Install WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android) and Android Apps In Windows 11 W/O Amazon Appstore

October 2021, Microsoft began testing Android apps on Windows 11 PCs in partnership with Amazon and its app store. However, the feature was only available to beta testers participating in the Windows 11 Insider Program, and was limited to around 50 apps. Starting from Feb 15, 2022, the company is opening access to a broader audience with the arrival of the Amazon Appstore Preview in the Microsoft Store, which will now offer more than 1,000 apps and games.

The experience is built on the Android platform via the new Windows Subsystem for Android, powered by Intel’s Bridge Technology. Both AMD and Intel devices are supported, however, given they meet hardware requirements for running Windows 11.

Now, Windows 11 users in the U.S. will be able to access the Amazon Appstore Preview and download over 1,000 more apps and games in partnership with Amazon, including top apps like Audible, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids and others. To get started, users will need to open, then update, their Microsoft Store (click Get updates in Microsoft Store > Library.) You can then search for your favorite apps and games and download them through the Amazon Appstore. The idea is that the apps will run in a way that makes them feel like a part of Windows, as they’ll integrate with Windows input and windowing experiences, like Snap layouts.

Unfortunately, we might still experience the issue Aazon Appstore is not listing in your search result and not able to install directly from Microsoft Store. In this post, I will show you step by step to get WSA installed, and show you how to install any other Android application with bypassing all limitations Microsoft enforced. 

Software Download : OneDrive

Pre-requisites

Basic requirements from Microsoft Doc:

• Memory: 8GB (16GB recommended).
• Processor: Intel Core i3 8th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3000, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c, or better.
• Storage: Solid-state drive (SSD).
• Microsoft Store app: Version 22110.1402.6.0 or higher.
• Windows 11: Build 22000.526 or higher (stable channel).

Extended requirements for Amazon Appstore:

• computer's public ip is in US. If not, you can use VPN to achieve it. 
• Amazon.com account

For example, if there is any thing might not meet the requirements, you wont be able to install Amazon Appstore. Here is an example if you are not using SSD.

Installing Amazon Appstore

You will need to make sure your system meet all system requirements for WSA.

If not, you will get an error to show your pc is not meeting minimum requirement. 

Once all requirements met, you can open Microsoft Store to search Amazon Appstore or directly click following link to Get the Amazon Appstore

If all requirements are met, you should be able to click install button to install everything you will need for your system.

The whole process should be done in less than 10 minutes including restarting your machine. You can find following video to see all process.

If for some reasons, your pc is not able to install Amazon Appstore, following process is to show you how to manual installation of all components.

Manual Installation of All Components

Manual Install WSA and Android Apps into Win11 - YouTube

Verify and Install Virtual Machine Platform:

1 Open the Task Manager on the CPU tab and check the CPU tab for the Virtualization line. If it is missing, you need to enable it in BIOS.

2 Now, press Win + R and type optionalfeatures in the Run dialog

3 Check the Virtual Machine Platform component and click OK to install it. You may need to restart the OS to apply the change.

4  Search Amazon Appstore. But you might not have this in your search result.

If Amazon Appstore shows in your search result, you might be able to directly install it with all other required components. But if you are having same issue I am facing, here are the steps we can get WSA installed and other Android apps installed. 

Download Two Components for WSA

Download 

Next, open you web browser and point to this Store link generator by rg-adguard (https://store.rg-adguard.net/).

• Type the following url into its search box:  

https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9P3395VX91NR.  

(Windows Subsystem for Android™ with Amazon Appstore)

• Select the Slow ring and click on the checkmark button to generate the links.

• Download the huge file (1.2 GB)

 MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_***_.msixbundle, where *** is its version.

• You will also need to download: Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.6_2.62112.3002.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.Appx (4.65MB)

Install Components

Here are two files you have downloaded:

• Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.6_2.62112.3002.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.Appx
• MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_1.8.32837.0_neutral___8wekyb3d8bbwe.Msixbundle

Open Windows Terminal as Administrator with PowerShell to the Downloads folder and type the following command to install Windows Subsystem for Android in Windows 11: Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\winaero\Downloads\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_<version>.msixbundle". Correct the package name and its path and hit Enter.

PS C:\users\test1\Downloads> dir
    Directory: C:\users\test1\Downloads

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
-a----          3/1/2022   8:36 AM        4879744 Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.6_2.62112.3002.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.Appx
-a----          3/1/2022   8:30 AM     1299657701 MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_1.8.32837.0_neutral
                                                  ___8wekyb3d8bbwe.Msixbundle

PS C:\users\test1\Downloads> Add-AppxPackage -Path ".\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.6_2.62112.3002.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.Appx"
PS C:\users\test1\Downloads> Add-AppxPackage -Path ".\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_1.8.32837.0_neutral___8wekyb3d8bbwe.Msixbundle"
PS C:\users\test1\Downloads>

Windows Subsystem for Android is now installed and available from the Start menu along with the Amazon Store.

Verify Components

Turn on the Developer mode toggle switch.

Download Android Debugging Bridge (ADB) tools

To set up the ADB tools, use these steps:

1. Open the Android developer website.

2. Under the "Downloads" section, click the Download SDK Platform-Tools for Windows link.

   
   

3. Check the option to accept the terms.

4. Click the Downloads section, click the Download Android SDK Platform-Tools for Windows button.

   
   

5. Save the platform-tools zip to the computer.
6. Open the recently downloaded zip folder.

7. Click the Extract all button.

   
   
   Once you complete the steps, you need to download the Android app file you want to install on Windows 11.

Sideload Android Apps

To install Android apps outside the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows Subsystem for Android and click the top result to open the platform.

3. Turn on the Developer mode toggle switch.

   Click the Copy button from the IP address setting.

4. Quick tip: If the address is unknown, click the Manage developer settings option to spin WSA in the Developer mode setting and click the Refresh button in the IP address setting.

5. Open Start.
6. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

7. Type the following command to navigate to the platform-tools folder and press Enter:

   cd C:\PATH\TO\platform-tools

   In the command, change the path of the location where you extracted the files.

   For example, this command opens the tool's location inside the "Downloads" folder:

   cd C:\Users\yourusername\Downloads\platform-tools_r31.0.3-windows\platform-tools

8. Type the following command to connect to the WSA instance and press Enter:

   adb connect WSA-IP-ADDRESS

   In the command, replace "WSA-IP-ADDRESS" with the actual IP address of the Windows Subsystem for Android.

   For example, this command connects using the 172.17.114.137 address:

   adb connect 172.17.114.137

9. Type the following command to install the Android app and press Enter:

   adb install ANDROID-APK-APPNAME

   In the command, replace "ANDROID-APK-APPNAME" with the actual .apk package name.

   For example, this command installs the package called apple-music-app.apk located in the platform-tools folder:

   adb install apple-music-app.apk

   
   

After you complete the steps, the app will install, and you can then find it and run it from the Start menu like any other native app on Windows.

Installed Android Apps can be found from Windows Start menu.

References

• 保姆级教程！教你在Windows 11玩转安卓App
• How to sideload Android apps using WSA on Windows 11
• Windows Subsystem for Android™️