14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has announced that support for Android apps on the Windows 10 desktop is now available for everybody running the operating system.
Announced earlier this year, this new feature is powered by Your Phone, the app that comes pre-loaded with Windows 10. However, worth knowing is that not all mobile devices are supported, and for the time being, you need a Samsung Galaxy Note20 for the whole thing.
The good news is that you no longer need to be an insider to be able to run Android apps on the desktop, as it’s enabled on production devices too.
“We are excited to announce that the Apps feature is now rolled out to everyone with supported devices (It may take up to 48hrs. to show up). It allows you to instantly access your Android phone’s mobile apps directly from your Windows 10 PC,” Microsoft says.
Android apps on the desktop
The Your Phone app allows users to run Android apps on the desktop in their very own windows, just like native applications.
What’s more, they can be pinned to the taskbar, so for example, if you use the Instagram mobile app, you can just pin it to launch it directly at a later time.
Needless to say, this is quite a welcome approach, especially because it makes feel Android apps feel as native as possible.
“Later in the year, Samsung Galaxy Note20 users will experience the power and convenience of running multiple apps side by side and we will continue to work with Samsung to bring this feature to additional devices. Apps will launch in separate windows enabling you to interact with multiple apps at the same time. So, whether you are working on a document, keeping up on your social media feed or simply staying connected with family and friends, everything is accessible in one place, so your flow is never broken,” Microsoft said.
To get this new feature, make sure the Your Phone app is on the latest version.