What you need to know
- Windows Subsystem for Android will be deprecated on March 5, 2025.
- Despite the fact that support for Windows Subsystem for Android does not end until next year, new PCs powered by Snapdragon X processors cannot run Android apps.
- A third-party developer has managed to get Windows Subsystem for Android to work on Snapdragon X PCs, such as the Surface Pro 11.
Microsoft announced plans to deprecate Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) on Windows 11 earlier this year. WSA will continue to work until the feature is deprecated on March 5, 2025. But despite the subsystem being supported at the moment, new PCs running on a Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus are not able to use WSA at all.
Strangely, WSA comes preinstalled on new Snapdragon X PCs like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. Despite being preinstalled on the systems, WSA is not functional. Microsoft is aware that WSA is broken on these new PCs but has no plans to fix the situation, according to statements made to XDA.
Jeremy Sinclair, an avid Windows developer, decided to fix the situation himself. He created modified images that allow WSA to function and sent those images out to some Snapdragon Insiders. Sinclair says, "overall it's working," though the developer notes some bugs are present.
Hooked a few #SnapdragonInsiders up with the modified images to make WSA function on the #SnapdragonXSeries while I work on the full steps. And so far so good! A few bugs as expected, but overall it's working. I'm going to get some more testing in before I put everyone else onJuly 22, 2024
XDA notes that WSA relies on Armv7, which does not work on Snapdragon X PCs. Sinclair had to find a way around this, and the solution is a tad tricky. To replicate Sinclair's setup, you'd have to modify protected folders on your PC. We'll need to spend more time with the process before we can outline steps and recommend trying it, even with a disclaimer. But it is technically possible to run Android apps on a Surface Pro 11, Surface Pro 7 or other Snapdragon X-powered PCs.
It's odd that a feature that's still supported does not work on flagship Surface hardware, but it appears that will be the case until next March. If you want to use Android apps on Windows 11, you'll have to use Sinclair's solution or look at alternatives like BlueStacks.
Why is Microsoft ending Android apps on Windows 11?
When Microsoft announced that it would end support for WSA, some were surprised. The feature is technologically impressive and provided access to more apps on Windows. But according to Andrew Clinick, who worked for Microsoft for over 29 years, said the "nails were in the coffin" as soon as Google decided to not back WSA. If Google not backing WSA was the nail in the coffin, Amazon pulling the Amazon Appstore from WSA was burying the feature.
"Store revenue pays the bills and salaries of the wsa team," explained Clinick. "WSL acrues to azure and vs so has a profit center. WSA without a store is awesome but doesn't help windows financially."
READ MORE: Amazon Appstore removed from Microsoft Store
Without a clear path to monetization, WSA is not long for this world. Android apps on Windows 11 were always a bit limited when run through WSA. The Amazon Appstore, which was officially supported on WSA, pales in comparison to the Google Play Store. Sideloading apps closed some of the app gap, but not enough for everyone. Even with the Amazon Appstore, people struggled to find must-have Android apps on Windows 11. Without the Amazon Appstore, WSA is essentially just a technical marvel.
