Windows 11 won't have support for Android apps at launch on October 5

What you need to know

• Microsoft has revealed that Windows 11 will not support Android apps at launch.
• A preview of the feature will become available for Windows Insiders "over the coming months."
• Windows 11 will begin rolling out to eligible Windows 10 PCs on October 5.

Microsoft announced August 31 that Windows 11 will not include Android app support at launch. Support for running Android apps is one of the biggest highlights of the new operating system (via Windows Central).

It now looks like most Windows 11 users will have to wait until 2022 to be able to run Android apps. Aaron Woodman, general manager of Windows Marketing, revealed in a new blog post that Microsoft plans to bring a preview of the feature for Windows Insiders "over the coming months."

As revealed by Microsoft in June, Android apps will be listed in the new Microsoft Store and will be available to download through the Amazon Appstore. Microsoft will be using Intel Bridge technology to make the experience possible. In addition to Intel-powered devices, Android apps will also work on AMD and Arm-based Windows 11 PCs.

Currently, the only way to run Android apps on Windows PCs is to use an Android emulator such as Bluestacks. You can also run Android apps on Windows 10 devices using the Microsoft Your Phone app, but the functionality is limited to the best Samsung phones.

Windows 11 will start rolling out to eligible devices starting October 5. Microsoft expects all eligible devices to be upgraded to Windows 11 by mid-2022. If you have an eligible Windows 10 PC, Windows Update will notify you once the update is available. You can also check for the update manually by going to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.

Besides native support for Android apps, Windows 11 will bring Microsoft Teams integration, a fresh new interface, an AI-powered personalized feed called Widgets, a revamped Start menu, and accessibility improvements.