The easiest way to install WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android) on Windows 11 and 10

Microsoft recently unveiled a groundbreaking feature for Windows called Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), enabling users to seamlessly run Android apps without the need for an Android emulator. This article will guide you through the process of installing WSA on any Windows 11 version, regardless of your Windows Insider status. Additionally, you’ll discover how to install it on Windows 10.

Windows Subsystem for Android is a revolutionary technology that empowers Android apps to run natively on Windows 11. It encompasses the Linux kernel, Android OS 11, and the pre-installed Amazon App Store. This empowers users to effortlessly install and run their preferred Android apps on their Windows 11 devices without encountering compatibility or performance issues.

Windows Subsystem for Android system requirements


Windows Build Number	Windows™ 11: Build 22000.526 or higher.	Windows™ 10: 22H2 10.0.19045.2311 or higher. May work on Windows™ 10: 20H1 10.0.19041.264 or higher.¹ _{^{1. You may need to install KB5014032 then install KB5022834 to use WSA on these older Windows 10 builds}}
Windows Build Number	*Custom/modfied Windows OS installations (such as ReviOS, Tiny 10/11 and Ghost Spectre etc.) may have issues with running WSA.*
RAM	4 to 6 GB (Not Recommended) 8 GB (Minimum) 16 GB (Recommended)
Processor	*CPU Architecture: x86_64 or arm64*
Processor	Your PC should meet the basic Windows™ 11 requirements i.e Core i3 8th Gen, Ryzen 3000, Snapdragon 8c, or above	N/A This is a bit of a hit or miss, but it is highly recommended that your processor is listed in the supported CPU lists for Windows 11 requirements
GPU	Any compatible Intel, AMD or Nvidia GPU. GPU Performance may vary depending on its compatibility with Windows Subsystem For Android™ Users with Intel HD Graphics 530 and older WSA may not start or graphical glitches will occur when Intel HD Graphics 530 and Older iGPUs are used. This is a known issue, but unfortunately there are no fixes that I currently know of, plus, these GPUs are too old and do not meet Windows 11 requirements and hence are not official supported. Follow this guide to switch to another iGPU/dGPU/eGPU that you may have or Microsoft Basic Renderer Users with Nvidia GPUs Nvidia GPUs are known to cause problems. If Windows Subsystem For Android™ does not start or there are graphical glitches when an Nvidia GPU is used, follow this guide to switch to another iGPU/dGPU/eGPU that you may have or Microsoft Basic Renderer
Storage	Solid-state drive (RECOMMENDED) OR Hard Disk Drive (HDD) (NOT RECOMMENDED)
Storage	*Minimum Storage Requirements: You must have at least 10GB free on the system drive (C:\)*
Partition	NTFS ONLY Windows Subsystem For Android™ can only be installed on a NTFS partition, not on an exFAT partition
Windows Features Needed	Virtual Machine Platform Enabled
	Windows Hypervisor Platform Enabled
	_{These optional settings are for virtualization and provide components that are needed to run WSA. You can enable these settings by pressing the Windows Key + R on your keyboard and typing “OptionalFeatures.exe” into the box, pressing enter and selecting the features above followed by pressing apply}
Virtualization	The Computer must support virtualization and be enabled in BIOS/UEFI and Optional Features. Guide on how to enable

Download (WSA) Windows Subsystem for Android

*Download Variant*
Differences:	Follows the “WSA Preview Program Channel”	Follows the “WSA Retail” or “Insider Fast Channel”
Differences:	Builds are generally newer than the “WSA Retail” and “Insider Fast Channel”	Builds are generally more stable than the builds in the “WSA Preview Program Channel”
Current Version:	2309.40000.2.0	2308.40000.3.0
Release Date:	Builds Released: 27/09/2023	Builds Released: 19/09/2023
Update Frequency:	Multiple Updates Every Month	One Update Every Month
	It is recommend to check this table regularly to see if there is a newer update avaliable for WSA for the Stable Builds and Pre-Release Builds

Operating System	Download Page	Download Mirror

Install (WSA) Windows Subsystem for Android

1. Enable Virtual Machine Platform

Before enabling the Virtual Machine Platform feature, the computer must enable virtualization on the UEFI firmware. If you don’t have this feature enabled, check with your computer manufacturer to find the details needed to complete this task.

To enable the Virtual Machine Platform on Windows 11, use these steps:

Open Start on Windows 11.
Search for Turn Windows features on or off, and click the top result to open the app.
Check the “Virtual Machine Platform” option.
Click the OK button.
Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, you can continue with the steps to install WSA.

2. Install Windows Subsystem for Android

Once you’ve enabled the Virtual Machine Platform, you can start the installation process.

Extract the file using a program like 7zip or WinRAR.
Rename the extracted folder to WSA.
Move the file to your Documents folder.
Open the folder and run the Run file as an administrator.
This process may take a few minutes, so be patient.
When it’s finished, a page will open to confirm that the installation was successful. The Windows Subsystem for Android program will also open.
Go to Advanced Settings and enable Developer Mode.
When you see a message, click Continue. The system will be preparing to start.
When it’s finished, the file manager will open.
Now you can search for Google Play, sign into your Google account, and download your favorite apps.

I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions.

HicHam October 29, 2023

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