News Microsoft is killing Windows 11's Android emulator -- no one will miss it

[Admin]

Windows Subsystem for Android was a huge disappointment and proved that people don't need

Microsoft is killing Windows 11's Android emulator -- no one will miss it : Read more

 

[TechElliott]

I will miss it. I like to play around on WsA, they should get rid of the amazon app store, that was a horrible decision, but they should not get rid of WsA its self.

 

[outsider2k21]

Crap.. I need to find another way to play android game.

 

[Ogotai]

Crap.. I need to find another way to play android game.

try a program called Blue Stacks

 

[baboma]

>There are ways to sideload apps, but they aren't officially supported, and you can expect problems if you want to use something that requires Google Play services. I would really have liked to run the official Gmail app in a window, but that would only work -- maybe -- with a hack.

WSA has a GitHub build that uses Google Play Store. It's better than the official install solution that requires Amazon Store. More flexible, more modular.

https://github.com/MustardChef/WSABuilds

I used the above to install some Android games for my sister's laptop (Ryzen 5700U w/ Vega 8 IGP.) Emulation speed was very playable, at least for games like Plants vs Zombies 1 & 2, Angry Birds, etc. I didn't notice any slowdown. I didn't try resource-heavy games. The apps I tried work.

>Most Android apps are designed for touch, and though they work with keyboards and mice, the experience isn't optimal.

This is petty bellyaching. Of course you need a touch screen to use Android apps.

>So, while WSA seemed like a good idea a few years ago, it's just not necessary today. I have more tears for Clippy and Microsoft Bob.

Sounds like the author can't figure out how to use the feature, and is rationalizing why it isn't good for everyone else. His criticisms are feeble and petty.

WSA was always feature for DIY'ers, just like WSL. You need to be able to find answers on your own, with little handholding. The above build is just a Google search away.

The above repo will be archived on 3/5/2025, but will still be available for install & support after that date. As far as I'm concerned, WSA will be around for as long as Win 11 is around. You always have the option to not to move to Win 12 if you want the feature.


>try a program called Blue Stacks

I tried it. It's major adware.

 

[outsider2k21]

try a program called Blue Stacks

Something I avoid to use as I read mix review for it.

 

[bloodroses]

Never really messed around with WSA too much due to it being Amazon store based and needing the Google Play services for the couple android games that I play on my phone. I did try the github unofficial build early on, but the main android game that I play wouldn't support it
I've been using the MSI App Player (based on Blue Stacks) instead. I haven't had an issue with adware outside the 'suggested games to play' list at the bottom of the main Android screen. Blue Stacks itself was worse in comparison when I last tried it. I'm also running a MSI motherboard, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not with the software.
In the past I've also used other options such as NoxPlayer, KOPlayer, and LDPlayer without much issue.

 

[AlskiOnTheWeb]

Windows Subsystem for Android was a huge disappointment and proved that people don't need

Microsoft is killing Windows 11's Android emulator -- no one will miss it : Read more

The thing that killed it for me was the fact that they paired it with possibly the worst app store ever ... Amazon. Why would they intentionally cripple it from the get go?

 

[AlskiOnTheWeb]

Something I avoid to use as I read mix review for it.

...I did try it, never worked for me

 

[outsider2k21]

...I did try it, never worked for me

Rly? Oh well

I read it is bloated adware and some people even got their account hacked after use blue stacks. While I know what i read isn't necessary true, but I do want to avoid install more stuff on pc.

 

[DavidMV]

The thing that killed it for me was the fact that they paired it with possibly the worst app store ever ... Amazon. Why would they intentionally cripple it from the get go?

They couldn't use the Google App Store because Microsoft and Google are rivals that hate each other. Amazon was the next best option and they are on friendlier terms.

 

[Rabohinf]

I've used Genymobile's scrcpy for specific purposes and it works well for those purposes.

 

[palladin9479]

Yay, yeah that whole Android Emulator thing was never going to work inside MS Windows.

For all those wondering, it was just another way to create a lucrative "walled garden" similar to what iHumans live in. Android is a linux-based OS that runs on either ARM or x86 hardware and has it's own JIT pseudo language that software can be distributed in. To actually support an "Android" run time environment you kinda need Google's APIs and framework, trying to bypass that is rather difficult without building your own competing framework.

For Android-On-PC it's going to be Bluestacks or Nox. Bluestacks gets hate from the FOSS community because they have solved most all the problems of "Android on PC" but are for-profit and not opensource . Big difference is how they do controller support, Bluestacks will support native controller emulation, your controller shows up to the game as an actual USB / BT controller. Nox does it by mapping the controller inputs to key press's or screen touches.

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

The problem with Bluestacks is that it's Chinese Spyware, LD Player is just adware, and Android Studio is slow as mud as it's a dev based platform. I was looking forward to a proper android support but it looks like the best solution now is the same as before: Scrcpy. Even though it requires additional hardware it is seamless and supports virtual gestures.