Microsoft has made the surprising decision to end support for Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), the virtual machine that allowed it to bring Android apps to Windows 11 through the Amazon Appstore marketplace. The tech giant first gained official support for the mobile app in 2021 through a deal with Amazon, and it has been regularly updating the platform since then. According to the announcement, after March 5, 2025, Windows 11 users will not be able to use Android apps.
Microsoft announced the news on March 5, 2024, in a note marked “Important” on the Windows Subsystem webpage for Android. The company emphasized that after a specified date next year, the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all dependencies will no longer support WSA. “Until then, customers will continue to receive technical support. Customers who installed the Amazon App Store or Android apps before March 5, 2024, will continue to have access to those apps until the March 5, 2025 deprecation date.”
Additionally, Amazon has released an update for developers explaining how the development will affect them and important dates to be aware of. According to the e-commerce giant, developers will no longer be able to submit new apps. The rule came into effect on Tuesday. However, those developers who already have apps can continue to provide updates and support until they are discontinued in 2025.
Users can continue to use any pre-installed apps next year until March 5, 2025. However, new applications cannot be downloaded and installed. Any associated Android apps on the Amazon Appstore and Microsoft Store are also not searchable on Windows 11. This surprising move comes three years after Microsoft first launched WSA. While the company didn’t mention any reasons for the decision, a report from Ars Technica highlighted that the number of Android app users on Windows 11 is quite low.
The report mentioned that this is because Microsoft was unable to reach an agreement with Google and instead joined the Amazon App Store, which has a much smaller selection of apps compared to the Play Store. In addition, most major application developers already offer Web-based interfaces or Windows applications separately. These reasons may be why WSA and native Android apps never caught on.