Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Android breaks coverage and there’s Xbox support too

By Terry J. Morgan Last updated Oct 27, 2021

A key component for making Android apps work well in Windows 11 has appeared in the Microsoft Store. It’s called Windows Subsystem for Android, but don’t be too excited about its availability. Yes, you can go to the Microsoft Store and download it, but right now it doesn’t seem to be doing anything.

We tried it ourselves on a preview version of Windows Insider, and all that happens is it loads a white screen. On the store page, it’s accompanied by a description that reads: “Microsoft Confidential – For testing purposes – Please do not take screenshots or communicate about the content.” Nothing we can do anyway, so no Microsoft worries.

Of course, if this is meant to be more than just placeholder text, Microsoft shouldn’t be making these things publicly available. There are other quirks as well. The application is published by “Microsoft Corp.” instead of “Microsoft Corporation”, the latter being the most used by Microsoft. There are only two other applications offered by the first: SizeBench and Bing Webmaster Tools.

It’s also worth noting that the minimum and recommended system requirements require Windows 10 version 22000.0 or higher. There isn’t such a version, but it’s another likely placeholder, this time for Windows 11.

Those quirks aside, support for Android apps is heading to Windows 11, at least eventually. In a recent blog post, Microsoft announced that Windows 11 will begin rolling out on October 5 and that the “journey to bring Android apps” to the next operating system will begin in the Windows Insider program “within the next few months.” .

The effort to integrate Android into Windows 11 is made possible through a partnership between Amazon and Intel, the latter with its Intel Bridge technology, which is a “runtime post-compiler that allows applications to run natively on devices. x86 devices, including running these applications on Windows. ” Microsoft has also confirmed that users will be able to load Android APKs on Windows 11.

Another interesting tidbit: The requirements list the Xbox One as an alternative to Windows 10 version 22000.0 (Windows 11), suggesting that Xbox support is coming as well. In other words, Microsoft may have got their hands on this app. We will see. In the meantime, you can check it out for yourself in the Microsoft Store. Or just open a blank Notepad file for the same effect.

Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Android breaks coverage and there’s Xbox support too

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