Windows 11 brought a lot of new and exciting features to the Windows ecosystem, and one of the most talked-about features is the support for Android apps. For a while, this feature has been reserved for testers within Microsoft. However, according to a blog post from Microsoft, beta testers are now able to install Android apps and test them out.
Beta testers can try Android apps on Windows 11, but there a few caveats
We’ve recently seen some leaked screenshots of Android apps running on Windows 11, but now the functionality is extending to a larger pool of people. Folks who are in the Windows Insider program can get their hands on Android apps to test out.
However, there will be some exclusions. In order to try out the apps, your computer needs to be using an Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm processor to install the apps. While that describes the mass majority of computers out there, it’s still worth mentioning. What’s also worth mentioning is that only users in the US can test these out.
Not all of the apps will be available to try out; in fact, only a tiny amount will. If you’re testing out the apps, you’ll have your pick from only 50 apps. While that’s nothing compared to the amount of apps out there, it should do fine for a test.
How do these apps look, and how do they function?
Just a reminder: these apps are going to be provided through the Amazon app store. This means that you will get access to a good amount of Android apps, but not all of them. Since this isn’t going through Google, you won’t have Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, or Google Docs.
Microsoft is really focusing on making the whole experience seamless; as though you’re using just another Windows application. You’ll be able to switch between them using the ALT+Tab command. Each app will also appear in the Task view along with Windows applications.
You’ll be able to copy text between Android apps and the Windows 11 applications and vice versa. To top it all off, notifications from Android apps will appear in your Action Bar.
What apps will be available for the beta?
You’ll have a selection of 50 apps to test out, and they cover a couple of genres from gaming to education. First and foremost, the Amazon Kindle app will be available.
As for games, you’ll be able to play Lords Mobile, Coin Master, and June’s Journey. On the education side, you’ll be able to get Khan Academy Kids and Lego Duplo World. We’re still not sure when this will be available for the general public.