play, or the app’s web version.
Can you still install Android apps natively in Windows 11?
No. Native installs went through the Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore, and Microsoft ended support for both on March 5, 2025. Apps installed that way stopped being supported too. Today, Android apps run through Google Play Games for PC, an emulator, or streaming from your phone.
How do I run Android apps on PC without an emulator?
Two ways. If you have a supported phone, Phone Link streams your phone’s own apps to the desktop with nothing installed on the PC. And many apps have web versions you can run in a browser or install as a PWA. Google Play Games for PC also skips third-party emulators for games, since it is Google’s own runtime.
Can I run the full Android OS on Windows 11?
Not through anything Microsoft ships. Enthusiasts boot full Android builds such as Bliss OS in a virtual machine, but that takes manual setup and troubleshooting. If your goal is simply to use apps, an emulator gives you the same result in a tenth of the time.
Verdict
Match the tool to the job. Gamers should try Google Play Games for PC first and fall back to BlueStacks when a title is missing from the catalog. If what you really want is your own phone’s apps on a bigger screen and you carry a supported Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, or Xiaomi device, Phone Link costs you nothing and takes two minutes to pair. For everything else, BlueStacks 5 remains the reliable default, and a quick check for a web version can save you the install entirely.
