As Windows continues to evolve and redefine the personal computing landscape, its periodic updates bring not only novel features but also provoke strong feelings when established functionalities disappear. While the tide of innovation sweeps away many legacy components, not all removals are met with acceptance. In fact, some retirements leave behind a gap that independent developers—and everyday users—can’t help but notice. Among all the vaulted features that have vanished during the Windows 10 and Windows 11 eras, the discontinuation of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) stands out as a missed opportunity—one Microsoft should seriously consider reviving.
Windows Subsystem for Android arose from a growing demand: users wanted to natively run Android apps and games on their desktop PCs. Following the popularity of emulators like Bluestacks and others, Microsoft recognized this demand and, after experimenting with Project Astoria and other initiatives in the Windows 10 era, landed on WSA as the official, built-in path forward. Announced to much fanfare alongside Windows 11 in 2021, this feature was touted as an answer to one of the most consistently requested abilities in Windows: a seamless, transparent bridge to the mobile app world.
Yet, less than two years after its proper debut, WSA was quietly sunset. Despite a spate of early updates and visible effort from Microsoft, the company pulled the plug long before the idea could reach its true potential.
The question, then, isn’t whether the feature was wanted, but whether Microsoft ever implemented—or promoted—it in ways that allowed it to flourish.
Compare this archipelago of access to how Apple markets features on macOS or how mainstream Windows features get rolled out globally—the inconsistency is telling.
By hiding the existence of WSA behind several menus and installs, Microsoft eroded one of the greatest strengths of its own ecosystem: feature discoverability. Imagine if, on setting up a new PC, users saw a clear welcome screen: “Would you like to enable Android apps on your device?” Such an approach would have rapidly expanded WSA’s reach, rather than confining it to enthusiasts willing to jump through hoops.
Additionally, while Microsoft claimed Android apps would appear seamlessly in the Microsoft Store, this promise never fully materialized—leading to a disjointed experience where only a subset of applications appeared via the official channel.
Contrast this with Bluestacks and Google’s own offerings, which often bundle core Google services and can access the full breadth of the Play Store. Google Play Games for Windows, for example, allows users to sync game progress between their mobile and PC devices—a level of ecosystem integration Microsoft (so far) failed to match.
It’s unclear whether Microsoft ever seriously pursued a partnership with Google. While skeptics argue that Google would never “give away” Play Store access to a competing OS, examples like Google’s own PC platform and third-party emulators suggest there’s room for mutually-beneficial negotiation. The fundamental truth is that users want and expect Google Play—not a third-tier alternative.
In time, Microsoft managed to move Android services to a sort of hybrid “standby” state, optimizing background operations to reduce resource use while keeping app launch times reasonable. But this balancing act arrived late in the game, long after many early users had grown frustrated or abandoned the feature.
For a company renowned for its engineering talent, this differential performance (especially compared to WSL) is hard to justify and highlights missed opportunities in architecture and optimization.
Rather than relegating WSL to a niche afterthought, Microsoft made it a pillar of its Windows 10 and 11 value proposition. The result: WSL is widely regarded as one of the single best features added to Windows in the past decade.
There’s no technical or user experience reason Android support couldn’t be handled similarly. At core, both are about running a secondary platform inside Windows and exposing its applications in a transparent way. What WSL got right—and WSA did not—serves as a practical guide for future relaunches.
If a direct Google partnership proves impossible initially, the foundation should at least allow for user-supplied Play Services integration, and make sideloading as straightforward and supported as possible. Without core Google APIs, many of the world’s leading apps will remain out of reach for Windows users—powerfully undercutting the usefulness of the platform.
These solutions aren’t perfect. Bluestacks, for example, can be resource-heavy, lacks deep OS integration, and has a distinctly “unsupported” feeling despite its popularity. Google Play Games, meanwhile, supports only certain genres and doesn’t yet deliver on the holy grail of running any Android app natively on Windows. Nevertheless, both serve as proof-positive that demand endures.
If Microsoft wants to carve out a meaningful space in this landscape, the answer lies not in a piecemeal, half-hearted feature but a fully realized subsystem—one that works everywhere, does what users expect, and gets continuously better.
Microsoft has before it a chance to not only stay competitive with Chrome OS but to outdo it—offering the best of both work and play, mobile and desktop. If the company is willing to learn from past mistakes, collaborate with industry giants, and honor its user base’s clear preferences, WSA could become not just a neat bonus, but a pillar of Windows in the years to come.
The demand for Android app support on Windows hasn’t diminished. If anything, it has increased as new tools and platforms have shown what’s possible. Microsoft now has a blueprint, a motivated user base, and an open field to reclaim the lead. By coming back to WSA with renewed ambition, Microsoft could deliver not just on the promise of the past, but the expectations of the modern PC era.
For Windows enthusiasts, developers, and everyday users, the time is right: bring back Android apps, bring back Windows Subsystem for Android—and this time, do it right.
Source: XDA Microsoft removed this feature from Windows, and it's time to bring it back
The Short-Lived Tale of Windows Subsystem for Android
Windows Subsystem for Android arose from a growing demand: users wanted to natively run Android apps and games on their desktop PCs. Following the popularity of emulators like Bluestacks and others, Microsoft recognized this demand and, after experimenting with Project Astoria and other initiatives in the Windows 10 era, landed on WSA as the official, built-in path forward. Announced to much fanfare alongside Windows 11 in 2021, this feature was touted as an answer to one of the most consistently requested abilities in Windows: a seamless, transparent bridge to the mobile app world.Yet, less than two years after its proper debut, WSA was quietly sunset. Despite a spate of early updates and visible effort from Microsoft, the company pulled the plug long before the idea could reach its true potential.
Why the Loss of WSA Resonates
While some might argue that the feature failed because it didn't attract enough users, data and user sentiment suggest otherwise. The ongoing popularity of third-party solutions like Bluestacks—a mainstay for more than a decade—suggests a robust desire to run Android apps on PCs. Google itself has rolled out Google Play Games for Windows, further underscoring user interest and business opportunities in this space. The urge to access favorite mobile apps, syncing workflows between phone and desktop, and even engaging in cross-device gaming makes the idea of Android integration on Windows an obviously useful, if not indispensable, prospect.The question, then, isn’t whether the feature was wanted, but whether Microsoft ever implemented—or promoted—it in ways that allowed it to flourish.
The Barriers That Held Back WSA
For all its promise, WSA’s execution left much to be desired. Several significant hurdles stood in the way of truly widespread adoption:1. Geographic Availability (or Lack Thereof)
Microsoft’s decision to region-lock WSA dampened enthusiasm dramatically. A user in Portugal, for instance, couldn’t even set up Android apps without resorting to a region switch—a non-starter for most. From day one, the feature was artificially restricted, excluding much of Microsoft’s global customer base. For a company with worldwide reach, this limitation felt counterintuitive and frustrating.Compare this archipelago of access to how Apple markets features on macOS or how mainstream Windows features get rolled out globally—the inconsistency is telling.
2. Unintuitive Setup and Discovery
Enabling Android apps on Windows required a scavenger hunt: first install the Amazon Appstore through Microsoft Store, then untangle exactly what was being installed, all while never encountering a simple, up-front prompt offering to activate Android compatibility.By hiding the existence of WSA behind several menus and installs, Microsoft eroded one of the greatest strengths of its own ecosystem: feature discoverability. Imagine if, on setting up a new PC, users saw a clear welcome screen: “Would you like to enable Android apps on your device?” Such an approach would have rapidly expanded WSA’s reach, rather than confining it to enthusiasts willing to jump through hoops.
Additionally, while Microsoft claimed Android apps would appear seamlessly in the Microsoft Store, this promise never fully materialized—leading to a disjointed experience where only a subset of applications appeared via the official channel.
3. The Choice of Amazon Appstore Over Google Play
Perhaps the most puzzling architectural decision was tying WSA solely to Amazon’s Appstore. While the Amazon route may have carried a lower financial barrier (in terms of licensing and legal complexity), it brought along a far greater tradeoff: irrelevance. The Amazon Appstore has a severely limited app selection, with most popular Android applications nowhere to be found. Even as the number of supported apps expanded over time, users simply weren’t finding must-have titles through official means. Sideloading, an option for more adventurous users, failed to meaningfully bridge the gap—numerous applications, especially those relying on Google Mobile Services, simply wouldn’t run correctly.Contrast this with Bluestacks and Google’s own offerings, which often bundle core Google services and can access the full breadth of the Play Store. Google Play Games for Windows, for example, allows users to sync game progress between their mobile and PC devices—a level of ecosystem integration Microsoft (so far) failed to match.
It’s unclear whether Microsoft ever seriously pursued a partnership with Google. While skeptics argue that Google would never “give away” Play Store access to a competing OS, examples like Google’s own PC platform and third-party emulators suggest there’s room for mutually-beneficial negotiation. The fundamental truth is that users want and expect Google Play—not a third-tier alternative.
4. Performance and User Experience Pitfalls
The performance profile of WSA proved another sore point. Unlike the relatively frictionless Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which launches Linux environments swiftly on demand, WSA’s Android layer was slow to start and resource-intensive when kept running in the background. This forced users to choose between sluggish app launches or constant battery and memory drain—a tradeoff that, for many, was unacceptable.In time, Microsoft managed to move Android services to a sort of hybrid “standby” state, optimizing background operations to reduce resource use while keeping app launch times reasonable. But this balancing act arrived late in the game, long after many early users had grown frustrated or abandoned the feature.
For a company renowned for its engineering talent, this differential performance (especially compared to WSL) is hard to justify and highlights missed opportunities in architecture and optimization.
Lessons from WSL: The Template for Seamless Integration
Ironically, the Windows Subsystem for Linux became the gold standard for how to transparently merge a non-Windows OS runtime with Windows itself. WSL’s streamlined setup, integrated shell, and rapidly maturing compatibility attracted a huge user base—including many developers who previously relied on virtual machines.Rather than relegating WSL to a niche afterthought, Microsoft made it a pillar of its Windows 10 and 11 value proposition. The result: WSL is widely regarded as one of the single best features added to Windows in the past decade.
There’s no technical or user experience reason Android support couldn’t be handled similarly. At core, both are about running a secondary platform inside Windows and exposing its applications in a transparent way. What WSL got right—and WSA did not—serves as a practical guide for future relaunches.
What Would an Improved WSA Look Like?
If Microsoft were to reinstate the Windows Subsystem for Android, several key principles should guide its rebirth:Universal, Location-Agnostic Availability
No more region locks. Just as WSL is available in every market, WSA should be globally accessible from day one. Wherever Windows is sold, Android app support should be present. Technical licensing and regional complexities are solvable—Microsoft solved them with the Microsoft Store itself.First-Boot Discoverability
The setup experience should be frictionless: a simple, opt-in prompt during Windows setup or first boot, guiding users through enabling Android apps. Within Windows Settings, a dedicated “Android Apps” section would promote discoverability and streamline configuration, sidestepping the tangled web of Appstore dependencies and region switching.Google Play Services and Robust App Ecosystem
Forging a partnership with Google is challenging, but not as far-fetched as it once was. Stakeholders on both sides stand to benefit: Microsoft would offer a PC experience rivaling Chrome OS for Android app breadth, while Google could reach millions of PC users with its marketplace and franchises.If a direct Google partnership proves impossible initially, the foundation should at least allow for user-supplied Play Services integration, and make sideloading as straightforward and supported as possible. Without core Google APIs, many of the world’s leading apps will remain out of reach for Windows users—powerfully undercutting the usefulness of the platform.
Tuned Performance and Background Management
Drawing lessons from WSL’s well-optimized launch model, WSA should idle gracefully—consuming minimal resources when not running apps, yet launching into action almost instantaneously on demand. Whether through more advanced virtualization, smart batching of background processes, or deeper integration with Windows’ power management, this is both technically feasible and crucial for mainstream adoption.Security, Privacy, and Enterprise Controls
Any relaunch must be mindful of the new vectors opened by running mobile apps on desktops—not merely user-facing malware, but enterprise data leakage, lateral movement of threats, and new privacy concerns. With Microsoft’s deep roots in the corporate world, granular controls and clear security boundaries are non-negotiable for wide adoption. WSL benefited from early scrutiny and controls; WSA must do the same.Transparent Updates and Long-Term Support
One reason for the confusion and abandonment of WSA was the lack of a clear, public update lifecycle. Frequent, well-communicated updates and robust support documentation would signal a commitment to the feature and foster trust among risk-averse users—including businesses considering deploying Android-based workflows.Today’s Alternatives: Bluestacks, Google Play Games, and Third-Party Emulators
In the vacuum left by WSA, users haven’t simply moved on—they’ve looked elsewhere. Bluestacks remains the emulator of choice for gamers and productivity users alike, shipping features like Google Play access, gamepad support, and even macro scripting. Google’s Play Games for Windows is now a viable, official channel for playing Android games on PCs, minimizing friction and maximizing cross-device sync.These solutions aren’t perfect. Bluestacks, for example, can be resource-heavy, lacks deep OS integration, and has a distinctly “unsupported” feeling despite its popularity. Google Play Games, meanwhile, supports only certain genres and doesn’t yet deliver on the holy grail of running any Android app natively on Windows. Nevertheless, both serve as proof-positive that demand endures.
If Microsoft wants to carve out a meaningful space in this landscape, the answer lies not in a piecemeal, half-hearted feature but a fully realized subsystem—one that works everywhere, does what users expect, and gets continuously better.
Risks and Caveats: Why Microsoft Might Hesitate
To be clear, integrating a competing app ecosystem into Windows is not a trivial business decision. Microsoft’s reluctance may stem from several core anxieties:- Loss of Store Revenue: Every Android app installed sidesteps Microsoft Store’s revenue stream, touching off a familiar tension with third-party platform holders.
- Support and Compatibility Headaches: Android’s device matrix, coupled with divergent app dependencies and the runaway nature of sideloaded software, could pose massive maintenance liabilities for Microsoft.
- Google’s Competitive Stance: Even if technically possible, Google’s historical reluctance to support full Android systems on non-Chrome OS platforms could stymie partnership talks. Though Google has shown more flexibility in recent years, monopoly concerns and strategic competition could derail negotiations.
- Security Concerns: Any opening to mobile apps introduces new vulnerabilities and risk vectors. Without airtight sandboxing and permissions management, the security posture of Windows could be weakened.
Why Reviving WSA Is Worth the Effort
Despite its premature demise, WSA remains one of the most exciting ideas to come out of the Windows 11 era. In a world where hardware and app ecosystems are increasingly fluid, the artificial walls separating Android and Windows no longer make sense. User experience, not corporate turf-wars, should dictate the feature roadmap.Microsoft has before it a chance to not only stay competitive with Chrome OS but to outdo it—offering the best of both work and play, mobile and desktop. If the company is willing to learn from past mistakes, collaborate with industry giants, and honor its user base’s clear preferences, WSA could become not just a neat bonus, but a pillar of Windows in the years to come.
Conclusion: The Call for a Second Chance
Innovation often means letting go of the past. But sometimes, progress requires circling back to good ideas that simply weren’t executed well enough the first time. The Windows Subsystem for Android, in concept, is exactly the kind of feature that can propel Windows forward—if brought back, revamped with accessibility, performance, and ecosystem depth at its core.The demand for Android app support on Windows hasn’t diminished. If anything, it has increased as new tools and platforms have shown what’s possible. Microsoft now has a blueprint, a motivated user base, and an open field to reclaim the lead. By coming back to WSA with renewed ambition, Microsoft could deliver not just on the promise of the past, but the expectations of the modern PC era.
For Windows enthusiasts, developers, and everyday users, the time is right: bring back Android apps, bring back Windows Subsystem for Android—and this time, do it right.
Source: XDA Microsoft removed this feature from Windows, and it's time to bring it back
