Over 1,000 Android apps now available on Windows 11 w/ Amazon Appstore Preview

Damien Wilde | Feb 16 2022 - 4:28 am PT

After confirming the move some time ago, Microsoft has officially announced that over 1,000 Android apps are now available on the Windows 11 operating system via the Amazon Appstore Preview.

Microsoft had previously confirmed that a Windows 11 update would bring Android apps support to the public. In a dedicated blog post, it appears that this is the update that will allow you to run mobile apps on your desktop. The original test phase saw a very limited selection of applications be made available, Microsoft states that over 1,000 applications are now available to try on your desktop PC or laptop running the latest version of the OS:

Windows has always been about enabling you to work and play your way. And what makes Windows, well, Windows, is the variety of apps available to let you do just that. Since the launch of Windows 11, the Microsoft Store has attracted more creators and users around the world; today we are adding over 1,000 more apps and games in partnership with the Amazon Appstore.

https://youtu.be/K6SpHPF40Ik

It seems that this might be limited to those in the US for now though as this blog post indicates that “Windows 11 users in the U.S. can access the Amazon Appstore Preview” by heading to the Microsoft Store:

Windows 11 users in the U.S. can access the Amazon Appstore Preview in the Microsoft Store, and popular apps like Audible, Kindle, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids and many more.

Naturally, you’ll need to be running Windows 11 and then join the preview program to get access to the wider Android app functionality:

To get started with the preview, open and update the Microsoft Store (click Get updates in Microsoft Store > Library) – search your favorite titles or explore our new curated collection of mobile apps and games; when you’ve found what you’re looking for, download them through the Amazon Appstore.

Microsoft says that when running Android apps on your machine they “feel like a part of Windows, integrating naturally with Windows” and will play nicely with the great “Snap” window management features. We’ll save judgment until we’ve tried this out for ourselves but if you’ve managed to get Android apps running on your Windows 11 machine, be sure to let us know what you think down in the comments section below how you’re getting on.