Say Goodbye to Android App Support on Windows 11

(Credit: Microsoft/Amazon/PCMag)

The ability to run Android apps was a highly touted Windows 11 feature, but like so many overhyped new features, it is headed for the tech graveyard.

Hawk-eyed Windows watchers noticed that Microsoft updated its documentation to mention that support for Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) will end on March 5, 2025. Notably, the feature only went fully live in July 2023, and received feature updates as recently as October.

The updated text notes that the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all applications and games dependent on WSA will no longer be supported effective March 5, 2025. Until then, Microsoft will continue to provide technical support.

"We are grateful for the support of our developer community and remain committed to listening to feedback as we evolve experiences," Microsoft says.

It was a neat idea to be able to run mobile apps on your desktop, but the WSA has some severe limitations. If you have a compatible Android phone, you get a better experience running apps via the Phone Link app.

One of the WSA’s biggest drawbacks is the lack of support for Google Play; you’re limited to the less well-stocked Amazon Appstore. WSA also involves installing another store from within the Microsoft Store, that little-used place for getting vetted Windows apps.

The Microsoft Store entry for the Amazon Appstore now has a yellow warning banner about its demise. "Starting on March 6, 2024, Windows 11 customers will not be able to search for Amazon Appstore or associated apps from the Microsoft Store. Customers may continue using Amazon Appstore apps that they previously installed and will still be able to receive app updates," Amazon says in its own blog post.

I have installed and tried the WSA but find the Phone Link route more useful and frictionless. Of course, you need a supported phone model, though those include most of the newer and higher-end Samsung Galaxy models.

Easier Copilot Access

In other Windows 11 news, Microsoft is trying out a way to open the Microsoft Copilot sidebar by simply hovering the mouse cursor over its icon in the Taskbar.

"When you move your mouse cursor over the Copilot icon on the taskbar, it will open the Copilot pane. The Copilot pane will close unless interacted with after it opens," Microsoft explains. "This will begin rolling out slowly over the next few weeks to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel."

The Copilot sidebar now supports plug-ins for things like making dinner reservations through OpenTable, and can be resized. Some new Windows laptops also include a dedicated Copilot key. The Copilot updates keep coming, so fasten your seatbelt!

About Our Expert

Michael Muchmore

Contributor

My Experience

I've been testing PC and mobile software for more than 20 years, focusing on photo and video editing, operating systems, and web browsers. Prior to my current role, I covered software and apps for ExtremeTech and headed up PCMag’s enterprise software team. I’ve attended trade shows for Microsoft, Google, and Apple and written about all of them and their products.

I still get a kick out of seeing what's new in video and photo editing software, and how operating systems change over time. I was privileged to byline the cover story of the last print issue of PC Magazine, the Windows 7 review, and I’ve witnessed every Microsoft misstep and win, up to the latest Windows 11.

I’m an avid bird photographer and traveler—I’ve been to 40 countries, many with great birds! Because I’m also a classical music fan and former performer, I’ve reviewed streaming services that emphasize classical music.

Technology I Use

For everyday work, I use a good-old Dell tower with 16GB of RAM, a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, and an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti GPU that runs on Windows 11. I pair it with a 4K Lenovo ThinkVision P27u-10 monitor and a Logitech MX Vertical mouse. For offsite work, I use a 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. Camera-wise, I moved to mirrorless from a Canon EOS 80D with a Canon 70-300mm IS USM lens. I now have a Canon EOS R7 with a 100-400mm lens, but I miss my DSLR for several reasons.

In order of usage, the software I turn to most frequently is the Edge web browser, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, Firefox, Brave, and WhatsApp. I use the Windows Phone link app to see everything on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra phone, which has excellent telephoto capability.

For fitness monitoring, I have a Fitbit Charge 6 and use an Anker Smart Scale P1. I’m also a streaming fan, so I subscribe to both Amazon Music Unlimited (especially for its Dolby Atmos content) and Qobuz (for its high-res sound quality and classical catalog). I recently added a Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE, which sounds surprisingly good given its low price. To holler commands instead of using a remote control, I have the Amazon Fire TV Cube in the living room, which lets me verbally tell the TV what I want to watch. It hooks up to an LG B4 OLED TV. I have a Sonos One speaker in my kitchen that also ties in with Alexa, as does the Echo Dot 2 With Clock in my bedroom. For serious listening, I have B&W 601 speakers plugged into a Conrad-Johnson Sonographe amp and preamp, with a Cambridge Audio AXN10 streamer as source. For reading, I also have a Nook GlowLight 3.

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