Although it’s been talking about Windows Subsystem for Android for years, Microsoft has decided to shelve the feature that allows Windows 11 users to run Android apps on their PCs.
Instead of adding support for more platforms, Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Android was limited to apps that are available in the Amazon Appstore. Early this week, Microsoft confirmed that the Windows Subsystem for Android feature that it promised to improve will be actually discontinued.
According to Microsoft, starting March 5, 2025, the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all applications and games dependent on Windows Subsystem for Android will no longer be supported.
However, the Redmond-based company revealed that those who have installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps before March 5, 2024, will continue to have access to those apps through the deprecation date of March 5, 2025.
Microsoft is ending support for the Windows Subsystem for Android️ (WSA). As a result, the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all applications and games dependent on WSA will no longer be supported beginning March 5, 2025. Until then, technical support will remain available to customers. Customers that have installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps prior to March 5, 2024, will continue to have access to those apps through the deprecation date of March 5, 2025.
It’s unclear why Microsoft decided to discontinue support for running Android apps on Windows 11, but Phone Link has been the better option for those who wanted to do this for many years.
Time will tell if Microsoft will instead focus on making Phone Link even better than it is now that the alternative, Windows Subsystem for Android, is no more.
