Windows Subsystem for Android™️

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Windows Subsystem for Android™️ enables your Windows eleven device to run Android applications that are available in the Amazon Appstore. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. If y'all're a developer interested in targeting Windows desktop devices and optimizing for the Windows operating system, this guide is for you.

To brand your Android app available on Windows 11 devices, you lot must:

  • Submit your app to the Amazon Appstore.

For more information or support:

  • Sign up for updates to the Amazon Appstore on Windows programme.
  • Visit the Amazon developer back up portal where you can detect articles, forums, FAQs, or achieve out for direct support via the Appstore "Contact us" folio once y'all ready an Amazon Developer account.

This guide can help you test and debug your Android app on Windows:

  • Fix your evolution environment, including prerequisites, installing the Amazon Appstore, and using the Settings app.
  • Handle input compatibility considerations for Windows devices, such as: keyboard input, mouse input, and window management and resizing.
  • Test and debug your app on a Windows xi device.
  • Troubleshoot and detect answers.

Set up your development environment

To test your Android app in the Windows desktop surround, a bit of set will exist required.

Prerequisites

Windows Subsystem for Android is available for public preview on Windows eleven.

Your device must encounter specific requirements: Device requirements.

Install the Amazon Appstore

The Microsoft Store will automatically install Windows Subsystem for Android silently in the background when either of the two following user actions are taken:

  1. Install the Amazon Appstore from the Microsoft Shop. Selecting Get will brainstorm the installation of the app.
  2. Install an Android app from the Microsoft Store for the first fourth dimension, which volition also install the Amazon Appstore.

The Amazon Appstore and the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app will then appear in the Windows 11 Start carte and exist available on search, offering a catalogue of Android apps.

Screenshot of Microsoft Store page featuring the Get button on the Amazon App Store

Note

The Amazon Appstore on Windows (a requirement for running Android apps on Windows xi) is currently only available in the US.

Windows Subsystem for Android™️ Settings app

To admission the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app, become to: Kickoff > All Apps > Windows Subsystem for Android™️ Settings. Learn more about specific settings app features: Manage settings for mobile apps on Windows.

Screenshot of Latte app settings

Input compatibility considerations for Windows devices

There are a few unique input behaviors to consider that will likely require updates to your Android app code, designed for handheld devices, to be compatible when running on a Windows desktop device via the Amazon Appstore.

Keyboard input

For text input fields handled by an on-screen virtual keyboard input method (or IME), such as EditText, apps should behave equally expected. (EditText class in the Android docs).

For keystrokes that cannot exist anticipated by the framework, apps volition demand to handle the behavior themselves. If this is already implemented in-app, no extra work is required.

As an instance, some games may already support movement facilitated via keyboard, through w a s d keys, aslope impact input.

The post-obit are keyboard inputs that developers should consider code updates for when edifice for Windows 11 devices:

  • Enter Fundamental
  • Arrow-key and Tab-key Navigation
  • Change Selected Item Highlight Color
  • Ctrl-based Shortcuts

Larn more near how to optimize for these keyboard input scenarios on desktop devices past following the Android documentation:

  • Input compatibility guide in the Android docs
  • Handle keyboard input guide in the Android docs
  • Employ touch gestures guide in the Android docs

Mouse input

Developers should consider updating code for the following mouse inputs when building for Windows devices:

  • Correct Click
  • Tooltips / Hover Text
  • Hover Effects
  • Mouse Scroll Cycle Action
  • Drag and Drop

Mouse input, similar to keyboard input, must follow the official Android app guidelines. This means using the InputDevice class paired with the SOURCE_MOUSE constant. Acquire more virtually how to optimize for these mouse input scenarios on desktop devices by following the Android documentation:

  • Input compatibility guide in the Android docs
  • InputDevice reference in the Android docs
  • SOURCE_MOUSE reference in the Android docs

Window direction and resizing

Different traditional mobile form factors, Android apps running on Windows 11 can be freely resized, should be responsive in their resizing, and tin can exist snapped using Windows actions/gestures.

Minimum screen requirement

Windows 11 enforces a minimum screen requirement of 720p resolution (1280x720) with a >9" screen.

Letter & pillar boxing

When the aspect ratio of a window size does not align between the device screen sizes that window is being displayed on, the consequence may be Letterboxing (the window is wider than information technology is high, or horizontally longer) or Pillarboxing (the window is more narrow than it is wide, or vertically longer). The upshot is confined being placed on the sides of the window in order to heart it. These bars may be light- or night-themed depending on the system settings selected. This will just occur equally necessary when the Android app is snapped or maximized, assuasive Android apps to take advantage of the rich snapping features in Windows and integrate into the windowing model.

Letterboxing and Pillarboxing example showing blank bars that center the window

Additional resizing considerations

The post-obit should also exist considered when updating an Android app to run on a Windows 11 device with respect to window management and resizing:

  • Initial launch size
  • Window dimensions
    • Content bounds
    • Gratuitous form resizing
  • Screen Orientation

Learn more about how to optimize for window resizing scenarios on desktop devices by following the Window Management guide in the Android docs.

Exam and debug

To test and debug your app on a Windows eleven device using the Windows Subsystem for Android the following prepare steps are required.

Enable programmer mode in Windows Settings

You lot must first enable developer mode in Windows Settings. There are 3 ways to enable developer style:

  • Open up the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app. In one case open, enable Developer Mode.
  • Search for "Developer Settings" in Windows search.
  • Navigate to Settings > Privacy and Security > For developers > Developer style.

Connect to the Windows Subsystem for Android for debugging

To connect to the Windows Subsystem for Android VM for debugging:

  1. Go the IP address past opening the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app. (Use Windows Search to select and launch.)

  2. The IP address will be displayed nether the IP address section. If there is no IP address being displayed, launch an Android app that was installed using the Amazon Appstore, so select Refresh on the IP address button in the Settings app.

  3. Now that you have the IP address to connect to the Windows Subsystem for Android VM, in your concluding or Powershell, y'all can connect using adb connect (you must have adb installed):

                      adb connect 172.22.137.166

Connect to a test device

To connect to a test device (with Windows Subsystem for Android installed) on the same network from Windows/Mac:

  1. On the examination device (where Windows Subsystem for Android is installed) open a PowerShell window and place the IP address of the examination device by running the command:

                      ipconfig

  2. Using the debugging device last where Android Studio and the Android SDK is installed (Mac/Windows), enter the command:

                      adb connect <Test DEVICE IP ADDRESS>:58526

The <Exam DEVICE IP ADDRESS> tin can be found in the output of "ipconfig" from the examination device. Y'all tin can also deploy and debug apps from Android Studio.

To use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to connect your evolution workstation directly to your Android device then y'all can install packages and evaluate changes, encounter Android Debug Bridge in the Android Open up Source Projection docs.

Debug your app

While apps should be installed using the Amazon Appstore, debugging an Android app on a Windows device is possible using an APK (Android application bundle) and adb (Android Debug Bridge).

To debug an APK using adb:

  1. Follow the steps to connect to the Windows Subsystem for Android VM in a higher place.

  2. Install the APK using the adb install control: adb install app-debug .apk

    Expected Output:

                      Performing Streamed Install Success

  3. A successful "app installed" notification volition announced in the Windows notification menu and the app will launch once selected.

Building Universal APKs

Windows Subsystem for Android utilizes Intel Bridge Applied science to emulate ARM applications on x86 based processors. ARM applications will run on ARM based processors natively. The emulation layer will induce a performance overhead – for optimal performance, submit your application for both the x86-64 and ARM64 architectures.

VM lifecycle considerations

Windows Subsystem for Android utilizes a virtual auto (VM) which provides compatibility with the AOSP framework and devices like keyboards, mice, affect, pen, etc.

There are 3 possible states for the VM running apps with Windows Subsystem for Android:

  1. Running
  2. Lightweight Doze: Activated afterward no app activity for three minutes. Deactivated by user activity or an app notification.
  3. Not Running: Activated subsequently no app action for 7 minutes.

Transitions betwixt these states are triggered by user activeness, such as launching or interaction with the Android app or an app notification. Android apps are paused and and then stopped when their window is minimized.

VM lifecycle graph showing the running, lightweight doze, and not running

VM Backdrop

The properties for the Windows Subsystem for Android VM are listed below. Hardcoding these values is not recommended as that could cause futurity incompatibilities.

Property Value
Build.MANUFACTURER Microsoft Corporation
Build.MODEL Subsystem for Android
Build.VERSION.SDK_INT 30
Build.Board windows

Security

Windows Subsystem for Android performs per-file encryption that is software-based.

Both Windows kernel-way drivers and Windows applications running at medium integrity level (IL) can inspect arbitrary Android containers and Android app memory. There are no plans to add detection for cheats/macro/bot/suspicious behaviors detection in the short-term.

Developers querying getSecurityLevel will go SECURITY_LEVEL_SW_SECURE_CRYPTO. Learn more well-nigh getSecurityLevel in the Android API Reference guide.

Uninstalling Windows Subsystem for Android

Yous tin uninstall the Windows Subsystem for Android, merely note that all associated apps will also be uninstalled.

  • Uninstalling the Amazon Appstore will uninstall the Windows Subsystem for Android and all other Android apps.
  • Uninstalling an Amazon Appstore app will only uninstall the app (same behavior as Windows apps).
  • Uninstalling the Windows Subsystem for Android volition uninstall the Amazon Appstore and all Android apps.

Troubleshooting issues

If you see issues specific to the Amazon Appstore on Windows, try the following troubleshooting steps:

  1. Select Windows search from the Windows chore bar.
  2. Search for "Amazon Appstore" and correct-click on the Amazon Appstore icon.
  3. Select "App Settings" in the dropdown options.
  4. Select "Storage and Cache" and click both "Clear Storage" and "Clear cache".
  5. Go back and select "Force End".
  6. Shut the Amazon Appstore Settings window.
  7. Relaunch the Amazon Appstore.

For further troubleshooting steps relating to the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app or to get out feedback using Feedback Hub, see Troubleshooting and FAQ for mobile apps on Windows.

For whatever other programmer questions and support, use the Windows Subsystem for Android tag on Microsoft Q&A.

Additional resources

  • Install mobile apps and the Amazon Appstore
  • Accessibility on Windows Subsystem for Android