Microsoft has announced the cessation of support for Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), a functionality enabling users to utilize Android applications on Windows 11. The tech behemoth disclosed that all applications and games leveraging this feature will cease to function as of March 5, 2025.
This revelation may come as a surprise, considering Microsoft’s consistent updates to the Windows Subsystem for Android since its inception in 2022. As recently as December of the previous year, the company even upgraded the feature to accommodate Android 13, introducing numerous enhancements and alterations.
While current applications and games will continue to operate smoothly until the upcoming year, Windows 11 users will no longer have access to Android app searches on either the Amazon Appstore or Microsoft Store. Furthermore, it remains uncertain whether applications will be automatically uninstalled or rendered inoperative following the specified deadline.
Amazon has indicated its collaboration with Microsoft “to facilitate a seamless end-of-support process for developers and customers.” The e-commerce giant will permit developers to furnish updates for their applications until March 5 of the ensuing year. However, the ability to publish new apps has been suspended as of the current date. Amazon has already notified its Appstore users of these impending modifications through email correspondence.
Although Windows Subsystem for Android has been heralded as one of the premier methods for running Android apps directly on Windows, it has been somewhat restrictive from its inception, primarily due to its sole reliance on the Amazon Appstore. This platform notably offers a considerably smaller selection of apps compared to its Google Play Store counterpart.
Following Microsoft’s discontinuation of the Windows Subsystem for Android next year, Windows 11 users seeking to utilize Android apps may need to turn to alternative solutions such as third-party Android emulators like Bluestacks.
