14 DAY TRIAL // One of the biggest new features in Windows 11 is the support for Android apps, which essentially means that users can run apps built for Google’s mobile operating system right on their desktops.
Windows 11, however, launched without this feature, as Microsoft needed more time to make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible.
In late 2021, the company rolled out a limited preview of Android apps on Windows 11, giving a small number of insiders the opportunity of trying out the whole thing and see how mobile apps run on their computers.
Now Microsoft is getting ready to release a public preview of this feature for all Windows 11 users, with the company explaining that this feature will go live next month.
No ETA for the stable experience
Worth knowing, however, is that the feature will continue to be labeled as a preview, so certain parts might still need additional polishing.
There’s obviously no ETA as to when the stable channel could be reached, but one thing is sure: Microsoft wants to make Android apps feel at home on Windows 11.
“Running Android apps and games on Windows 11 will feel familiar, effortless, and integrated – just as you would expect. You can easily run these apps side-by-side with the help of the new Snap Layouts feature, pin them to your Start menu or Taskbar, and interact with them via mouse, touch, or pen input,” Microsoft originally said.
“Android apps are also integrated into Alt + Tab and Task view to help you quickly move back-and-forth between the apps that matter most to you. You can see notifications from Android apps notifications in the Notification Center or share your clipboard between a Windows app and an Android app. We have built the experience with accessibility in mind; many Windows accessibility settings apply to Android apps and we are working with Amazon to deliver more improvements.”