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Windows 11 Android Apps Gap After WSA Sunset: Five Missing Utilities

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Windonws 11’s promise of “just run your favorite Android apps on PC” is a lot less straightforward today — five mobile-first apps that illustrate the gap between phone conveniences and native desktop software are still missing from the Microsoft Store, and the official route for running Android software on Windows has been wound down.

Background​

The Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) once provided a neat bridge between Android apps and Windows 11 by hosting the Amazon Appstore and running Android in a VM on top of Windows. Microsoft has announced that support for WSA — and therefore the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will end on March 5, 2025, which effectively closes the easiest, officially supported path for using most Android apps on Windows. Multiple outlets reported the deprecation after Microsoft updated its developer and support documentation. That shift matters because a handful of Android-first utilities — apps built around phone hardware, notifications, SMS access and casting — don’t have polished, native Windows equivalents. A recent roundup that highlights those missing exemplary representative apps: Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast. The list shows where the desktop model still lags behind mobile conventions.
This feature explains why those apps are hard to replace on Windows, checks the platform claims against public listings and official documentation, weighs the trade-offs of known workarounds, and highlights the security and usability risks users should consider before trying to graft phone-first software onto a PC.

Overview: why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

There are three structural reasons mobile-first utilities remain mobile-first:
  • Deep OS hooks — Apps like Textra and BuzzKill rely on Android-only system hooks (SMS databases, notification intercept APIs, background notification services) that are not available in the same way to Windows apps.
  • Device-as-controller designs — Casting tools and remote-control apps use the smartphone as the discovery and authentication point; moving that role to a PC changes the trust and network model.
  • Form-factor and expectations — Many mobile utilities are designed for intermittent, battery-aware use and short interactions; implementing their precise UI/UX on a multi-window desktop is often a poor fit.
Because Microsoft’s WSA was the simplest way to keep those Android behaviors intact on Windows, its deprecation reduces the number of reliable, officially supported options. The remaining choices are largely: (a) mirror your phone to your PC (Phone Link or third‑party mirroring), (b) run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer (third‑party emulators or developer AVDs), or (c) replace functionality with a native Windows alternative — each with trade-offs in reliability, privacy and maintenance.

The five apps and why Windows users notice their absence​

Each of the five apps singled out by the roundup highlights a different gap. Below: what each app does, how popular it is on Android, why it’s hard to port to Windows, and realistic Windows alternatives or workarounds.

Textra SMS — the customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a lightweight, highly customizable SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes fast performance, themes, message scheduling and per-conversation controls. It plugs directly into Android’s native SMS store so messages are sent and received by the device itself. Popularity and stats: Play‑store aggregators list Textra in the multi‑million download range with a solid four‑star average; it’s a mainstream SMS replacement for users seeking more visual choice than Google Messages. Why it’s mobile-only: Textra’s feature set depends on read/write access to the SMS/MMS database and Android notification hooks. A faithful Windows port would either need to be the phone’s SMS client (which implies carrier and SIM access) or rely on a connected phone to proxy messages. That dependency is why Windows has historically used phone-linking apps, not standalone SMS clients: Windows cannot interface with a user’s cellular network or SIM without going through the phone. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Microsoft’s Phone Link to mirror SMS from an Android phone to a PC — this requires the phone to be nearby and connected. Phone Link supports sending and receiving SMS and MMS through the paired phone.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet-style apps, or web-client companions) but these add another online account and often a subscription.
  • Run Textra inside an Android runtime (emulator or the former WSA) — this preserves behavior but requires the Android environment and raises performance/security considerations.
Practical takeaway: if you value Textra’s visual customization and local message handling, the “ideal” experience remains tied to the phone; Windows equivalents are either less feature-rich or depend on a live phone link.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — fine-grained notification rules​

What it does: BuzzKill is a privacy‑minded notification manager that implements advanced filtering rules (cooldowns, auto‑dismiss, pattern‑based responses, reminders) so your phone only disturbs you for important alerts. The developer positions it as a privacy‑first, paid app with no ads. Popularity and stats: Play Store listings show modest but engaged usage, with tens of thousands of installs and paid pricing — indicating a niche but vocal audience for refined notification control. Why it’s mobile-only: BuzzKill intercepts and manipulates Android notifications using platform APIs that are specific to Android’s notification pipeline. Windows has a very different notification model and lacks out‑of‑the‑box, per‑app cooldowns or deep pattern matching that acts on notifications in the same way. On Windows, notifications typically originate from installed apps or system services, not from an OS‑level, centralized pipeline that a single app can flexibly rewrite. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Rely on Windows’ built‑in Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings for broad suppression.
  • Mirror phone notifications via Phone Link and execute rules on the phone itself — but that requires the phone to handle filtering, not the PC.
  • Use automation tools (PowerToys, AutoHotkey) to manage notification display on Windows, but these are not a like‑for‑like substitution.
Practical takeaway: BuzzKill-style rules are intrinsically tied to the phone’s notification stream; Windows alternatives exist but are more coarse-grained.

Podcast Republic — podcast player and RSS manager​

What it does: Podcast Republic is a full‑featured podcast and RSS manager with advanced playlists, offline syncing and episode management that’s optimized for mobile listening patterns. It often bundles a web companion but its primary interface is on Android. Popularity and stats: Listings report millions of installs and a high average rating, showing it’s a trusted choice for heavy podcast listeners. Why it’s mobile-first but potentially portable: Podcast apps are the most portable on the list — they rely on standard network protocols (RSS, HTTP) and local media storage. The reason Podcast Republic still skews mobile is user expectation: quick playback controls, offline sync managed around intermittent connections, and mobile UI choices. A Windows client is technically feasible yet many podcast apps choose to focus on mobile-first UX. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use native Windows podcast apps or web players (Pocket Casts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts on Mac/PC web) that replicate many features.
  • Use web-based podcast players and a browser “app” to pin a podcast manager to the taskbar — less integrated but workable.
Practical takeaway: podcasts are easiest to replace on Windows; users should evaluate modern desktop podcast clients before chasing Android-only options.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit converts websites into lightweight “Lite Apps” that run in their own windows with per-site settings, content blockers and sandboxing. It’s a hybrid between bookmarklets, web wrappers and a minimal browser tailored to keep bloat down. Popularity and stats: Hermit shows healthy interest on Android with over 1M+ installs and strong reviews from users who prize compact, privacy‑minded wrappers. Why it’s mobile-first: Hermit optimizes for small storage devices and conservative background behavior — qualities that mattered more on older phones. The “Lite App” model also leverages Android’s intent sharing and notification access in ways that are simpler to deliver on mobile. On Windows, creating persistent single‑window web wrappers is easy with modern browsers (PWA support), but Hermit’s per‑site sandboxing and mobile‑focused content blockers are unique. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) from Chrome or Edge to pin websites in their own windows.
  • Use dedicated lightweight browsers or containerized browser profiles (Firefox containers, Edge profiles).
  • Install a small browser shell that loads a site as a standalone window; some third‑party utilities mimic Hermit’s behavior.
Practical takeaway: Hermit’s behavior is reproducible on Windows with PWAs and browser containers, but Hermit’s convenience and mobile optimizations are still compelling for mobile-first workflows.

Web Video Cast — browser-to-TV casting​

What it does: Web Video Cast parses video URLs inside webpages and directs the stream to casting devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA receivers), letting the phone act as the discovery and playback controller. It supports a wide range of streaming devices and stream types. Popularity and stats: Web Video Cast is one of the largest of the five — Play Store aggregators report tens of millions of installs and millions of ratings, signifying broad use. Why it’s mobile-first: Casting workflows assume the phone mediates device discovery, local network authentication and URL extraction from mobile-optimized pages. Although PCs can cast and many apps support casting from Windows, Web Video Cast’s approach of using the phone’s mobile browser as a discovery and control surface is deeply embedded in the app’s architecture. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Chrome/Edge built‑in “Cast” to direct a tab or desktop to a Chromecast‑capable device.
  • Use manufacturer apps for Fire TV, Roku or DLNA receivers which often provide PC clients or web interfaces.
  • Mirror phone screen to PC or TV using vendor tools, but that is often less efficient than direct casting.
Practical takeaway: Web Video Cast remains the smoothest path for many casual users, but Windows can match much of its functionality with built‑in casting in browsers and device vendor apps.

Verification: platform claims and numbers​

The core claims in the roundup — that these apps are mobile‑first and lack native Microsoft Store counterparts — are verifiable via a combination of publisher pages and platform announcements:
  • Microsoft’s deprecation notice and coverage from Windows-focused outlets confirm WSA and Amazon Appstore support end date: March 5, 2025. This is not speculation — Microsoft updated its documentation and the change was widely reported.
  • Microsoft’s Phone Link documentation describes the capability to show, send and receive SMS/MMS by proxying through a paired Android device, confirming Phone Link is a practical but phone‑dependent alternative for SMS.
  • Play Store pages and app‑analytics aggregators document each app’s install counts, price and rating ranges: Textra (multi‑million installs, ~4.2–4.3 rating), BuzzKill (tens of thousands installs, paid), Podcast Republic (1M+ installs, ~4.5 rating), Hermit (1M+ installs) and Web Video Cast (tens of millions installs). Those listings show active, real user bases on Android.
Caveat: where public documentation does not reveal Microsoft’s internal rationale for WSA’s retirement, statements about the company’s motivations remain speculative. Treat explanations about “why Microsoft ended WSA” as informed interpretation unless Microsoft publishes a formal rationale. This is not a factual claim but context that should be considered provisional.

Security, privacy and operational risks of the workarounds​

With the official Android-on-Windows path removed, many users will look to alternatives — all of which carry trade-offs.
  • Emulators and third‑party runtime layers (BlueStacks, LDPlayer, Genymotion, AVDs) create a larger attack surface. Running third‑party Android environments on Windows elevates the complexity of updates and may expose the host to Android‑specific malware vectors, especially if users sideload APKs from unvetted sources. Security researchers have repeatedly shown Android malware that abuses system features, and repackaged APKs distributed outside the Play Store are high‑risk vectors.
  • Sideloading APKs or using unofficial app stores reduces the protection of Play Store vetting and can subvert app integrity checks. Recent industry actions and policy conversations around sideloading reflect an ongoing tension between openness and security. Google has signaled policy changes around sideloading that could reshape the landscape for non‑Play distribution. Users who sideload should take additional precautions (sandboxing, strict antivirus, network isolation).
  • Phone‑mirroring and screen‑casting depend on a reliable local network connection and keep the phone in the critical path — if the phone sleeps or disconnects, the PC experience breaks. Phone Link like solutions are convenient but not a replacement for a native app; they route personal data through a live device and any connected service (cloud sync, companion web clients) introduces privacy considerations.
  • Browser‑based fallbacks (PWAs, web players) are usually the safest route for portability, but they can’t replace OS‑level integrations like SMS access or deep notification controls.
Short checklist for safe experimentation:
  1. Prefer official app stores and avoid sideloading unless necessary.
  2. If using an emulator, keep it updated and sandbox it from sensitive host data.
  3. For SMS and notifications, prefer Phone Link or vendor‑supplied methods rather than third‑party bridges that require broad permissions.
  4. Use local network isolation (guest Wi‑Fi) when testing casting or mirroring from unfamiliar apps.

How rival platforms handle the same gap​

Apple and Google took different technical routes that sidestep some of Windows’ problems.
  • Apple: iPhone and iPad apps can run on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in, because iOS and macOS share a unified runtime environment on ARM‑based Macs. Developers control availability through App Store Connect. This is a privileged, platform‑level compatibility that makes many mobile apps available on desktop by design.
  • Google/Chromebooks: Many Chromebooks run Android apps via the Play Store because ChromeOS integrates the Android runtime; device compatibility varies by model and settings, but Google’s Chromebook approach provides a persistent Android runtime on desktop hardware for supported devices. That model gives ChromeOS an advantage when users want native Android apps on larger screens.
Windows took a hybrid, partner‑driven route (WSA + Amazon Appstore) rather than a pure runtime graft; that approach worked technically but didn’t match the breadth of Google Play and ultimately left Windows vulnerable to strategic withdrawal. The result is a patchwork of options rather than a single, durable solution.

Practical recommendations for Windows users who want the missing features​

  • If you need SMS on your PC today: set up Phone Link with a paired Android phone and use its message features. It’s supported by Microsoft and avoids third‑party cloud accounts. Keep in mind it requires the phone to remain connected and unlocked for some features.
  • If you depend on advanced notification rules (BuzzKill), keep those rules on the phone: use mirroring to bring notifications to your desktop rather than trying to recreate the logic on Windows.
  • If podcasts are the core need, evaluate desktop podcast apps and web players — many offer equal or better episode management than mobile-only apps.
  • For web‑light apps and PWA** installation in Chromium‑based browsers or Edge profiles to emulate Hermit‑style behavior with better security and easier updates.
  • For casting video to smart TVs, try native browser cast features or vendor apps first; if the phone apps are the only workable option, use them but be mindful of local network permissions and device discovery settings.
If you are technically adventurous and accept the risks, Android emulators can run many Android apps on Windows — but treat these like test environments: avoid logging into critical services, keep snapshots or VM images, and maintain endpoint security on the host.

The strategic picture and what to watch next​

Microsoft’s decision to wind down WSA left an ecosystem problem: Windows does not have a single, integrated runtime that replicates Android behaviors across the board. That gap is consequential for users who rely on phone habits — SMS-first workflows, advanced notification filtering, or casting conveniences — and it opens an opportunity for third‑party solutions, but with an important caveat: third‑party workarounds often require tradeoffs in privacy, security and reliability.
Watch for three developments that will shape the next 12–24 months:
  • Microsoft’s response: whether the company invests further in Phone Link or other native Windows experiences to absorb mobile features, or whether it pursues new partnerships to reintroduce an official Android runtime.
  • Third‑party runtimes and app stores: their usability and security posture, especially if Amazon or other vendors change distribution strategies.
  • Platform policy shifts: Google’s evolving stance on sideloading and app distribution could alter how safe and practical APK sideloading remains as a fallback.
Until then, lists like the one that prompted this piece are useful reminders: some mobile experiences still map poorly to desktop paradigms, and substituting cross‑platform promises for actual, functional parity often reveals practical limits.

Conclusion​

The five Android-first apps highlighted by recent coverage underscore a basic truth: a phone is still the best place for certain utilities. Microsoft’s deprecated Android subsystem narrowed the choices for Windows users, and while workarounds exist — mirroring, emulation, web wrappers — each introduces trade‑offs around performance, privacy and convenience. For users who must retain these mobile behaviors on a PC, the pragmatic path is to pick the least risky workaround that preserves the feature set you need: Phone Link for SMS, PWAs and browser tools for lite web apps, and native casting or vendor apps for streaming. Those seeking true native parity should expect imperfect compromises until (and unless) Microsoft or another major vendor commits to a long‑term, platform‑level solution.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Click to expand...
Windows 11’s promise of “just run your favorite Android apps on PC” is a lot less straightforward today — five mobile-first apps that illustrate the gap between phone conveniences and native desktop software are still missing from the Microsoft Store, and the official route for running Android software on Windows has been wound down.

Background​

The Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) once provided a neat bridge between Android apps and Windows 11 by hosting the Amazon Appstore and running Android in a VM on top of Windows. Microsoft has announced that support for WSA — and therefore the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will end on March 5, 2025, which effectively closes the easiest, officially supported path for using most Android apps on Windows. Multiple outlets reported the deprecation after Microsoft updated its developer and support documentation. That shift matters because a handful of Android-first utilities — apps built around phone hardware, notifications, SMS access and casting — don’t have polished, native Windows equivalents. A recent roundup that highlights those missing expert representative apps: Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast. The list shows where the desktop model still lags behind mobile conventions.
This feature explains why those apps are hard to replace on Windows, checks the platform claims against public listings and official documentation, weighs the trade-offs of known workarounds, and highlights the security and usability risks users should consider before trying to graft phone-first software onto a PC.

Overview: why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

There are three structural reasons mobile-first utilities remain mobile-first:
  • Deep OS hooks — Apps like Textra and BuzzKill rely on Android-only system hooks (SMS databases, notification intercept APIs, background notification services) that are not available in the same way to Windows apps.
  • Device-as-controller designs — Casting tools and remote-control apps use the smartphone as the discovery and authentication point; moving that role to a PC changes the trust and network model.
  • Form-factor and expectations — Many mobile utilities are designed for intermittent, battery-aware use and short interactions; implementing their precise UI/UX on a multi-window desktop is often a poor fit.
Because Microsoft’s WSA was the simplest way to keep those Android behaviors intact on Windows, its deprecation reduces the number of reliable, officially supported options. The remaining choices are largely: (a) mirror your phone to your PC (Phone Link or third‑party mirroring), (b) run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer (third‑party emulators or developer AVDs), or (c) replace functionality with a native Windows alternative — each with trade-offs in reliability, privacy and maintenance.

The five apps and why Windows users notice their absence​

Each of the five apps singled out by the roundup highlights a different gap. Below: what each app does, how popular it is on Android, why it’s hard to port to Windows, and realistic Windows alternatives or workarounds.

Textra SMS — the customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a lightweight, highly customizable SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes fast performance, themes, message scheduling and per-conversation controls. It plugs directly into Android’s native SMS store so messages are sent and received by the device itself. Popularity and stats: Play‑store aggregators list Textra in the multi‑million download range with a solid four‑star average; it’s a mainstream SMS replacement for users seeking more visual choice than Google Messages. Why it’s mobile-only: Textra’s feature set depends on read/write access to the SMS/MMS database and Android notification hooks. A faithful Windows port would either need to be the phone’s SMS client (which implies carrier and SIM access) or rely on a connected phone to proxy messages. That dependency is why Windows has historically used phone-linking apps, not standalone SMS clients: Windows cannot interface with a user’s cellular network or SIM without going through the phone. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Microsoft’s Phone Link to mirror SMS from an Android phone to a PC — this requires the phone to be nearby and connected. Phone Link supports sending and receiving SMS and MMS through the paired phone.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet-style apps, or web-client companions) but these add another online account and often a subscription.
  • Run Textra inside an Android runtime (emulator or the former WSA) — this preserves behavior but requires the Android environment and raises performance/security considerations.
Practical takeaway: if you value Textra’s visual customization and local message handling, the “ideal” experience remains tied to the phone; Windows equivalents are either less feature-rich or depend on a live phone link.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — fine-grained notification rules​

What it does: BuzzKill is a privacy‑minded notification manager that implements advanced filtering rules (cooldowns, auto‑dismiss, pattern‑based responses, reminders) so your phone only disturbs you for important alerts. The developer positions it as a privacy‑first, paid app with no ads. Popularity and stats: Play Store listings show modest but engaged usage, with tens of thousands of installs and paid pricing — indicating a niche but vocal audience for refined notification control. Why it’s mobile-only: BuzzKill intercepts and manipulates Android notifications using platform APIs that are specific to Android’s notification pipeline. Windows has a very different notification model and lacks out‑of‑the‑box, per‑app cooldowns or deep pattern matching that acts on notifications in the same way. On Windows, notifications typically originate from installed apps or system services, not from an OS‑level, centralized pipeline that a single app can flexibly rewrite. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Rely on Windows’ built‑in Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings for broad suppression.
  • Mirror phone notifications via Phone Link and execute rules on the phone itself — but that requires the phone to handle filtering, not the PC.
  • Use automation tools (PowerToys, AutoHotkey) to manage notification display on Windows, but these are not a like‑for‑like substitution.
Practical takeaway: BuzzKill-style rules are intrinsically tied to the phone’s notification stream; Windows alternatives exist but are more coarse-grained.

Podcast Republic — podcast player and RSS manager​

What it does: Podcast Republic is a full‑featured podcast and RSS manager with advanced playlists, offline syncing and episode management that’s optimized for mobile listening patterns. It often bundles a web companion but its primary interface is on Android. Popularity and stats: Listings report millions of installs and a high average rating, showing it’s a trusted choice for heavy podcast listeners. Why it’s mobile-first but potentially portable: Podcast apps are the most portable on the list — they rely on standard network protocols (RSS, HTTP) and local media storage. The reason Podcast Republic still skews mobile is user expectation: quick playback controls, offline sync managed around intermittent connections, and mobile UI choices. A Windows client is technically feasible yet many podcast apps choose to focus on mobile-first UX. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use native Windows podcast apps or web players (Pocket Casts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts on Mac/PC web) that replicate many features.
  • Use web-based podcast players and a browser “app” to pin a podcast manager to the taskbar — less integrated but workable.
Practical takeaway: podcasts are easiest to replace on Windows; users should evaluate modern desktop podcast clients before chasing Android-only options.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit converts websites into lightweight “Lite Apps” that run in their own windows with per-site settings, content blockers and sandboxing. It’s a hybrid between bookmarklets, web wrappers and a minimal browser tailored to keep bloat down. Popularity and stats: Hermit shows healthy interest on Android with over 1M+ installs and strong reviews from users who prize compact, privacy‑minded wrappers. Why it’s mobile-first: Hermit optimizes for small storage devices and conservative background behavior — qualities that mattered more on older phones. The “Lite App” model also leverages Android’s intent sharing and notification access in ways that are simpler to deliver on mobile. On Windows, creating persistent single‑window web wrappers is easy with modern browsers (PWA support), but Hermit’s per‑site sandboxing and mobile‑focused content blockers are unique. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) from Chrome or Edge to pin websites in their own windows.
  • Use dedicated lightweight browsers or containerized browser profiles (Firefox containers, Edge profiles).
  • Install a small browser shell that loads a site as a standalone window; some third‑party utilities mimic Hermit’s behavior.
Practical takeaway: Hermit’s behavior is reproducible on Windows with PWAs and browser containers, but Hermit’s convenience and mobile optimizations are still compelling for mobile-first workflows.

Web Video Cast — browser-to-TV casting​

What it does: Web Video Cast parses video URLs inside webpages and directs the stream to casting devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA receivers), letting the phone act as the discovery and playback controller. It supports a wide range of streaming devices and stream types. Popularity and stats: Web Video Cast is one of the largest of the five — Play Store aggregators report tens of millions of installs and millions of ratings, signifying broad use. Why it’s mobile-first: Casting workflows assume the phone mediates device discovery, local network authentication and URL extraction from mobile-optimized pages. Although PCs can cast and many apps support casting from Windows, Web Video Cast’s approach of using the phone’s mobile browser as a discovery and control surface is deeply embedded in the app’s architecture. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Chrome/Edge built‑in “Cast” to direct a tab or desktop to a Chromecast‑capable device.
  • Use manufacturer apps for Fire TV, Roku or DLNA receivers which often provide PC clients or web interfaces.
  • Mirror phone screen to PC or TV using vendor tools, but that is often less efficient than direct casting.
Practical takeaway: Web Video Cast remains the smoothest path for many casual users, but Windows can match much of its functionality with built‑in casting in browsers and device vendor apps.

Verification: platform claims and numbers​

The core claims in the roundup — that these apps are mobile‑first and lack native Microsoft Store counterparts — are verifiable via a combination of publisher pages and platform announcements:
  • Microsoft’s deprecation notice and coverage from Windows-focused outlets confirm WSA and Amazon Appstore support end date: March 5, 2025. This is not speculation — Microsoft updated its documentation and the change was widely reported.
  • Microsoft’s Phone Link documentation describes the capability to show, send and receive SMS/MMS by proxying through a paired Android device, confirming Phone Link is a practical but phone‑dependent alternative for SMS.
  • Play Store pages and app‑analytics aggregators document each app’s install counts, price and rating ranges: Textra (multi‑million installs, ~4.2–4.3 rating), BuzzKill (tens of thousands installs, paid), Podcast Republic (1M+ installs, ~4.5 rating), Hermit (1M+ installs) and Web Video Cast (tens of millions installs). Those listings show active, real user bases on Android.
Caveat: where public documentation does not reveal Microsoft’s internal rationale for WSA’s retirement, statements about the company’s motivations remain speculative. Treat explanations about “why Microsoft ended WSA” as informed interpretation unless Microsoft publishes a formal rationale. This is not a factual claim but context that should be considered provisional.

Security, privacy and operational risks of the workarounds​

With the official Android-on-Windows path removed, many users will look to alternatives — all of which carry trade-offs.
  • Emulators and third‑party runtime layers (BlueStacks, LDPlayer, Genymotion, AVDs) create a larger attack surface. Running third‑party Android environments on Windows elevates the complexity of updates and may expose the host to Android‑specific malware vectors, especially if users sideload APKs from unvetted sources. Security researchers have repeatedly shown Android malware that abuses system features, and repackaged APKs distributed outside the Play Store are high‑risk vectors.
  • Sideloading APKs or using unofficial app stores reduces the protection of Play Store vetting and can subvert app integrity checks. Recent industry actions and policy conversations around sideloading reflect an ongoing tension between openness and security. Google has signaled policy changes around sideloading that could reshape the landscape for non‑Play distribution. Users who sideload should take additional precautions (sandboxing, strict antivirus, network isolation).
  • Phone‑mirroring and screen‑casting depend on a reliable local network connection and keep the phone in the critical path — if the phone sleeps or disconnects, the PC experience breaks. Phone Link like solutions are convenient but not a replacement for a native app; they route personal data through a live device and any connected service (cloud sync, companion web clients) introduces privacy considerations.
  • Browser‑based fallbacks (PWAs, web players) are usually the safest route for portability, but they can’t replace OS‑level integrations like SMS access or deep notification controls.
Short checklist for safe experimentation:
  1. Prefer official app stores and avoid sideloading unless necessary.
  2. If using an emulator, keep it updated and sandbox it from sensitive host data.
  3. For SMS and notifications, prefer Phone Link or vendor‑supplied methods rather than third‑party bridges that require broad permissions.
  4. Use local network isolation (guest Wi‑Fi) when testing casting or mirroring from unfamiliar apps.

How rival platforms handle the same gap​

Apple and Google took different technical routes that sidestep some of Windows’ problems.
  • Apple: iPhone and iPad apps can run on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in, because iOS and macOS share a unified runtime environment on ARM‑based Macs. Developers control availability through App Store Connect. This is a privileged, platform‑level compatibility that makes many mobile apps available on desktop by design.
  • Google/Chromebooks: Many Chromebooks run Android apps via the Play Store because ChromeOS integrates the Android runtime; device compatibility varies by model and settings, but Google’s Chromebook approach provides a persistent Android runtime on desktop hardware for supported devices. That model gives ChromeOS an advantage when users want native Android apps on larger screens.
Windows took a hybrid, partner‑driven route (WSA + Amazon Appstore) rather than a pure runtime graft; that approach worked technically but didn’t match the breadth of Google Play and ultimately left Windows vulnerable to strategic withdrawal. The result is a patchwork of options rather than a single, durable solution.

Practical recommendations for Windows users who want the missing features​

  • If you need SMS on your PC today: set up Phone Link with a paired Android phone and use its message features. It’s supported by Microsoft and avoids third‑party cloud accounts. Keep in mind it requires the phone to remain connected and unlocked for some features.
  • If you depend on advanced notification rules (BuzzKill), keep those rules on the phone: use mirroring to bring notifications to your desktop rather than trying to recreate the logic on Windows.
  • If podcasts are the core need, evaluate desktop podcast apps and web players — many offer equal or better episode management than mobile-only apps.
  • For web‑light apps and PWA** installation in Chromium‑based browsers or Edge profiles to emulate Hermit‑style behavior with better security and easier updates.
  • For casting video to smart TVs, try native browser cast features or vendor apps first; if the phone apps are the only workable option, use them but be mindful of local network permissions and device discovery settings.
If you are technically adventurous and accept the risks, Android emulators can run many Android apps on Windows — but treat these like test environments: avoid logging into critical services, keep snapshots or VM images, and maintain endpoint security on the host.

The strategic picture and what to watch next​

Microsoft’s decision to wind down WSA left an ecosystem problem: Windows does not have a single, integrated runtime that replicates Android behaviors across the board. That gap is consequential for users who rely on phone habits — SMS-first workflows, advanced notification filtering, or casting conveniences — and it opens an opportunity for third‑party solutions, but with an important caveat: third‑party workarounds often require tradeoffs in privacy, security and reliability.
Watch for three developments that will shape the next 12–24 months:
  • Microsoft’s response: whether the company invests further in Phone Link or other native Windows experiences to absorb mobile features, or whether it pursues new partnerships to reintroduce an official Android runtime.
  • Third‑party runtimes and app stores: their usability and security posture, especially if Amazon or other vendors change distribution strategies.
  • Platform policy shifts: Google’s evolving stance on sideloading and app distribution could alter how safe and practical APK sideloading remains as a fallback.
Until then, lists like the one that prompted this piece are useful reminders: some mobile experiences still map poorly to desktop paradigms, and substituting cross‑platform promises for actual, functional parity often reveals practical limits.

Conclusion​

The five Android-first apps highlighted by recent coverage underscore a basic truth: a phone is still the best place for certain utilities. Microsoft’s deprecated Android subsystem narrowed the choices for Windows users, and while workarounds exist — mirroring, emulation, web wrappers — each introduces trade‑offs around performance, privacy and convenience. For users who must retain these mobile behaviors on a PC, the pragmatic path is to pick the least risky workaround that preserves the feature set you need: Phone Link for SMS, PWAs and browser tools for lite web apps, and native casting or vendor apps for streaming. Those seeking true native parity should expect imperfect compromises until (and unless) Microsoft or another major vendor commits to a long‑term, platform‑level solution.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s promise of “just run your favorite Android apps on PC” is a lot less straightforward today — five mobile-first apps that illustrate the gap between phone conveniences and native desktop software are still missing from the Microsoft Store, and the official route for running Android software on Windows has been wound down.

Background​

The Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) once provided a neat bridge between Android apps and Windows 11 by hosting the Amazon Appstore and running Android in a VM on top of Windows. Microsoft has announced that support for WSA — and therefore the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will end on March 5, 2025, which effectively closes the easiest, officially supported path for using most Android apps on Windows. Multiple outlets reported the deprecation after Microsoft updated its developer and support documentation. That shift matters because a handful of Android-first utilities — apps built around phone hardware, notifications, SMS access and casting — don’t have polished, native Windows equivalents. A recent roundup that highlights those missing exemplary representative apps: Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast. The list shows where the desktop model still lags behind mobile conventions.
This feature explains why those apps are hard to replace on Windows, checks the platform claims against public listings and official documentation, weighs the trade-offs of known workarounds, and highlights the security and usability risks users should consider before trying to graft phone-first software onto a PC.

Overview: why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

There are three structural reasons mobile-first utilities remain mobile-first:
  • Deep OS hooks — Apps like Textra and BuzzKill rely on Android-only system hooks (SMS databases, notification intercept APIs, background notification services) that are not available in the same way to Windows apps.
  • Device-as-controller designs — Casting tools and remote-control apps use the smartphone as the discovery and authentication point; moving that role to a PC changes the trust and network model.
  • Form-factor and expectations — Many mobile utilities are designed for intermittent, battery-aware use and short interactions; implementing their precise UI/UX on a multi-window desktop is often a poor fit.
Because Microsoft’s WSA was the simplest way to keep those Android behaviors intact on Windows, its deprecation reduces the number of reliable, officially supported options. The remaining choices are largely: (a) mirror your phone to your PC (Phone Link or third‑party mirroring), (b) run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer (third‑party emulators or developer AVDs), or (c) replace functionality with a native Windows alternative — each with trade-offs in reliability, privacy and maintenance.

The five apps and why Windows users notice their absence​

Each of the five apps singled out by the roundup highlights a different gap. Below: what each app does, how popular it is on Android, why it’s hard to port to Windows, and realistic Windows alternatives or workarounds.

Textra SMS — the customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a lightweight, highly customizable SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes fast performance, themes, message scheduling and per-conversation controls. It plugs directly into Android’s native SMS store so messages are sent and received by the device itself. Popularity and stats: Play‑store aggregators list Textra in the multi‑million download range with a solid four‑star average; it’s a mainstream SMS replacement for users seeking more visual choice than Google Messages. Why it’s mobile-only: Textra’s feature set depends on read/write access to the SMS/MMS database and Android notification hooks. A faithful Windows port would either need to be the phone’s SMS client (which implies carrier and SIM access) or rely on a connected phone to proxy messages. That dependency is why Windows has historically used phone-linking apps, not standalone SMS clients: Windows cannot interface with a user’s cellular network or SIM without going through the phone. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Microsoft’s Phone Link to mirror SMS from an Android phone to a PC — this requires the phone to be nearby and connected. Phone Link supports sending and receiving SMS and MMS through the paired phone.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet-style apps, or web-client companions) but these add another online account and often a subscription.
  • Run Textra inside an Android runtime (emulator or the former WSA) — this preserves behavior but requires the Android environment and raises performance/security considerations.
Practical takeaway: if you value Textra’s visual customization and local message handling, the “ideal” experience remains tied to the phone; Windows equivalents are either less feature-rich or depend on a live phone link.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — fine-grained notification rules​

What it does: BuzzKill is a privacy‑minded notification manager that implements advanced filtering rules (cooldowns, auto‑dismiss, pattern‑based responses, reminders) so your phone only disturbs you for important alerts. The developer positions it as a privacy‑first, paid app with no ads. Popularity and stats: Play Store listings show modest but engaged usage, with tens of thousands of installs and paid pricing — indicating a niche but vocal audience for refined notification control. Why it’s mobile-only: BuzzKill intercepts and manipulates Android notifications using platform APIs that are specific to Android’s notification pipeline. Windows has a very different notification model and lacks out‑of‑the‑box, per‑app cooldowns or deep pattern matching that acts on notifications in the same way. On Windows, notifications typically originate from installed apps or system services, not from an OS‑level, centralized pipeline that a single app can flexibly rewrite. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Rely on Windows’ built‑in Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings for broad suppression.
  • Mirror phone notifications via Phone Link and execute rules on the phone itself — but that requires the phone to handle filtering, not the PC.
  • Use automation tools (PowerToys, AutoHotkey) to manage notification display on Windows, but these are not a like‑for‑like substitution.
Practical takeaway: BuzzKill-style rules are intrinsically tied to the phone’s notification stream; Windows alternatives exist but are more coarse-grained.

Podcast Republic — podcast player and RSS manager​

What it does: Podcast Republic is a full‑featured podcast and RSS manager with advanced playlists, offline syncing and episode management that’s optimized for mobile listening patterns. It often bundles a web companion but its primary interface is on Android. Popularity and stats: Listings report millions of installs and a high average rating, showing it’s a trusted choice for heavy podcast listeners. Why it’s mobile-first but potentially portable: Podcast apps are the most portable on the list — they rely on standard network protocols (RSS, HTTP) and local media storage. The reason Podcast Republic still skews mobile is user expectation: quick playback controls, offline sync managed around intermittent connections, and mobile UI choices. A Windows client is technically feasible yet many podcast apps choose to focus on mobile-first UX. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use native Windows podcast apps or web players (Pocket Casts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts on Mac/PC web) that replicate many features.
  • Use web-based podcast players and a browser “app” to pin a podcast manager to the taskbar — less integrated but workable.
Practical takeaway: podcasts are easiest to replace on Windows; users should evaluate modern desktop podcast clients before chasing Android-only options.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit converts websites into lightweight “Lite Apps” that run in their own windows with per-site settings, content blockers and sandboxing. It’s a hybrid between bookmarklets, web wrappers and a minimal browser tailored to keep bloat down. Popularity and stats: Hermit shows healthy interest on Android with over 1M+ installs and strong reviews from users who prize compact, privacy‑minded wrappers. Why it’s mobile-first: Hermit optimizes for small storage devices and conservative background behavior — qualities that mattered more on older phones. The “Lite App” model also leverages Android’s intent sharing and notification access in ways that are simpler to deliver on mobile. On Windows, creating persistent single‑window web wrappers is easy with modern browsers (PWA support), but Hermit’s per‑site sandboxing and mobile‑focused content blockers are unique. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) from Chrome or Edge to pin websites in their own windows.
  • Use dedicated lightweight browsers or containerized browser profiles (Firefox containers, Edge profiles).
  • Install a small browser shell that loads a site as a standalone window; some third‑party utilities mimic Hermit’s behavior.
Practical takeaway: Hermit’s behavior is reproducible on Windows with PWAs and browser containers, but Hermit’s convenience and mobile optimizations are still compelling for mobile-first workflows.

Web Video Cast — browser-to-TV casting​

What it does: Web Video Cast parses video URLs inside webpages and directs the stream to casting devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA receivers), letting the phone act as the discovery and playback controller. It supports a wide range of streaming devices and stream types. Popularity and stats: Web Video Cast is one of the largest of the five — Play Store aggregators report tens of millions of installs and millions of ratings, signifying broad use. Why it’s mobile-first: Casting workflows assume the phone mediates device discovery, local network authentication and URL extraction from mobile-optimized pages. Although PCs can cast and many apps support casting from Windows, Web Video Cast’s approach of using the phone’s mobile browser as a discovery and control surface is deeply embedded in the app’s architecture. Workarounds on Windows:
  • Use Chrome/Edge built‑in “Cast” to direct a tab or desktop to a Chromecast‑capable device.
  • Use manufacturer apps for Fire TV, Roku or DLNA receivers which often provide PC clients or web interfaces.
  • Mirror phone screen to PC or TV using vendor tools, but that is often less efficient than direct casting.
Practical takeaway: Web Video Cast remains the smoothest path for many casual users, but Windows can match much of its functionality with built‑in casting in browsers and device vendor apps.

Verification: platform claims and numbers​

The core claims in the roundup — that these apps are mobile‑first and lack native Microsoft Store counterparts — are verifiable via a combination of publisher pages and platform announcements:
  • Microsoft’s deprecation notice and coverage from Windows-focused outlets confirm WSA and Amazon Appstore support end date: March 5, 2025. This is not speculation — Microsoft updated its documentation and the change was widely reported.
  • Microsoft’s Phone Link documentation describes the capability to show, send and receive SMS/MMS by proxying through a paired Android device, confirming Phone Link is a practical but phone‑dependent alternative for SMS.
  • Play Store pages and app‑analytics aggregators document each app’s install counts, price and rating ranges: Textra (multi‑million installs, ~4.2–4.3 rating), BuzzKill (tens of thousands installs, paid), Podcast Republic (1M+ installs, ~4.5 rating), Hermit (1M+ installs) and Web Video Cast (tens of millions installs). Those listings show active, real user bases on Android.
Caveat: where public documentation does not reveal Microsoft’s internal rationale for WSA’s retirement, statements about the company’s motivations remain speculative. Treat explanations about “why Microsoft ended WSA” as informed interpretation unless Microsoft publishes a formal rationale. This is not a factual claim but context that should be considered provisional.

Security, privacy and operational risks of the workarounds​

With the official Android-on-Windows path removed, many users will look to alternatives — all of which carry trade-offs.
  • Emulators and third‑party runtime layers (BlueStacks, LDPlayer, Genymotion, AVDs) create a larger attack surface. Running third‑party Android environments on Windows elevates the complexity of updates and may expose the host to Android‑specific malware vectors, especially if users sideload APKs from unvetted sources. Security researchers have repeatedly shown Android malware that abuses system features, and repackaged APKs distributed outside the Play Store are high‑risk vectors.
  • Sideloading APKs or using unofficial app stores reduces the protection of Play Store vetting and can subvert app integrity checks. Recent industry actions and policy conversations around sideloading reflect an ongoing tension between openness and security. Google has signaled policy changes around sideloading that could reshape the landscape for non‑Play distribution. Users who sideload should take additional precautions (sandboxing, strict antivirus, network isolation).
  • Phone‑mirroring and screen‑casting depend on a reliable local network connection and keep the phone in the critical path — if the phone sleeps or disconnects, the PC experience breaks. Phone Link like solutions are convenient but not a replacement for a native app; they route personal data through a live device and any connected service (cloud sync, companion web clients) introduces privacy considerations.
  • Browser‑based fallbacks (PWAs, web players) are usually the safest route for portability, but they can’t replace OS‑level integrations like SMS access or deep notification controls.
Short checklist for safe experimentation:
  1. Prefer official app stores and avoid sideloading unless necessary.
  2. If using an emulator, keep it updated and sandbox it from sensitive host data.
  3. For SMS and notifications, prefer Phone Link or vendor‑supplied methods rather than third‑party bridges that require broad permissions.
  4. Use local network isolation (guest Wi‑Fi) when testing casting or mirroring from unfamiliar apps.

How rival platforms handle the same gap​

Apple and Google took different technical routes that sidestep some of Windows’ problems.
  • Apple: iPhone and iPad apps can run on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in, because iOS and macOS share a unified runtime environment on ARM‑based Macs. Developers control availability through App Store Connect. This is a privileged, platform‑level compatibility that makes many mobile apps available on desktop by design.
  • Google/Chromebooks: Many Chromebooks run Android apps via the Play Store because ChromeOS integrates the Android runtime; device compatibility varies by model and settings, but Google’s Chromebook approach provides a persistent Android runtime on desktop hardware for supported devices. That model gives ChromeOS an advantage when users want native Android apps on larger screens.
Windows took a hybrid, partner‑driven route (WSA + Amazon Appstore) rather than a pure runtime graft; that approach worked technically but didn’t match the breadth of Google Play and ultimately left Windows vulnerable to strategic withdrawal. The result is a patchwork of options rather than a single, durable solution.

Practical recommendations for Windows users who want the missing features​

  • If you need SMS on your PC today: set up Phone Link with a paired Android phone and use its message features. It’s supported by Microsoft and avoids third‑party cloud accounts. Keep in mind it requires the phone to remain connected and unlocked for some features.
  • If you depend on advanced notification rules (BuzzKill), keep those rules on the phone: use mirroring to bring notifications to your desktop rather than trying to recreate the logic on Windows.
  • If podcasts are the core need, evaluate desktop podcast apps and web players — many offer equal or better episode management than mobile-only apps.
  • For web‑light apps and PWA** installation in Chromium‑based browsers or Edge profiles to emulate Hermit‑style behavior with better security and easier updates.
  • For casting video to smart TVs, try native browser cast features or vendor apps first; if the phone apps are the only workable option, use them but be mindful of local network permissions and device discovery settings.
If you are technically adventurous and accept the risks, Android emulators can run many Android apps on Windows — but treat these like test environments: avoid logging into critical services, keep snapshots or VM images, and maintain endpoint security on the host.

The strategic picture and what to watch next​

Microsoft’s decision to wind down WSA left an ecosystem problem: Windows does not have a single, integrated runtime that replicates Android behaviors across the board. That gap is consequential for users who rely on phone habits — SMS-first workflows, advanced notification filtering, or casting conveniences — and it opens an opportunity for third‑party solutions, but with an important caveat: third‑party workarounds often require tradeoffs in privacy, security and reliability.
Watch for three developments that will shape the next 12–24 months:
  • Microsoft’s response: whether the company invests further in Phone Link or other native Windows experiences to absorb mobile features, or whether it pursues new partnerships to reintroduce an official Android runtime.
  • Third‑party runtimes and app stores: their usability and security posture, especially if Amazon or other vendors change distribution strategies.
  • Platform policy shifts: Google’s evolving stance on sideloading and app distribution could alter how safe and practical APK sideloading remains as a fallback.
Until then, lists like the one that prompted this piece are useful reminders: some mobile experiences still map poorly to desktop paradigms, and substituting cross‑platform promises for actual, functional parity often reveals practical limits.

Conclusion​

The five Android-first apps highlighted by recent coverage underscore a basic truth: a phone is still the best place for certain utilities. Microsoft’s deprecated Android subsystem narrowed the choices for Windows users, and while workarounds exist — mirroring, emulation, web wrappers — each introduces trade‑offs around performance, privacy and convenience. For users who must retain these mobile behaviors on a PC, the pragmatic path is to pick the least risky workaround that preserves the feature set you need: Phone Link for SMS, PWAs and browser tools for lite web apps, and native casting or vendor apps for streaming. Those seeking true native parity should expect imperfect compromises until (and unless) Microsoft or another major vendor commits to a long‑term, platform‑level solution.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s promise of “run Android apps natively” has quietly narrowed into a set of communitypromises—and a recent roundup of Android-first utilities highlights just how many phone‑centric tools still have no faithful home on the desktop. A short list of mobile‑first apps — Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit (Lite Apps Browser) and Web Video Cast — encapsulates the gap: they rely on Android OS hooks (SMS storage, notification controls, casting APIs, lightweight web wrappers) that Windows no longer supports as a native runtime after the end of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) program was announced. The loss of WSA and the Amazon Appstore effectively closed the fastest route for turning these phone utilities into Windows apps, leaving Phone Link, emulation, sideloading and screen‑mirroring as imperfect workarounds.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to Windows 11 to enable a native‑like experience for Android apps on PC through an Amazon Appstore integration. That path has been deprecated: Microsoft announced that WSA — and the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. Users who installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps before March 5, 2024 can keep using them until the deprecation date, but new installs and official support are being wound down. Multiple independent outlets reported the announcement after it appeared in Microsoft’s documentation. At the same time, Windows still offers Phone Link (previously “Your Phone”) as the official integration point for Android devices. Phone Link can bridge key workflows—most notably SMS and MMS messaging—between an Android handset and a Windows PC, but it does not convert Android apps into native Windows programs; it mirrors or relays specific device services and remains phone‑dependent. Microsoft’s support pages document Phone Link’s SMS and MMS capabilities and the limitations (message history window, device tethering, limited message management on PC). This technical and policy shift matters for everyday workflows. Many mobile utilities are deliberately built around smartphone‑specific features—persistent notification control, lightweight “lite app” wrappers, cast controllers and RCS/SMS hooks—so when the platform layer that let them run on Windows disappears, the practical choices for users narrow:
  • Use a phone as the control point and mirror or relay functions to Windows (Phone Link, screen‑mirrors, casting).
  • Run Android apps via third‑party emulators or community WSA builds (more friction, security tradeoffs).
  • Replace the mobile utility with a Windows native app that app (often impossible for deeply Android‑integrated features).
The rest of this feature drills into the five Android apps highlighted in a recent roundup, verifies platform claims, explains what makes each app uniquely mobile, and lays out practical alternatives for Windows users—with clear notes on security, privacy and usability trade‑offs.

Why these five apps matter (and why Windows struggles to replace them)​

What these apps share in common​

All five apps singled out in the roundup are examples of mobile‑first design where the smartphone form factor or Android system integration provides capabilities that are hard to replicate on a desktop:
  • Direct access to SMS/MMS storage and carrier hooks (Textra).
  • Low‑level notification interception and filtering (BuzzKill).
  • Mobile‑centric podcast playback and offline‑first UX (Podcast Republic).
  • Per‑site lightweight app containers with per‑site customizations (Hermit).
  • Phone‑centric casting and streaming control for TVs and streaming sticks (Web Video Cast).
Because these apps depend on Android APIs and services (notification listener, SMS provider, casting protocols tied to mobile web contexts), a faithful Windows port would either require a supported Android runtime or wholly re‑architecting the app as a desktop product—often with diminished functionality.

Textra SMS — why a powerful SMS app stays phone‑first​

What Textra offers​

Textra is a highly customizable SMS/MMS client that emphasizes speed, theming and features like scheduled messages and media optimization. The developer markets it as a replacement for the stock Android messaging app and highlights customization and performance as its selling points. The app’s official site and public app information show Textra positions itself as an Android‑native client with millions of users.

Why Windows cannot replicate Textra natively​

SMS and MMS on PCs are fundamentally tethered to carriers and handset storage. On Android, apps like Textra access device SMS databases and system messaging services directly. On Windows, there’s no system‑level SMS store or carrier stack to hook into; Microsoft’s Phone Link relays messages from a connected phone but does not expose a native SMS API that allows a Windows app to act as the primary SMS client independently of the phone. That means many of Textra’s distinguishing features—per‑conversation themes, scheduled sends tied to the handset, or nuanced MMS handling—cannot be ported to a desktop without an Android runtime. Microsoft’s Phone Link is the official alternative, but it remains phone‑dependent and limited (for example, it shows roughly the last 30 days of messages).

Practical options for Windows users​

  • Use Phone Link to mirror SMS/MMS and compose messages from the PC while the Android phone remains connected. This preserves message continuity but keeps the phone as the source of truth.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet, MightyText) at your own risk—these add cloud dependencies and broader attack surface than a local Phone Link relay.
  • Run Textra inside an emulator or a community WSA build—this can work but brings performance and security trade‑offs, plus limited future viability after WSA deprecation.
Caveat: precise download counts and ratings fluctuate; the numbers quoted on app pages are accurate only at the time of inspection and should be treated as approximate.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — the missing desktop notification control​

What BuzzKill does​

BuzzKill is a privacy‑focused notification manager that gives fine‑grained control over what notifications reach you and when. It includes rules like cooldowns, automatic dismissals, and conditional replies that are tailored to the continuous notification model of phones. The Play Store listing shows BuzzKill as a paid app (approx. $3.99) with tens of thousands of downloads and a developer emphasis on privacy and on‑device processing.

Why Windows can’t easily match it​

Windows notification systems are different: desktop OS notifications are designed for larger displays, different attention models and integrated action centers. A mobile notification manager like BuzzKill interacts with Android’s notification listener APIs to intercept and transform notifications in ways that would be invasive or impossible on a PC without explicit OS hooks. While Windows has its own notification settings and focus assist features, the nuanced per‑notification pattern‑matching, timed reminders and automatic dismissal rules BuzzKill supports are deeply tied to Android’s notification lifecycle.

Workarounds and trade‑offs​

  • Recreate some functionality with Windows automation tools (Task Scheduler, third‑party automation) and Notification settings, but these solutions are brittle and require technical setup.
  • Use the phone as a primary notification filter and rely on mirroring (Phone Link) to reduce noise on the PC. This keeps the advanced notification logic on the Android device but means the phone must remain connected and reachable.
  • Emulation or sideloading lets BuzzKill run on a PC but reintroduces the same security and performance caveats noted elsewhere.

Podcast Republic — mobile podcasting comfort that desktop apps often miss​

App profile​

Podcast Republic is positioned as a robust podcast manager and RSS client that aggregates podcasts and feeds, prioritizes mobile listening flows, offline downloads, and quick playback controls. The app has a long history on Android and shows millions of downloads and high aggregate ratings on app directory sites.

Why desktop alternatives feel different​

Podcast management on desktops usually assumes longer sessions, larger storage and a different set of UI expectations. Mobile podcast apps optimize for quick episode queuing, background downloads on cellular/Wi‑Fi, sleep timers, and per‑episode data‑saving controls—UX patterns that are tuned for on‑the‑go listening. Web players and desktop podcast clients can cover most cases, but some users prefer the micro‑interaction design of mobile apps, which prioritize efficient playback and subscription management from a handset.

Alternatives for Windows users​

  • Native Windows podcast clients and web players will cover most listening needs; look for features like offline downloads, smart playlists and episode sync.
  • Use browser‑based podcast services that provide cross‑device syncing.
  • If a mobile‑first feature is essential, run the Android app in an emulator while noting the same risk/maintenance caveats.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser: fast, private website wrappers​

The Hermit proposition​

Hermit creates lightweight "lite apps" from websites, opening them in separate windows with per‑site controls and privacy settings. Its market position emphasizes a small footprint and privacy‑first approach; Play Store and developer pages show over a million installs and a strong rating. Chimbori (the developer) documents Hermit's browser‑like capabilities and the premise of avoiding heavy native apps by wrapping sites.

Why it’s awkward on Windows​

The core idea—hiving off a website into a tightly controlled, app‑like container—is easy to reproduce on the desktop with progressive web apps (PWAs), browser profiles or site‑specific browsers (SSBs). But Hermit’s advantage is its simplicity and per‑site mobile tuning (small memory, custom permissions, mobile gesture behavior). Creating the exact mobile experience on Windows requires duplication of mobile web view behavior and mobile‑first UI design, which many desktop PWAs and SSBs don’t prioritize.

Practical Windows options​

  • Use modern browsers’ PWA features to create site‑specific windows; some browsers let you set per‑site permission defaults and create desktop shortcuts.
  • Use a lightweight SSB tool or a dedicated desktop wrapper, accepting differences in mobile UI and touch gestures.

Web Video Cast — casting convenience that relies on a phone control point​

App summary​

Web Video Cast lets users cast video URLs they discover in a mobile browser to streaming devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA TVs). With tens of millions of downloads, it’s a widely used app that extracts streamable URLs and instructs target devices to play them directly, offloading decoding and saving mobile battery. Third‑party analytics show large installed bases and strong ratings.

Why this remains phone‑centric​

Casting workflows often assume the phone is the content discovery and control surface while the TV or streaming stick performs playback. A desktop can discover and cast too, but many users prefer the directness and portability of phone‑to‑TV casting. Moreover, Web Video Cast includes mobile browser heuristics and URL extraction routines tuned to mobile web pages; porting that intelligence to a desktop context requires reworking the discovery UX and handling a much wider set of browser behaviors.

Desktop alternatives​

  • Use desktop browser casting extensions or built‑in casting support (Chromecast support in Chrome, casting in Edge), though these may lack some of the app’s mobile URL‑parsing conveniences.
  • Mirror or remote‑control the phone from the PC (screen‑mirror or remote sessions) to carry the phone’s casting workflow to a larger display.
  • Use dedicated streaming apps on smart TVs or native apps on streaming sticks where available.

Security, privacy and performance trade‑offs with workarounds​

Emulation and sideloading​

Running Android apps on Windows once relied on WSA; with WSA deprecated, many users will consider emulators or community‑built WSA forks. These options restore access but come with notable caveats:
  • Emulators broaden the PC attack surface and may require elevated permissions or kernel tweaks.
  • Community WSA builds can be useful but are unsupported by Microsoft and may lack timely security patches.
  • Performance and input mapping (touch vs mouse/keyboard) are often suboptimal for mobile‑first UIs.

Screen‑mirroring and phone tethering​

Screen‑mirroring and Phone Link preserve functionality with a connected device, but they create operational dependencies:
  • The phone must stay awake and connected to the same network or physically tethered.
  • Mirroring leaks the full device screen to the PC, increasing exposure of notifications and private data.
  • Wi‑Fi reliability and network configuration (NAT, AP isolation) can break flows.

Cloud bridges and third‑party services​

Bridging services that push messages or notifications via the cloud reduce dependence on a local phone but add a cloud‑mediated attack surface and potential privacy exposures. Developers’ privacy claims should be scrutinized and verified.

Practical recommendations for Windows users and power workflows​

  1. If you rely on Android‑first utilities for critical workflows, plan a migration or continuity strategy now. WSA deprecation means the simplest path for native running of Android apps on Windows disappears after March 5, 2025.
  2. Use Phone Link for SMS and basic notification mirroring where possible. It’s Microsoft‑supported and avoids the legal/technical risks of emulators, but it keeps the phone central to the workflow.
  3. Replace mobile‑first functionality with native Windows alternatives when the gap is narrow (PWAs for Hermit‑style wrappers, desktop podcast clients for many listening needs).
  4. Reserve emulators or sideloaded WSA builds for non‑sensitive tasks; treat them as experimental and avoid storing sensitive credentials or personal data there.
  5. Where privacy and security matter, prefer on‑device processing (apps that advertise zero‑data‑leaving‑device modes) over cloud bridging solutions. Check developer privacy claims carefully; they are not guaranteed to be audited.

Strengths, risks and the long view​

Strengths of the current ecosystem​

  • Many Android apps were well‑designed for on‑the‑go, low‑latency interactions; this specialization remains valuable.
  • Phone Link provides a supported, generally robust method to surface SMS and recent notifications on Windows without third‑party infrastructure.
  • Desktop ecosystems (PWAs, browser SSBs, dedicated Windows apps) can substitute for many tasks; users and developers have alternative paths.

Risks and weaknesses​

  • Microsoft’s decision to deprecate WSA removes the easiest path for running Android apps on Windows and reduces developer incentive to provide desktop versions of mobile utilities.
  • Emulators, sideloads and community WSA variants increase security risk and complicate updates and support.
  • The phone‑centric workarounLink) create dependencies that reduce the independence of PC workflows and can fracture user experience when network or device state changes.

Unverifiable and changing claims​

  • App download counts and ratings change frequently; the numbers cited here reflect public listings and analytics at the time of research and should be treated as approximate.
  • Microsoft’s platform strategy can shift; while WSA support has a fixed deprecation date, future product decisions may introduce new mobile‑desktop bridging features or partnerships.

Conclusion​

Lists like the recent roundup crystallize a clear truth: some of the most useful, widely used phone utilities were designed for the phone and remain best experienced on the phone. With Microsoft ending official Android app support in Windows 11, the “just run it on your PC” promise has receded into a mixture of mirroring, emulation and compromise. Phone Link offers a practical, supported bridge for messages and photos, but it does not turn mobile apps into first‑class Windows applications. For power users, the path forward is pragmatic: map critical workflows to supported Windows tools where possible, use Phone Link for tethered continuity, and treat emulation or sideloading as fallback options with measurable security and maintenance trade‑offs. The platform gap exposed by these five apps is not just about missing titles on the Microsoft Store; it’s about how mobile design choices, OS hooks and business decisions shape where—and how—people get work done on their PCs.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s promise of “run Android apps natively” has quietly narrowed into a set of communitypromises—and a recent roundup of Android-first utilities highlights just how many phone‑centric tools still have no faithful home on the desktop. A short list of mobile‑first apps — Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit (Lite Apps Browser) and Web Video Cast — encapsulates the gap: they rely on Android OS hooks (SMS storage, notification controls, casting APIs, lightweight web wrappers) that Windows no longer supports as a native runtime after the end of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) program was announced. The loss of WSA and the Amazon Appstore effectively closed the fastest route for turning these phone utilities into Windows apps, leaving Phone Link, emulation, sideloading and screen‑mirroring as imperfect workarounds.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to Windows 11 to enable a native‑like experience for Android apps on PC through an Amazon Appstore integration. That path has been deprecated: Microsoft announced that WSA — and the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. Users who installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps before March 5, 2024 can keep using them until the deprecation date, but new installs and official support are being wound down. Multiple independent outlets reported the announcement after it appeared in Microsoft’s documentation. At the same time, Windows still offers Phone Link (previously “Your Phone”) as the official integration point for Android devices. Phone Link can bridge key workflows—most notably SMS and MMS messaging—between an Android handset and a Windows PC, but it does not convert Android apps into native Windows programs; it mirrors or relays specific device services and remains phone‑dependent. Microsoft’s support pages document Phone Link’s SMS and MMS capabilities and the limitations (message history window, device tethering, limited message management on PC). This technical and policy shift matters for everyday workflows. Many mobile utilities are deliberately built around smartphone‑specific features—persistent notification control, lightweight “lite app” wrappers, cast controllers and RCS/SMS hooks—so when the platform layer that let them run on Windows disappears, the practical choices for users narrow:
  • Use a phone as the control point and mirror or relay functions to Windows (Phone Link, screen‑mirrors, casting).
  • Run Android apps via third‑party emulators or community WSA builds (more friction, security tradeoffs).
  • Replace the mobile utility with a Windows native app that app (often impossible for deeply Android‑integrated features).
The rest of this feature drills into the five Android apps highlighted in a recent roundup, verifies platform claims, explains what makes each app uniquely mobile, and lays out practical alternatives for Windows users—with clear notes on security, privacy and usability trade‑offs.

Why these five apps matter (and why Windows struggles to replace them)​

What these apps share in common​

All five apps singled out in the roundup are examples of mobile‑first design where the smartphone form factor or Android system integration provides capabilities that are hard to replicate on a desktop:
  • Direct access to SMS/MMS storage and carrier hooks (Textra).
  • Low‑level notification interception and filtering (BuzzKill).
  • Mobile‑centric podcast playback and offline‑first UX (Podcast Republic).
  • Per‑site lightweight app containers with per‑site customizations (Hermit).
  • Phone‑centric casting and streaming control for TVs and streaming sticks (Web Video Cast).
Because these apps depend on Android APIs and services (notification listener, SMS provider, casting protocols tied to mobile web contexts), a faithful Windows port would either require a supported Android runtime or wholly re‑architecting the app as a desktop product—often with diminished functionality.

Textra SMS — why a powerful SMS app stays phone‑first​

What Textra offers​

Textra is a highly customizable SMS/MMS client that emphasizes speed, theming and features like scheduled messages and media optimization. The developer markets it as a replacement for the stock Android messaging app and highlights customization and performance as its selling points. The app’s official site and public app information show Textra positions itself as an Android‑native client with millions of users.

Why Windows cannot replicate Textra natively​

SMS and MMS on PCs are fundamentally tethered to carriers and handset storage. On Android, apps like Textra access device SMS databases and system messaging services directly. On Windows, there’s no system‑level SMS store or carrier stack to hook into; Microsoft’s Phone Link relays messages from a connected phone but does not expose a native SMS API that allows a Windows app to act as the primary SMS client independently of the phone. That means many of Textra’s distinguishing features—per‑conversation themes, scheduled sends tied to the handset, or nuanced MMS handling—cannot be ported to a desktop without an Android runtime. Microsoft’s Phone Link is the official alternative, but it remains phone‑dependent and limited (for example, it shows roughly the last 30 days of messages).

Practical options for Windows users​

  • Use Phone Link to mirror SMS/MMS and compose messages from the PC while the Android phone remains connected. This preserves message continuity but keeps the phone as the source of truth.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet, MightyText) at your own risk—these add cloud dependencies and broader attack surface than a local Phone Link relay.
  • Run Textra inside an emulator or a community WSA build—this can work but brings performance and security trade‑offs, plus limited future viability after WSA deprecation.
Caveat: precise download counts and ratings fluctuate; the numbers quoted on app pages are accurate only at the time of inspection and should be treated as approximate.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — the missing desktop notification control​

What BuzzKill does​

BuzzKill is a privacy‑focused notification manager that gives fine‑grained control over what notifications reach you and when. It includes rules like cooldowns, automatic dismissals, and conditional replies that are tailored to the continuous notification model of phones. The Play Store listing shows BuzzKill as a paid app (approx. $3.99) with tens of thousands of downloads and a developer emphasis on privacy and on‑device processing.

Why Windows can’t easily match it​

Windows notification systems are different: desktop OS notifications are designed for larger displays, different attention models and integrated action centers. A mobile notification manager like BuzzKill interacts with Android’s notification listener APIs to intercept and transform notifications in ways that would be invasive or impossible on a PC without explicit OS hooks. While Windows has its own notification settings and focus assist features, the nuanced per‑notification pattern‑matching, timed reminders and automatic dismissal rules BuzzKill supports are deeply tied to Android’s notification lifecycle.

Workarounds and trade‑offs​

  • Recreate some functionality with Windows automation tools (Task Scheduler, third‑party automation) and Notification settings, but these solutions are brittle and require technical setup.
  • Use the phone as a primary notification filter and rely on mirroring (Phone Link) to reduce noise on the PC. This keeps the advanced notification logic on the Android device but means the phone must remain connected and reachable.
  • Emulation or sideloading lets BuzzKill run on a PC but reintroduces the same security and performance caveats noted elsewhere.

Podcast Republic — mobile podcasting comfort that desktop apps often miss​

App profile​

Podcast Republic is positioned as a robust podcast manager and RSS client that aggregates podcasts and feeds, prioritizes mobile listening flows, offline downloads, and quick playback controls. The app has a long history on Android and shows millions of downloads and high aggregate ratings on app directory sites.

Why desktop alternatives feel different​

Podcast management on desktops usually assumes longer sessions, larger storage and a different set of UI expectations. Mobile podcast apps optimize for quick episode queuing, background downloads on cellular/Wi‑Fi, sleep timers, and per‑episode data‑saving controls—UX patterns that are tuned for on‑the‑go listening. Web players and desktop podcast clients can cover most cases, but some users prefer the micro‑interaction design of mobile apps, which prioritize efficient playback and subscription management from a handset.

Alternatives for Windows users​

  • Native Windows podcast clients and web players will cover most listening needs; look for features like offline downloads, smart playlists and episode sync.
  • Use browser‑based podcast services that provide cross‑device syncing.
  • If a mobile‑first feature is essential, run the Android app in an emulator while noting the same risk/maintenance caveats.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser: fast, private website wrappers​

The Hermit proposition​

Hermit creates lightweight "lite apps" from websites, opening them in separate windows with per‑site controls and privacy settings. Its market position emphasizes a small footprint and privacy‑first approach; Play Store and developer pages show over a million installs and a strong rating. Chimbori (the developer) documents Hermit's browser‑like capabilities and the premise of avoiding heavy native apps by wrapping sites.

Why it’s awkward on Windows​

The core idea—hiving off a website into a tightly controlled, app‑like container—is easy to reproduce on the desktop with progressive web apps (PWAs), browser profiles or site‑specific browsers (SSBs). But Hermit’s advantage is its simplicity and per‑site mobile tuning (small memory, custom permissions, mobile gesture behavior). Creating the exact mobile experience on Windows requires duplication of mobile web view behavior and mobile‑first UI design, which many desktop PWAs and SSBs don’t prioritize.

Practical Windows options​

  • Use modern browsers’ PWA features to create site‑specific windows; some browsers let you set per‑site permission defaults and create desktop shortcuts.
  • Use a lightweight SSB tool or a dedicated desktop wrapper, accepting differences in mobile UI and touch gestures.

Web Video Cast — casting convenience that relies on a phone control point​

App summary​

Web Video Cast lets users cast video URLs they discover in a mobile browser to streaming devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA TVs). With tens of millions of downloads, it’s a widely used app that extracts streamable URLs and instructs target devices to play them directly, offloading decoding and saving mobile battery. Third‑party analytics show large installed bases and strong ratings.

Why this remains phone‑centric​

Casting workflows often assume the phone is the content discovery and control surface while the TV or streaming stick performs playback. A desktop can discover and cast too, but many users prefer the directness and portability of phone‑to‑TV casting. Moreover, Web Video Cast includes mobile browser heuristics and URL extraction routines tuned to mobile web pages; porting that intelligence to a desktop context requires reworking the discovery UX and handling a much wider set of browser behaviors.

Desktop alternatives​

  • Use desktop browser casting extensions or built‑in casting support (Chromecast support in Chrome, casting in Edge), though these may lack some of the app’s mobile URL‑parsing conveniences.
  • Mirror or remote‑control the phone from the PC (screen‑mirror or remote sessions) to carry the phone’s casting workflow to a larger display.
  • Use dedicated streaming apps on smart TVs or native apps on streaming sticks where available.

Security, privacy and performance trade‑offs with workarounds​

Emulation and sideloading​

Running Android apps on Windows once relied on WSA; with WSA deprecated, many users will consider emulators or community‑built WSA forks. These options restore access but come with notable caveats:
  • Emulators broaden the PC attack surface and may require elevated permissions or kernel tweaks.
  • Community WSA builds can be useful but are unsupported by Microsoft and may lack timely security patches.
  • Performance and input mapping (touch vs mouse/keyboard) are often suboptimal for mobile‑first UIs.

Screen‑mirroring and phone tethering​

Screen‑mirroring and Phone Link preserve functionality with a connected device, but they create operational dependencies:
  • The phone must stay awake and connected to the same network or physically tethered.
  • Mirroring leaks the full device screen to the PC, increasing exposure of notifications and private data.
  • Wi‑Fi reliability and network configuration (NAT, AP isolation) can break flows.

Cloud bridges and third‑party services​

Bridging services that push messages or notifications via the cloud reduce dependence on a local phone but add a cloud‑mediated attack surface and potential privacy exposures. Developers’ privacy claims should be scrutinized and verified.

Practical recommendations for Windows users and power workflows​

  1. If you rely on Android‑first utilities for critical workflows, plan a migration or continuity strategy now. WSA deprecation means the simplest path for native running of Android apps on Windows disappears after March 5, 2025.
  2. Use Phone Link for SMS and basic notification mirroring where possible. It’s Microsoft‑supported and avoids the legal/technical risks of emulators, but it keeps the phone central to the workflow.
  3. Replace mobile‑first functionality with native Windows alternatives when the gap is narrow (PWAs for Hermit‑style wrappers, desktop podcast clients for many listening needs).
  4. Reserve emulators or sideloaded WSA builds for non‑sensitive tasks; treat them as experimental and avoid storing sensitive credentials or personal data there.
  5. Where privacy and security matter, prefer on‑device processing (apps that advertise zero‑data‑leaving‑device modes) over cloud bridging solutions. Check developer privacy claims carefully; they are not guaranteed to be audited.

Strengths, risks and the long view​

Strengths of the current ecosystem​

  • Many Android apps were well‑designed for on‑the‑go, low‑latency interactions; this specialization remains valuable.
  • Phone Link provides a supported, generally robust method to surface SMS and recent notifications on Windows without third‑party infrastructure.
  • Desktop ecosystems (PWAs, browser SSBs, dedicated Windows apps) can substitute for many tasks; users and developers have alternative paths.

Risks and weaknesses​

  • Microsoft’s decision to deprecate WSA removes the easiest path for running Android apps on Windows and reduces developer incentive to provide desktop versions of mobile utilities.
  • Emulators, sideloads and community WSA variants increase security risk and complicate updates and support.
  • The phone‑centric workarounLink) create dependencies that reduce the independence of PC workflows and can fracture user experience when network or device state changes.

Unverifiable and changing claims​

  • App download counts and ratings change frequently; the numbers cited here reflect public listings and analytics at the time of research and should be treated as approximate.
  • Microsoft’s platform strategy can shift; while WSA support has a fixed deprecation date, future product decisions may introduce new mobile‑desktop bridging features or partnerships.

Conclusion​

Lists like the recent roundup crystallize a clear truth: some of the most useful, widely used phone utilities were designed for the phone and remain best experienced on the phone. With Microsoft ending official Android app support in Windows 11, the “just run it on your PC” promise has receded into a mixture of mirroring, emulation and compromise. Phone Link offers a practical, supported bridge for messages and photos, but it does not turn mobile apps into first‑class Windows applications. For power users, the path forward is pragmatic: map critical workflows to supported Windows tools where possible, use Phone Link for tethered continuity, and treat emulation or sideloading as fallback options with measurable security and maintenance trade‑offs. The platform gap exposed by these five apps is not just about missing titles on the Microsoft Store; it’s about how mobile design choices, OS hooks and business decisions shape where—and how—people get work done on their PCs.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s promise of “run Android apps natively” has quietly narrowed into a set of communitypromises—and a recent roundup of Android-first utilities highlights just how many phone‑centric tools still have no faithful home on the desktop. A short list of mobile‑first apps — Textra SMS, BuzzKill Notification Manager, Podcast Republic, Hermit (Lite Apps Browser) and Web Video Cast — encapsulates the gap: they rely on Android OS hooks (SMS storage, notification controls, casting APIs, lightweight web wrappers) that Windows no longer supports as a native runtime after the end of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) program was announced. The loss of WSA and the Amazon Appstore effectively closed the fastest route for turning these phone utilities into Windows apps, leaving Phone Link, emulation, sideloading and screen‑mirroring as imperfect workarounds.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to Windows 11 to enable a native‑like experience for Android apps on PC through an Amazon Appstore integration. That path has been deprecated: Microsoft announced that WSA — and the Amazon Appstore on Windows — will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. Users who installed the Amazon Appstore or Android apps before March 5, 2024 can keep using them until the deprecation date, but new installs and official support are being wound down. Multiple independent outlets reported the announcement after it appeared in Microsoft’s documentation. At the same time, Windows still offers Phone Link (previously “Your Phone”) as the official integration point for Android devices. Phone Link can bridge key workflows—most notably SMS and MMS messaging—between an Android handset and a Windows PC, but it does not convert Android apps into native Windows programs; it mirrors or relays specific device services and remains phone‑dependent. Microsoft’s support pages document Phone Link’s SMS and MMS capabilities and the limitations (message history window, device tethering, limited message management on PC). This technical and policy shift matters for everyday workflows. Many mobile utilities are deliberately built around smartphone‑specific features—persistent notification control, lightweight “lite app” wrappers, cast controllers and RCS/SMS hooks—so when the platform layer that let them run on Windows disappears, the practical choices for users narrow:
  • Use a phone as the control point and mirror or relay functions to Windows (Phone Link, screen‑mirrors, casting).
  • Run Android apps via third‑party emulators or community WSA builds (more friction, security tradeoffs).
  • Replace the mobile utility with a Windows native app that app (often impossible for deeply Android‑integrated features).
The rest of this feature drills into the five Android apps highlighted in a recent roundup, verifies platform claims, explains what makes each app uniquely mobile, and lays out practical alternatives for Windows users—with clear notes on security, privacy and usability trade‑offs.

Why these five apps matter (and why Windows struggles to replace them)​

What these apps share in common​

All five apps singled out in the roundup are examples of mobile‑first design where the smartphone form factor or Android system integration provides capabilities that are hard to replicate on a desktop:
  • Direct access to SMS/MMS storage and carrier hooks (Textra).
  • Low‑level notification interception and filtering (BuzzKill).
  • Mobile‑centric podcast playback and offline‑first UX (Podcast Republic).
  • Per‑site lightweight app containers with per‑site customizations (Hermit).
  • Phone‑centric casting and streaming control for TVs and streaming sticks (Web Video Cast).
Because these apps depend on Android APIs and services (notification listener, SMS provider, casting protocols tied to mobile web contexts), a faithful Windows port would either require a supported Android runtime or wholly re‑architecting the app as a desktop product—often with diminished functionality.

Textra SMS — why a powerful SMS app stays phone‑first​

What Textra offers​

Textra is a highly customizable SMS/MMS client that emphasizes speed, theming and features like scheduled messages and media optimization. The developer markets it as a replacement for the stock Android messaging app and highlights customization and performance as its selling points. The app’s official site and public app information show Textra positions itself as an Android‑native client with millions of users.

Why Windows cannot replicate Textra natively​

SMS and MMS on PCs are fundamentally tethered to carriers and handset storage. On Android, apps like Textra access device SMS databases and system messaging services directly. On Windows, there’s no system‑level SMS store or carrier stack to hook into; Microsoft’s Phone Link relays messages from a connected phone but does not expose a native SMS API that allows a Windows app to act as the primary SMS client independently of the phone. That means many of Textra’s distinguishing features—per‑conversation themes, scheduled sends tied to the handset, or nuanced MMS handling—cannot be ported to a desktop without an Android runtime. Microsoft’s Phone Link is the official alternative, but it remains phone‑dependent and limited (for example, it shows roughly the last 30 days of messages).

Practical options for Windows users​

  • Use Phone Link to mirror SMS/MMS and compose messages from the PC while the Android phone remains connected. This preserves message continuity but keeps the phone as the source of truth.
  • Use third‑party bridging services (Pushbullet, MightyText) at your own risk—these add cloud dependencies and broader attack surface than a local Phone Link relay.
  • Run Textra inside an emulator or a community WSA build—this can work but brings performance and security trade‑offs, plus limited future viability after WSA deprecation.
Caveat: precise download counts and ratings fluctuate; the numbers quoted on app pages are accurate only at the time of inspection and should be treated as approximate.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — the missing desktop notification control​

What BuzzKill does​

BuzzKill is a privacy‑focused notification manager that gives fine‑grained control over what notifications reach you and when. It includes rules like cooldowns, automatic dismissals, and conditional replies that are tailored to the continuous notification model of phones. The Play Store listing shows BuzzKill as a paid app (approx. $3.99) with tens of thousands of downloads and a developer emphasis on privacy and on‑device processing.

Why Windows can’t easily match it​

Windows notification systems are different: desktop OS notifications are designed for larger displays, different attention models and integrated action centers. A mobile notification manager like BuzzKill interacts with Android’s notification listener APIs to intercept and transform notifications in ways that would be invasive or impossible on a PC without explicit OS hooks. While Windows has its own notification settings and focus assist features, the nuanced per‑notification pattern‑matching, timed reminders and automatic dismissal rules BuzzKill supports are deeply tied to Android’s notification lifecycle.

Workarounds and trade‑offs​

  • Recreate some functionality with Windows automation tools (Task Scheduler, third‑party automation) and Notification settings, but these solutions are brittle and require technical setup.
  • Use the phone as a primary notification filter and rely on mirroring (Phone Link) to reduce noise on the PC. This keeps the advanced notification logic on the Android device but means the phone must remain connected and reachable.
  • Emulation or sideloading lets BuzzKill run on a PC but reintroduces the same security and performance caveats noted elsewhere.

Podcast Republic — mobile podcasting comfort that desktop apps often miss​

App profile​

Podcast Republic is positioned as a robust podcast manager and RSS client that aggregates podcasts and feeds, prioritizes mobile listening flows, offline downloads, and quick playback controls. The app has a long history on Android and shows millions of downloads and high aggregate ratings on app directory sites.

Why desktop alternatives feel different​

Podcast management on desktops usually assumes longer sessions, larger storage and a different set of UI expectations. Mobile podcast apps optimize for quick episode queuing, background downloads on cellular/Wi‑Fi, sleep timers, and per‑episode data‑saving controls—UX patterns that are tuned for on‑the‑go listening. Web players and desktop podcast clients can cover most cases, but some users prefer the micro‑interaction design of mobile apps, which prioritize efficient playback and subscription management from a handset.

Alternatives for Windows users​

  • Native Windows podcast clients and web players will cover most listening needs; look for features like offline downloads, smart playlists and episode sync.
  • Use browser‑based podcast services that provide cross‑device syncing.
  • If a mobile‑first feature is essential, run the Android app in an emulator while noting the same risk/maintenance caveats.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser: fast, private website wrappers​

The Hermit proposition​

Hermit creates lightweight "lite apps" from websites, opening them in separate windows with per‑site controls and privacy settings. Its market position emphasizes a small footprint and privacy‑first approach; Play Store and developer pages show over a million installs and a strong rating. Chimbori (the developer) documents Hermit's browser‑like capabilities and the premise of avoiding heavy native apps by wrapping sites.

Why it’s awkward on Windows​

The core idea—hiving off a website into a tightly controlled, app‑like container—is easy to reproduce on the desktop with progressive web apps (PWAs), browser profiles or site‑specific browsers (SSBs). But Hermit’s advantage is its simplicity and per‑site mobile tuning (small memory, custom permissions, mobile gesture behavior). Creating the exact mobile experience on Windows requires duplication of mobile web view behavior and mobile‑first UI design, which many desktop PWAs and SSBs don’t prioritize.

Practical Windows options​

  • Use modern browsers’ PWA features to create site‑specific windows; some browsers let you set per‑site permission defaults and create desktop shortcuts.
  • Use a lightweight SSB tool or a dedicated desktop wrapper, accepting differences in mobile UI and touch gestures.

Web Video Cast — casting convenience that relies on a phone control point​

App summary​

Web Video Cast lets users cast video URLs they discover in a mobile browser to streaming devices (Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA TVs). With tens of millions of downloads, it’s a widely used app that extracts streamable URLs and instructs target devices to play them directly, offloading decoding and saving mobile battery. Third‑party analytics show large installed bases and strong ratings.

Why this remains phone‑centric​

Casting workflows often assume the phone is the content discovery and control surface while the TV or streaming stick performs playback. A desktop can discover and cast too, but many users prefer the directness and portability of phone‑to‑TV casting. Moreover, Web Video Cast includes mobile browser heuristics and URL extraction routines tuned to mobile web pages; porting that intelligence to a desktop context requires reworking the discovery UX and handling a much wider set of browser behaviors.

Desktop alternatives​

  • Use desktop browser casting extensions or built‑in casting support (Chromecast support in Chrome, casting in Edge), though these may lack some of the app’s mobile URL‑parsing conveniences.
  • Mirror or remote‑control the phone from the PC (screen‑mirror or remote sessions) to carry the phone’s casting workflow to a larger display.
  • Use dedicated streaming apps on smart TVs or native apps on streaming sticks where available.

Security, privacy and performance trade‑offs with workarounds​

Emulation and sideloading​

Running Android apps on Windows once relied on WSA; with WSA deprecated, many users will consider emulators or community‑built WSA forks. These options restore access but come with notable caveats:
  • Emulators broaden the PC attack surface and may require elevated permissions or kernel tweaks.
  • Community WSA builds can be useful but are unsupported by Microsoft and may lack timely security patches.
  • Performance and input mapping (touch vs mouse/keyboard) are often suboptimal for mobile‑first UIs.

Screen‑mirroring and phone tethering​

Screen‑mirroring and Phone Link preserve functionality with a connected device, but they create operational dependencies:
  • The phone must stay awake and connected to the same network or physically tethered.
  • Mirroring leaks the full device screen to the PC, increasing exposure of notifications and private data.
  • Wi‑Fi reliability and network configuration (NAT, AP isolation) can break flows.

Cloud bridges and third‑party services​

Bridging services that push messages or notifications via the cloud reduce dependence on a local phone but add a cloud‑mediated attack surface and potential privacy exposures. Developers’ privacy claims should be scrutinized and verified.

Practical recommendations for Windows users and power workflows​

  1. If you rely on Android‑first utilities for critical workflows, plan a migration or continuity strategy now. WSA deprecation means the simplest path for native running of Android apps on Windows disappears after March 5, 2025.
  2. Use Phone Link for SMS and basic notification mirroring where possible. It’s Microsoft‑supported and avoids the legal/technical risks of emulators, but it keeps the phone central to the workflow.
  3. Replace mobile‑first functionality with native Windows alternatives when the gap is narrow (PWAs for Hermit‑style wrappers, desktop podcast clients for many listening needs).
  4. Reserve emulators or sideloaded WSA builds for non‑sensitive tasks; treat them as experimental and avoid storing sensitive credentials or personal data there.
  5. Where privacy and security matter, prefer on‑device processing (apps that advertise zero‑data‑leaving‑device modes) over cloud bridging solutions. Check developer privacy claims carefully; they are not guaranteed to be audited.

Strengths, risks and the long view​

Strengths of the current ecosystem​

  • Many Android apps were well‑designed for on‑the‑go, low‑latency interactions; this specialization remains valuable.
  • Phone Link provides a supported, generally robust method to surface SMS and recent notifications on Windows without third‑party infrastructure.
  • Desktop ecosystems (PWAs, browser SSBs, dedicated Windows apps) can substitute for many tasks; users and developers have alternative paths.

Risks and weaknesses​

  • Microsoft’s decision to deprecate WSA removes the easiest path for running Android apps on Windows and reduces developer incentive to provide desktop versions of mobile utilities.
  • Emulators, sideloads and community WSA variants increase security risk and complicate updates and support.
  • The phone‑centric workarounLink) create dependencies that reduce the independence of PC workflows and can fracture user experience when network or device state changes.

Unverifiable and changing claims​

  • App download counts and ratings change frequently; the numbers cited here reflect public listings and analytics at the time of research and should be treated as approximate.
  • Microsoft’s platform strategy can shift; while WSA support has a fixed deprecation date, future product decisions may introduce new mobile‑desktop bridging features or partnerships.

Conclusion​

Lists like the recent roundup crystallize a clear truth: some of the most useful, widely used phone utilities were designed for the phone and remain best experienced on the phone. With Microsoft ending official Android app support in Windows 11, the “just run it on your PC” promise has receded into a mixture of mirroring, emulation and compromise. Phone Link offers a practical, supported bridge for messages and photos, but it does not turn mobile apps into first‑class Windows applications. For power users, the path forward is pragmatic: map critical workflows to supported Windows tools where possible, use Phone Link for tethered continuity, and treat emulation or sideloading as fallback options with measurable security and maintenance trade‑offs. The platform gap exposed by these five apps is not just about missing titles on the Microsoft Store; it’s about how mobile design choices, OS hooks and business decisions shape where—and how—people get work done on their PCs.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s “run Android apps on PC” promise has quietly narrowed: a recent roundup of five popular Android-first utilities highlights the kinds of phone-native experiences you still won’t find as native Windows apps, and the official path that made those experiences easy has now been wound down.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to bring select Android apps to Windows 11 via the Amazon Appstore, creating the most straightforward bridge between phone-first utilities and desktop workflows. That bridge is being removed: Microsoft has announced it will end support for WSA, and the Amazon Appstore on Windows will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. The practical effect is that the easiest, officially supported way to run many Android apps on Windows is being retired. That change matters more than it first appears. Many of the Android apps people rely on are not mere single-purpose programs but are designed around mobile hardware, system-level hooks, or device-as-controller workflows that are hard to reproduce on a PC without an Android runtime. Examples called out in the roundup include Textra SMS, BuzzKill NotificationRepublic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast — apps that deliver SMS control, advanced notification filtering, compact podcast management, site-wrapping “lite apps,” and phone-based casting, respectively.
This feature explains why those apps are still mobile-first, verifies the central claims where possible, weighs the realistic alternatives for Windows users, and highlights the security and usability trade-offs involved in the various workarounds.

Why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

  • Deep OS hooks: Many Android utilities rely on APIs and local data stores that are unique to Android — SMS databases, notification channels, background "persistent" services, and app-link discovery protocols used for casting and device-to-device control.
  • Device-as-controller designs: Casting and remote-control apps often treat the smartphone as the discovery, authentication, and input device. Shifting that role to a PC changes network, permissions, and power models.
  • Form-factor and expectations: Mobile apps are optimized for short, interrupt-driven interactions on battery-powered devices. The same UI/UX and behavior often feel awkward in a multi-window desktop environment.
Because WSA allowed Android apps to run in a contained runtime that preserved many of these hooks, its deprecation removes the simplest official route for preserving those behaviors on Windows. The remaining options fall into three practical buckets:
  1. Mirror or tether a physical phone to the PC (Phone Link and third‑party mirroring).
  2. Run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer from a third party.
  3. Replace the mobile app with a native Windows alternative where one exists.
Each option has clear trade-offs in reliability, privacy, and long‑term maintainability.

The five apps the roundup highlighted — what they do and why Windows lacks a native match​

Textra SMS — a customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a third‑party SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes speed, deep visual customization (themes, bubble styles), scheduling, and efficient media handling. It reads and writes to the phone’s SMS store and hooks into Android’s notification and messaging APIs to provide a highly tailored texting experience.
Popularity and current footprint: Play‑store tracking sites show Textra with multi‑million installs and a strong user base; app stats aggregators list it in the tens of millions of total installs with a roughly four‑star rating (these figures vary by source and time). These counts are useful indicators but are volatile; treat exact numbers as approximate. Why Windows lacks a faithful port: SMS is fundamentally tied to a device’s cellular SIM and to Android’s local SMS database. A true desktop SMS client that replicates Textra’s behavior would either need direct access to a user’s carrier/SIM (rare and problematic on PCs) or a persistent, reliable phone proxy. Phone Link and similar solutions mirror messages but depend on the phone staying online and paired; they do not convert Textra into a native desktop app. Practical Windows workarounds:
  • Use Microsoft Phone Link to send and receive SMS through a paired Android phone — official, integrated, and actively supported for message mirroring. Note that Phone Link requires a nearby, connected phone and is not a standalone SMS client.
  • Use third‑party syncing services (Pushbullet, MightyText) or browser extensions where available, recognizing these add external dependencies and potential privacy risk.
  • Run Textra in an Android emulator or within a legacy WSA-like environment if you can maintain one; this keeps the app intact but raises resource, compatibility, and security c: exact feature parity — for example, Textra’s per‑conversation visual customization or scheduling — will be difficult to reproduce exactly outside of Android without continuing use of the phone itself.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — advanced notification control on Android​

What it does: BuzzKill gives users granular rules to control notifications — delaying, filtering, batching, and auto‑replying for noisy apps. Its design is privacy‑focused and intended to run locally on the device without cloud telemetry.
Popularity and footprint: Market trackers show BuzzKill at modest install levels compared with mainstream apps (tens of thousands of installs) and a high average rating. The app is a paid utility in the Play Store, reflecting its niche, power-user audience. Why Windows lacks an equivalent: Notification management at BuzzKill’s granularity depends on Android’s access to the notification stream and compound background behaviors in a mobile OS. On Windows, notifications are managed by the Action Center and system APIs; a Windows app can influence notifications it raises itself but cannot replicate per‑app, system‑level interception and contextual filtering that an on‑device Android service can perform without elevated hooks.
Workarounds and trade-offs:
  • Use Phone Link to mirror phone notifications to Windows — useful but again requires the phone and does not empower a pure desktop app to alter the phone’s behavior.
  • Use native Windows notification settings and Focus Assist to approximate coarse filtering, but these controls are not as nimble or privacy‑centric as BuzzKill.
  • Run BuzzKill inside an emulator — possible, but the emulator must be configurations reliably, and many of the app’s advantages (battery- and privacy-centric local control) get diluted.
Security note: BuzzKill’s developer emphasizes privacy and local processing in its Play listing; when using third‑party mirroring or cloud tools instead, you change that privacy model.

Podcast Republic — a podcast manager built for mobile listening​

What it does: Podcast Republic bundles podcast playback, RSS management, offline downloads, and mobile‑focused discovery tools. It includes quick controls, sleep timers, and local download management optimized for on‑the‑go use.
Where it sits today: The app remains active on Android with a long history and a loyal user base. App repositories and APK indexes show ongoing updates and downloads; the app also offers companion web features for subscription management in some builds. Exact active install counts vary by source. Why a Windows native is different: Podcast apps often depend on mobile constraints (download‑while‑on‑cellular rules, background download behaviors, simple headset and notification controls) that are implemented differently on desktop platforms. Desktop players and podcast managers exist, but they rarely match the mobile‑first ergonomics — quick offline syncs, lock‑screen controls, and integrated mobile discovery — emphasize.
Postsible Windows replacements:
  • Use a desktop podcast client or web player for long‑form listening; many podcatchers offer desktop apps and browser interfaces that can approximate management and playback.
  • Sync playback states using cloud‑first services (where supported), or rely on bridging tools that mirror mobile playback controls to the PC.
  • Run Podcast Republic in an emulator to keep mobile behavior intact; again, emulators add overhead and complexity.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit creates “lite apps” by wrapping websites into standalone, configurable web containers that look and behave like apps. It’s a privacy- and performance-minded approach to avoiding heavy native apps by using per‑site rules, per‑site cookies, and dedicated windows.
Popularity and stats: Hermit’s Play listing and analytics pages show strong ratings and millions of installs, reflecting its appeal to users who prefer lightweight, privacy‑oriented web wrappers. Exact install counts are tracked by third‑party aggregators. Why Windows doesn’t need (or get) Hermit the same way: On the desktop, the line between website and app is more blurred — browsers already support site‑pinned windows, progressive web apps (PWAs), and per‑site settings. Hermit’s niche is most obvious on phones where major native apps are heavy and battery-hungry. Windows users can create PWAs from modern browsers or rely on browser profiles and site‑specific shortcuts to approximate Hermit’s behavior.
Where Herbile:
  • Granular per‑site settings, simplified UI, and privacy defaults that avoid heavy trackers.
  • A way to get an “app-like” UX for services that don’t offer good native clients.
Practical Windows approach:
  • Use PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), browser site‑pinning, or lightweight browsers to approximate Hermit’s core value on the desktop.
  • For exact parity, run Hermit in an Android runtime or emulator — but that generally buys you more mobile convenience than desktop elegance.

Web Video Cast — phone-to‑TV casting and remote control​

What it does: Web Video Cast streams video content from the phone’s browser to smart TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV devices, and DLNA receivers. The phone acts as the discovery and control point, letting users browse websites and then cast the chosen stream to the TV while keeping control in their pocket.
Scale and reach: Web Video Cast lists tens of millions of installs on aggregator sites, and AppBrain shows large install numbers and millions of ratings. The app supports a very broad mix of streaming devices and is tailored to phone‑driven casting workflows. Why the desktop lacks a direct equivalent: Casting from a desktop is already possible in several forms (browser‑based Chromecast casting, native casting on some platforms, and dedicated apps for set‑top boxes), but the convenience of browsing mobile‑optimized sources in a phone browser and casting them with a single tap is a mobile habit that desktops rarely replicate. Desktop casting often expects content to be served via standard web players or from a desktop app; the phone‑as‑remote model remains more natural on mobile.
Workarounds:
  • Use a phone and casting app (as before) while your PC remains secondary.
  • Use browser‑based casting (Cast feature in Chromium‑based browsers) for desktop‑initiated casting when the source is accessible via the desktop browser.
  • Use emulation if you want the precise Web Video Cast experience on Windows — but hardware acceleration, device discovery, and network permissions can complicate performance.
Security risk: Many casting workflows require permissive network and discovery settings (mDNS, UPnP). Broadly opening discovery services or using untrusted casting apps can widen your attack surface and should be done cautiously.

Realistic ways to run Android apps on Windows after WSA​

1. Phone Link and device mirroring (official, but limited)​

Microsoft’s Phone Link is the officially supported approach for messaging and some notification mirroring; it allows you to send and receive SMS and MMS through a paired Android phone. This keeps the phone as the authoritative endpoint and is secure in the sense that data is proxied only between the phone and your PC, but it is not a substitute for native desktop apps. Phone Link’s setup and features are documented in Microsoft’s support documentation. Strengths:
  • Official, supported by Microsoft.
  • Simple setup for message mirroring and basic notification access.
Limitations:
  • The phone must be nearby, connected, and online.
  • It does not convert Android apps into native Windows apps or magically expose Android‑only system hooks to Windows.

2. Emulators and third‑party virtualization​

Tools like BlueStacks, Genymotion, and developer AVDs can run Android apps on Windows. These preserve app behavior but come with costs: resource use, potential compatibility quirks, increased attack surface, and the need to manage updates. Emulators are useful for testing and occasional use but are a heavier solution for day‑to‑day tasks.
Security and performance notes:
  • Emulators expose additional software layers and require careful configuration for network access and filesystem permissions.
  • Sideloading APKs into an emulator avoids app‑store checks and increases risk; use only official sources where possible.

3. Sideloading and non‑official ports​

Some users will attempt to sideload APKs or run custom compatibility layers. This is risky: sideloaded apps may bypass store vetting, and compatibility is spotty. It also shifts the responsibility for security and updates to the end user.

4. Native Windows replacements, PWAs, and browser tools​

For certain use cases, native Windows apps, PWAs, or browser utilities can be adequate substitutes. Examples:
  • PWAs and site‑pinning can replace Hermit‑style lite apps.
  • Windows podcast clients or web players can approximate Podcast Republic.
  • Browser casting or native manufacturer apps can replace some Web Video Cast workflows for desktop‑initiated casting.
Each substitution should be evaluated on features you need (offline download, per‑conversation visuals, advanced notification rules) versus what you can accept as “close enough.”

Platform comparisons: how Apple and Google approach cross‑device apps​

Apple allows iPhone and iPad apps to be available on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in — there is no porting process for many apps because the frameworks are compatible, and the App Store for Mac can expose iOS apps on Apple silicon Macs directly if the developer hasn’t opted out. This creates a smoother path for mobile apps to appear and run on desktops in Apple’s ecosystem. Google’s approach for Chromebooks is different: many Chromebooks can run Android apps through the Google Play Store depending on device model and configuration, and ChromeOS includes dedicated guidance and developer tools to optimize Android apps for the larger screen. That model keeps Android as a first‑class runtime on some laptops (Chromebooks) even while Windows is retreating from its official Android runtime. Implication: rival platforms have preserved smoother integration between mobile and desktop for many apps, making the Windows retreat more noticeable for users who previously relied on WSA.

Security, privacy, and operational risks of the available workarounds​

  • Emulators: increase the attack surface, require careful configuration, and often run as privilege‑heavy software that can access many host resources. Emulators may also be less frequently updated than official runtimes.
  • Sideloading: bypasses app‑store protections and should only be done when you trust the APK source and understand the implications.
  • Phone mirroring: depends on the phone’s security; if your phone is compromised, mirrored content may be exposed to the PC.
  • Casting and discovery: enabling network discovery protocols (mDNS, UPnP) on untrusted networks can expose devices to unwanted scanning and control attempts.
Best practices:
  • Prefer official, maintained tools and avoid sideloading when possible.
  • Use strong device authentication (device PIN, biometric unlock) and keep phones and PCs patched.
  • Use browser‑based PWAs or native Windows apps for sensitive workflows when feasible.
  • When using emulators, isolate them (separate user account or VM) and restrict network exposure.

What the deprecation means for developers and users​

For developers: WSA’s end means fewer straightforward paths to reach Windows users via Android binaries. Developers who value cross‑platform reach will need to consider:
  • Shipping native Windows apps,
  • Offering robust PWAs or web experiences,
  • Supporting cloud sync and web‑controlled playback/management solutions that work across platforms.
For users: the immediate impact is that some convenience use cases (SMS clients with deep customization, notification managers that run where the messages are, phone‑as‑remote casting experiences) will require users to keep a phone in their workflow or accept imperfect desktop substitutions. The choice will be pragmatic: keep using the phone alongside the PC (via Phone Link or cast), adopt emulation if you need the exact Android experience, or migrate to desktop alternatives where acceptable.

Practical recommendations for Windows users today​

  1. If you rely on SMS workflows (Textra‑style features), set up Phone Link for reliable SMS mirroring and back up any important messaging data to a secure cloud or local archive. Phone Link provides the most polished official experience for SMS on Windows.
  2. For notification control, test Windows’ Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings first; if you need mobile‑grade filtering, consider continuing to use your Android phone for that layer rather than trying to force a desktop app to do the same job.
  3. If a particular Android app is indispensable, evaluate an emulator only after weighing the security and performance trade‑offs. Isolate the emulator and avoid sideloading unknown APKs.
  4. Use PWAs and browser site‑pinning where possible to replace Hermit‑style needs on the desktop.
  5. For casting and home‑AV workflows, use the native casting features in browsers and TV/streaming device apps when available; reserve Web Video Cast on the phone for scenarios where its device support and phone‑centric UX are uniquely valuable.

Strengths and weaknesses of the current landscape​

Strengths:
  • Official phone‑to‑PC mirroring (Phone Link) is a reasonable solution for SMS and basic notifications, and it is supported and maintained by Microsoft.
  • PWAs, browser improvements, and native Windows apps cover many general-purpose needs, and developers can target the web to reach multiple platforms.
  • Rival ecosystems (Apple, ChromeOS) continue to demonstrate that close mobile‑desktop integration is feasible when the vendor controls both sides of the stack.
Weaknesses and risks:
  • The deprecation of WSA removes a simple, uniform runtime for Android apps on Windows and forces users into fragmented, often less elegant alternatives.
  • Emulation and sideloading increase security risk and maintenance burden for end users.
  • Some app categories — advanced notification management and carrier‑tied SMS clients with deep customization — are inherently harder to replicate on desktop platforms.
Unverifiable or time‑sensitive claims to watch: download and rating numbers for Play Store apps change frequently; the counts presented by third‑party aggregators are good directional indicators but should not be treated as immutable facts. When exact figures matter, consult the app’s Play Store entry or the developer’s official communications at the time of decision‑making.

Conclusion​

The BGR/Bez Kabli roundup is a concise reminder of a persistent truth: mobile-first utilities often exist for reasons that tie them tightly to phone hardware and Android system behaviors, and removing the official Android runtime from Windows exposes that structural gap. For many users the pragmatic path forward will be hybrid — keep the phone in the loop with Phone Link or casting, use PWAs and native Windows tools where they match needs, and accept emulators only when the exact mobile experience is essential and the security costs are understood. The core takeaway for Windows users: the “just run it on your PC” dream for every Android app is now patchier and more work‑intensive. The best outcomes will come from consciously choosing which mobile workflows to keep on phones, which to migrate to desktop‑native equivalents, and which to run in controlled emulation — with careful attention to the privacy and security trade‑offs at each step.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s “run Android apps on PC” promise has quietly narrowed: a recent roundup of five popular Android-first utilities highlights the kinds of phone-native experiences you still won’t find as native Windows apps, and the official path that made those experiences easy has now been wound down.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to bring select Android apps to Windows 11 via the Amazon Appstore, creating the most straightforward bridge between phone-first utilities and desktop workflows. That bridge is being removed: Microsoft has announced it will end support for WSA, and the Amazon Appstore on Windows will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. The practical effect is that the easiest, officially supported way to run many Android apps on Windows is being retired. That change matters more than it first appears. Many of the Android apps people rely on are not mere single-purpose programs but are designed around mobile hardware, system-level hooks, or device-as-controller workflows that are hard to reproduce on a PC without an Android runtime. Examples called out in the roundup include Textra SMS, BuzzKill NotificationRepublic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast — apps that deliver SMS control, advanced notification filtering, compact podcast management, site-wrapping “lite apps,” and phone-based casting, respectively.
This feature explains why those apps are still mobile-first, verifies the central claims where possible, weighs the realistic alternatives for Windows users, and highlights the security and usability trade-offs involved in the various workarounds.

Why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

  • Deep OS hooks: Many Android utilities rely on APIs and local data stores that are unique to Android — SMS databases, notification channels, background "persistent" services, and app-link discovery protocols used for casting and device-to-device control.
  • Device-as-controller designs: Casting and remote-control apps often treat the smartphone as the discovery, authentication, and input device. Shifting that role to a PC changes network, permissions, and power models.
  • Form-factor and expectations: Mobile apps are optimized for short, interrupt-driven interactions on battery-powered devices. The same UI/UX and behavior often feel awkward in a multi-window desktop environment.
Because WSA allowed Android apps to run in a contained runtime that preserved many of these hooks, its deprecation removes the simplest official route for preserving those behaviors on Windows. The remaining options fall into three practical buckets:
  1. Mirror or tether a physical phone to the PC (Phone Link and third‑party mirroring).
  2. Run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer from a third party.
  3. Replace the mobile app with a native Windows alternative where one exists.
Each option has clear trade-offs in reliability, privacy, and long‑term maintainability.

The five apps the roundup highlighted — what they do and why Windows lacks a native match​

Textra SMS — a customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a third‑party SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes speed, deep visual customization (themes, bubble styles), scheduling, and efficient media handling. It reads and writes to the phone’s SMS store and hooks into Android’s notification and messaging APIs to provide a highly tailored texting experience.
Popularity and current footprint: Play‑store tracking sites show Textra with multi‑million installs and a strong user base; app stats aggregators list it in the tens of millions of total installs with a roughly four‑star rating (these figures vary by source and time). These counts are useful indicators but are volatile; treat exact numbers as approximate. Why Windows lacks a faithful port: SMS is fundamentally tied to a device’s cellular SIM and to Android’s local SMS database. A true desktop SMS client that replicates Textra’s behavior would either need direct access to a user’s carrier/SIM (rare and problematic on PCs) or a persistent, reliable phone proxy. Phone Link and similar solutions mirror messages but depend on the phone staying online and paired; they do not convert Textra into a native desktop app. Practical Windows workarounds:
  • Use Microsoft Phone Link to send and receive SMS through a paired Android phone — official, integrated, and actively supported for message mirroring. Note that Phone Link requires a nearby, connected phone and is not a standalone SMS client.
  • Use third‑party syncing services (Pushbullet, MightyText) or browser extensions where available, recognizing these add external dependencies and potential privacy risk.
  • Run Textra in an Android emulator or within a legacy WSA-like environment if you can maintain one; this keeps the app intact but raises resource, compatibility, and security c: exact feature parity — for example, Textra’s per‑conversation visual customization or scheduling — will be difficult to reproduce exactly outside of Android without continuing use of the phone itself.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — advanced notification control on Android​

What it does: BuzzKill gives users granular rules to control notifications — delaying, filtering, batching, and auto‑replying for noisy apps. Its design is privacy‑focused and intended to run locally on the device without cloud telemetry.
Popularity and footprint: Market trackers show BuzzKill at modest install levels compared with mainstream apps (tens of thousands of installs) and a high average rating. The app is a paid utility in the Play Store, reflecting its niche, power-user audience. Why Windows lacks an equivalent: Notification management at BuzzKill’s granularity depends on Android’s access to the notification stream and compound background behaviors in a mobile OS. On Windows, notifications are managed by the Action Center and system APIs; a Windows app can influence notifications it raises itself but cannot replicate per‑app, system‑level interception and contextual filtering that an on‑device Android service can perform without elevated hooks.
Workarounds and trade-offs:
  • Use Phone Link to mirror phone notifications to Windows — useful but again requires the phone and does not empower a pure desktop app to alter the phone’s behavior.
  • Use native Windows notification settings and Focus Assist to approximate coarse filtering, but these controls are not as nimble or privacy‑centric as BuzzKill.
  • Run BuzzKill inside an emulator — possible, but the emulator must be configurations reliably, and many of the app’s advantages (battery- and privacy-centric local control) get diluted.
Security note: BuzzKill’s developer emphasizes privacy and local processing in its Play listing; when using third‑party mirroring or cloud tools instead, you change that privacy model.

Podcast Republic — a podcast manager built for mobile listening​

What it does: Podcast Republic bundles podcast playback, RSS management, offline downloads, and mobile‑focused discovery tools. It includes quick controls, sleep timers, and local download management optimized for on‑the‑go use.
Where it sits today: The app remains active on Android with a long history and a loyal user base. App repositories and APK indexes show ongoing updates and downloads; the app also offers companion web features for subscription management in some builds. Exact active install counts vary by source. Why a Windows native is different: Podcast apps often depend on mobile constraints (download‑while‑on‑cellular rules, background download behaviors, simple headset and notification controls) that are implemented differently on desktop platforms. Desktop players and podcast managers exist, but they rarely match the mobile‑first ergonomics — quick offline syncs, lock‑screen controls, and integrated mobile discovery — emphasize.
Possible Windows replacements:
  • Use a desktop podcast client or web player for long‑form listening; many podcatchers offer desktop apps and browser interfaces that can approximate management and playback.
  • Sync playback states using cloud‑first services (where supported), or rely on bridging tools that mirror mobile playback controls to the PC.
  • Run Podcast Republic in an emulator to keep mobile behavior intact; again, emulators add overhead and complexity.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit creates “lite apps” by wrapping websites into standalone, configurable web containers that look and behave like apps. It’s a privacy- and performance-minded approach to avoiding heavy native apps by using per‑site rules, per‑site cookies, and dedicated windows.
Popularity and stats: Hermit’s Play listing and analytics pages show strong ratings and millions of installs, reflecting its appeal to users who prefer lightweight, privacy‑oriented web wrappers. Exact install counts are tracked by third‑party aggregators. Why Windows doesn’t need (or get) Hermit the same way: On the desktop, the line between website and app is more blurred — browsers already support site‑pinned windows, progressive web apps (PWAs), and per‑site settings. Hermit’s niche is most obvious on phones where major native apps are heavy and battery-hungry. Windows users can create PWAs from modern browsers or rely on browser profiles and site‑specific shortcuts to approximate Hermit’s behavior.
Where Herbile:
  • Granular per‑site settings, simplified UI, and privacy defaults that avoid heavy trackers.
  • A way to get an “app-like” UX for services that don’t offer good native clients.
Practical Windows approach:
  • Use PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), browser site‑pinning, or lightweight browsers to approximate Hermit’s core value on the desktop.
  • For exact parity, run Hermit in an Android runtime or emulator — but that generally buys you more mobile convenience than desktop elegance.

Web Video Cast — phone-to‑TV casting and remote control​

What it does: Web Video Cast streams video content from the phone’s browser to smart TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV devices, and DLNA receivers. The phone acts as the discovery and control point, letting users browse websites and then cast the chosen stream to the TV while keeping control in their pocket.
Scale and reach: Web Video Cast lists tens of millions of installs on aggregator sites, and AppBrain shows large install numbers and millions of ratings. The app supports a very broad mix of streaming devices and is tailored to phone‑driven casting workflows. Why the desktop lacks a direct equivalent: Casting from a desktop is already possible in several forms (browser‑based Chromecast casting, native casting on some platforms, and dedicated apps for set‑top boxes), but the convenience of browsing mobile‑optimized sources in a phone browser and casting them with a single tap is a mobile habit that desktops rarely replicate. Desktop casting often expects content to be served via standard web players or from a desktop app; the phone‑as‑remote model remains more natural on mobile.
Workarounds:
  • Use a phone and casting app (as before) while your PC remains secondary.
  • Use browser‑based casting (Cast feature in Chromium‑based browsers) for desktop‑initiated casting when the source is accessible via the desktop browser.
  • Use emulation if you want the precise Web Video Cast experience on Windows — but hardware acceleration, device discovery, and network permissions can complicate performance.
Security risk: Many casting workflows require permissive network and discovery settings (mDNS, UPnP). Broadly opening discovery services or using untrusted casting apps can widen your attack surface and should be done cautiously.

Realistic ways to run Android apps on Windows after WSA​

1. Phone Link and device mirroring (official, but limited)​

Microsoft’s Phone Link is the officially supported approach for messaging and some notification mirroring; it allows you to send and receive SMS and MMS through a paired Android phone. This keeps the phone as the authoritative endpoint and is secure in the sense that data is proxied only between the phone and your PC, but it is not a substitute for native desktop apps. Phone Link’s setup and features are documented in Microsoft’s support documentation. Strengths:
  • Official, supported by Microsoft.
  • Simple setup for message mirroring and basic notification access.
Limitations:
  • The phone must be nearby, connected, and online.
  • It does not convert Android apps into native Windows apps or magically expose Android‑only system hooks to Windows.

2. Emulators and third‑party virtualization​

Tools like BlueStacks, Genymotion, and developer AVDs can run Android apps on Windows. These preserve app behavior but come with costs: resource use, potential compatibility quirks, increased attack surface, and the need to manage updates. Emulators are useful for testing and occasional use but are a heavier solution for day‑to‑day tasks.
Security and performance notes:
  • Emulators expose additional software layers and require careful configuration for network access and filesystem permissions.
  • Sideloading APKs into an emulator avoids app‑store checks and increases risk; use only official sources where possible.

3. Sideloading and non‑official ports​

Some users will attempt to sideload APKs or run custom compatibility layers. This is risky: sideloaded apps may bypass store vetting, and compatibility is spotty. It also shifts the responsibility for security and updates to the end user.

4. Native Windows replacements, PWAs, and browser tools​

For certain use cases, native Windows apps, PWAs, or browser utilities can be adequate substitutes. Examples:
  • PWAs and site‑pinning can replace Hermit‑style lite apps.
  • Windows podcast clients or web players can approximate Podcast Republic.
  • Browser casting or native manufacturer apps can replace some Web Video Cast workflows for desktop‑initiated casting.
Each substitution should be evaluated on features you need (offline download, per‑conversation visuals, advanced notification rules) versus what you can accept as “close enough.”

Platform comparisons: how Apple and Google approach cross‑device apps​

Apple allows iPhone and iPad apps to be available on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in — there is no porting process for many apps because the frameworks are compatible, and the App Store for Mac can expose iOS apps on Apple silicon Macs directly if the developer hasn’t opted out. This creates a smoother path for mobile apps to appear and run on desktops in Apple’s ecosystem. Google’s approach for Chromebooks is different: many Chromebooks can run Android apps through the Google Play Store depending on device model and configuration, and ChromeOS includes dedicated guidance and developer tools to optimize Android apps for the larger screen. That model keeps Android as a first‑class runtime on some laptops (Chromebooks) even while Windows is retreating from its official Android runtime. Implication: rival platforms have preserved smoother integration between mobile and desktop for many apps, making the Windows retreat more noticeable for users who previously relied on WSA.

Security, privacy, and operational risks of the available workarounds​

  • Emulators: increase the attack surface, require careful configuration, and often run as privilege‑heavy software that can access many host resources. Emulators may also be less frequently updated than official runtimes.
  • Sideloading: bypasses app‑store protections and should only be done when you trust the APK source and understand the implications.
  • Phone mirroring: depends on the phone’s security; if your phone is compromised, mirrored content may be exposed to the PC.
  • Casting and discovery: enabling network discovery protocols (mDNS, UPnP) on untrusted networks can expose devices to unwanted scanning and control attempts.
Best practices:
  • Prefer official, maintained tools and avoid sideloading when possible.
  • Use strong device authentication (device PIN, biometric unlock) and keep phones and PCs patched.
  • Use browser‑based PWAs or native Windows apps for sensitive workflows when feasible.
  • When using emulators, isolate them (separate user account or VM) and restrict network exposure.

What the deprecation means for developers and users​

For developers: WSA’s end means fewer straightforward paths to reach Windows users via Android binaries. Developers who value cross‑platform reach will need to consider:
  • Shipping native Windows apps,
  • Offering robust PWAs or web experiences,
  • Supporting cloud sync and web‑controlled playback/management solutions that work across platforms.
For users: the immediate impact is that some convenience use cases (SMS clients with deep customization, notification managers that run where the messages are, phone‑as‑remote casting experiences) will require users to keep a phone in their workflow or accept imperfect desktop substitutions. The choice will be pragmatic: keep using the phone alongside the PC (via Phone Link or cast), adopt emulation if you need the exact Android experience, or migrate to desktop alternatives where acceptable.

Practical recommendations for Windows users today​

  1. If you rely on SMS workflows (Textra‑style features), set up Phone Link for reliable SMS mirroring and back up any important messaging data to a secure cloud or local archive. Phone Link provides the most polished official experience for SMS on Windows.
  2. For notification control, test Windows’ Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings first; if you need mobile‑grade filtering, consider continuing to use your Android phone for that layer rather than trying to force a desktop app to do the same job.
  3. If a particular Android app is indispensable, evaluate an emulator only after weighing the security and performance trade‑offs. Isolate the emulator and avoid sideloading unknown APKs.
  4. Use PWAs and browser site‑pinning where possible to replace Hermit‑style needs on the desktop.
  5. For casting and home‑AV workflows, use the native casting features in browsers and TV/streaming device apps when available; reserve Web Video Cast on the phone for scenarios where its device support and phone‑centric UX are uniquely valuable.

Strengths and weaknesses of the current landscape​

Strengths:
  • Official phone‑to‑PC mirroring (Phone Link) is a reasonable solution for SMS and basic notifications, and it is supported and maintained by Microsoft.
  • PWAs, browser improvements, and native Windows apps cover many general-purpose needs, and developers can target the web to reach multiple platforms.
  • Rival ecosystems (Apple, ChromeOS) continue to demonstrate that close mobile‑desktop integration is feasible when the vendor controls both sides of the stack.
Weaknesses and risks:
  • The deprecation of WSA removes a simple, uniform runtime for Android apps on Windows and forces users into fragmented, often less elegant alternatives.
  • Emulation and sideloading increase security risk and maintenance burden for end users.
  • Some app categories — advanced notification management and carrier‑tied SMS clients with deep customization — are inherently harder to replicate on desktop platforms.
Unverifiable or time‑sensitive claims to watch: download and rating numbers for Play Store apps change frequently; the counts presented by third‑party aggregators are good directional indicators but should not be treated as immutable facts. When exact figures matter, consult the app’s Play Store entry or the developer’s official communications at the time of decision‑making.

Conclusion​

The BGR/Bez Kabli roundup is a concise reminder of a persistent truth: mobile-first utilities often exist for reasons that tie them tightly to phone hardware and Android system behaviors, and removing the official Android runtime from Windows exposes that structural gap. For many users the pragmatic path forward will be hybrid — keep the phone in the loop with Phone Link or casting, use PWAs and native Windows tools where they match needs, and accept emulators only when the exact mobile experience is essential and the security costs are understood. The core takeaway for Windows users: the “just run it on your PC” dream for every Android app is now patchier and more work‑intensive. The best outcomes will come from consciously choosing which mobile workflows to keep on phones, which to migrate to desktop‑native equivalents, and which to run in controlled emulation — with careful attention to the privacy and security trade‑offs at each step.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

Windows 11’s “run Android apps on PC” promise has quietly narrowed: a recent roundup of five popular Android-first utilities highlights the kinds of phone-native experiences you still won’t find as native Windows apps, and the official path that made those experiences easy has now been wound down.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to bring select Android apps to Windows 11 via the Amazon Appstore, creating the most straightforward bridge between phone-first utilities and desktop workflows. That bridge is being removed: Microsoft has announced it will end support for WSA, and the Amazon Appstore on Windows will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. The practical effect is that the easiest, officially supported way to run many Android apps on Windows is being retired. That change matters more than it first appears. Many of the Android apps people rely on are not mere single-purpose programs but are designed around mobile hardware, system-level hooks, or device-as-controller workflows that are hard to reproduce on a PC without an Android runtime. Examples called out in the roundup include Textra SMS, BuzzKill NotificationRepublic, Hermit — Lite Apps Browser, and Web Video Cast — apps that deliver SMS control, advanced notification filtering, compact podcast management, site-wrapping “lite apps,” and phone-based casting, respectively.
This feature explains why those apps are still mobile-first, verifies the central claims where possible, weighs the realistic alternatives for Windows users, and highlights the security and usability trade-offs involved in the various workarounds.

Why some Android apps don’t map cleanly to Windows​

  • Deep OS hooks: Many Android utilities rely on APIs and local data stores that are unique to Android — SMS databases, notification channels, background "persistent" services, and app-link discovery protocols used for casting and device-to-device control.
  • Device-as-controller designs: Casting and remote-control apps often treat the smartphone as the discovery, authentication, and input device. Shifting that role to a PC changes network, permissions, and power models.
  • Form-factor and expectations: Mobile apps are optimized for short, interrupt-driven interactions on battery-powered devices. The same UI/UX and behavior often feel awkward in a multi-window desktop environment.
Because WSA allowed Android apps to run in a contained runtime that preserved many of these hooks, its deprecation removes the simplest official route for preserving those behaviors on Windows. The remaining options fall into three practical buckets:
  1. Mirror or tether a physical phone to the PC (Phone Link and third‑party mirroring).
  2. Run Android in an emulator or virtualization layer from a third party.
  3. Replace the mobile app with a native Windows alternative where one exists.
Each option has clear trade-offs in reliability, privacy, and long‑term maintainability.

The five apps the roundup highlighted — what they do and why Windows lacks a native match​

Textra SMS — a customizable SMS/MMS client​

What it does: Textra is a third‑party SMS/MMS replacement for Android that emphasizes speed, deep visual customization (themes, bubble styles), scheduling, and efficient media handling. It reads and writes to the phone’s SMS store and hooks into Android’s notification and messaging APIs to provide a highly tailored texting experience.
Popularity and current footprint: Play‑store tracking sites show Textra with multi‑million installs and a strong user base; app stats aggregators list it in the tens of millions of total installs with a roughly four‑star rating (these figures vary by source and time). These counts are useful indicators but are volatile; treat exact numbers as approximate. Why Windows lacks a faithful port: SMS is fundamentally tied to a device’s cellular SIM and to Android’s local SMS database. A true desktop SMS client that replicates Textra’s behavior would either need direct access to a user’s carrier/SIM (rare and problematic on PCs) or a persistent, reliable phone proxy. Phone Link and similar solutions mirror messages but depend on the phone staying online and paired; they do not convert Textra into a native desktop app. Practical Windows workarounds:
  • Use Microsoft Phone Link to send and receive SMS through a paired Android phone — official, integrated, and actively supported for message mirroring. Note that Phone Link requires a nearby, connected phone and is not a standalone SMS client.
  • Use third‑party syncing services (Pushbullet, MightyText) or browser extensions where available, recognizing these add external dependencies and potential privacy risk.
  • Run Textra in an Android emulator or within a legacy WSA-like environment if you can maintain one; this keeps the app intact but raises resource, compatibility, and security c: exact feature parity — for example, Textra’s per‑conversation visual customization or scheduling — will be difficult to reproduce exactly outside of Android without continuing use of the phone itself.

BuzzKill Notification Manager — advanced notification control on Android​

What it does: BuzzKill gives users granular rules to control notifications — delaying, filtering, batching, and auto‑replying for noisy apps. Its design is privacy‑focused and intended to run locally on the device without cloud telemetry.
Popularity and footprint: Market trackers show BuzzKill at modest install levels compared with mainstream apps (tens of thousands of installs) and a high average rating. The app is a paid utility in the Play Store, reflecting its niche, power-user audience. Why Windows lacks an equivalent: Notification management at BuzzKill’s granularity depends on Android’s access to the notification stream and compound background behaviors in a mobile OS. On Windows, notifications are managed by the Action Center and system APIs; a Windows app can influence notifications it raises itself but cannot replicate per‑app, system‑level interception and contextual filtering that an on‑device Android service can perform without elevated hooks.
Workarounds and trade-offs:
  • Use Phone Link to mirror phone notifications to Windows — useful but again requires the phone and does not empower a pure desktop app to alter the phone’s behavior.
  • Use native Windows notification settings and Focus Assist to approximate coarse filtering, but these controls are not as nimble or privacy‑centric as BuzzKill.
  • Run BuzzKill inside an emulator — possible, but the emulator must be configurations reliably, and many of the app’s advantages (battery- and privacy-centric local control) get diluted.
Security note: BuzzKill’s developer emphasizes privacy and local processing in its Play listing; when using third‑party mirroring or cloud tools instead, you change that privacy model.

Podcast Republic — a podcast manager built for mobile listening​

What it does: Podcast Republic bundles podcast playback, RSS management, offline downloads, and mobile‑focused discovery tools. It includes quick controls, sleep timers, and local download management optimized for on‑the‑go use.
Where it sits today: The app remains active on Android with a long history and a loyal user base. App repositories and APK indexes show ongoing updates and downloads; the app also offers companion web features for subscription management in some builds. Exact active install counts vary by source. Why a Windows native is different: Podcast apps often depend on mobile constraints (download‑while‑on‑cellular rules, background download behaviors, simple headset and notification controls) that are implemented differently on desktop platforms. Desktop players and podcast managers exist, but they rarely match the mobile‑first ergonomics — quick offline syncs, lock‑screen controls, and integrated mobile discovery — emphasize.
Postsible Windows replacements:
  • Use a desktop podcast client or web player for long‑form listening; many podcatchers offer desktop apps and browser interfaces that can approximate management and playback.
  • Sync playback states using cloud‑first services (where supported), or rely on bridging tools that mirror mobile playback controls to the PC.
  • Run Podcast Republic in an emulator to keep mobile behavior intact; again, emulators add overhead and complexity.

Hermit — Lite Apps Browser​

What it does: Hermit creates “lite apps” by wrapping websites into standalone, configurable web containers that look and behave like apps. It’s a privacy- and performance-minded approach to avoiding heavy native apps by using per‑site rules, per‑site cookies, and dedicated windows.
Popularity and stats: Hermit’s Play listing and analytics pages show strong ratings and millions of installs, reflecting its appeal to users who prefer lightweight, privacy‑oriented web wrappers. Exact install counts are tracked by third‑party aggregators. Why Windows doesn’t need (or get) Hermit the same way: On the desktop, the line between website and app is more blurred — browsers already support site‑pinned windows, progressive web apps (PWAs), and per‑site settings. Hermit’s niche is most obvious on phones where major native apps are heavy and battery-hungry. Windows users can create PWAs from modern browsers or rely on browser profiles and site‑specific shortcuts to approximate Hermit’s behavior.
Where Herbile:
  • Granular per‑site settings, simplified UI, and privacy defaults that avoid heavy trackers.
  • A way to get an “app-like” UX for services that don’t offer good native clients.
Practical Windows approach:
  • Use PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), browser site‑pinning, or lightweight browsers to approximate Hermit’s core value on the desktop.
  • For exact parity, run Hermit in an Android runtime or emulator — but that generally buys you more mobile convenience than desktop elegance.

Web Video Cast — phone-to‑TV casting and remote control​

What it does: Web Video Cast streams video content from the phone’s browser to smart TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV devices, and DLNA receivers. The phone acts as the discovery and control point, letting users browse websites and then cast the chosen stream to the TV while keeping control in their pocket.
Scale and reach: Web Video Cast lists tens of millions of installs on aggregator sites, and AppBrain shows large install numbers and millions of ratings. The app supports a very broad mix of streaming devices and is tailored to phone‑driven casting workflows. Why the desktop lacks a direct equivalent: Casting from a desktop is already possible in several forms (browser‑based Chromecast casting, native casting on some platforms, and dedicated apps for set‑top boxes), but the convenience of browsing mobile‑optimized sources in a phone browser and casting them with a single tap is a mobile habit that desktops rarely replicate. Desktop casting often expects content to be served via standard web players or from a desktop app; the phone‑as‑remote model remains more natural on mobile.
Workarounds:
  • Use a phone and casting app (as before) while your PC remains secondary.
  • Use browser‑based casting (Cast feature in Chromium‑based browsers) for desktop‑initiated casting when the source is accessible via the desktop browser.
  • Use emulation if you want the precise Web Video Cast experience on Windows — but hardware acceleration, device discovery, and network permissions can complicate performance.
Security risk: Many casting workflows require permissive network and discovery settings (mDNS, UPnP). Broadly opening discovery services or using untrusted casting apps can widen your attack surface and should be done cautiously.

Realistic ways to run Android apps on Windows after WSA​

1. Phone Link and device mirroring (official, but limited)​

Microsoft’s Phone Link is the officially supported approach for messaging and some notification mirroring; it allows you to send and receive SMS and MMS through a paired Android phone. This keeps the phone as the authoritative endpoint and is secure in the sense that data is proxied only between the phone and your PC, but it is not a substitute for native desktop apps. Phone Link’s setup and features are documented in Microsoft’s support documentation. Strengths:
  • Official, supported by Microsoft.
  • Simple setup for message mirroring and basic notification access.
Limitations:
  • The phone must be nearby, connected, and online.
  • It does not convert Android apps into native Windows apps or magically expose Android‑only system hooks to Windows.

2. Emulators and third‑party virtualization​

Tools like BlueStacks, Genymotion, and developer AVDs can run Android apps on Windows. These preserve app behavior but come with costs: resource use, potential compatibility quirks, increased attack surface, and the need to manage updates. Emulators are useful for testing and occasional use but are a heavier solution for day‑to‑day tasks.
Security and performance notes:
  • Emulators expose additional software layers and require careful configuration for network access and filesystem permissions.
  • Sideloading APKs into an emulator avoids app‑store checks and increases risk; use only official sources where possible.

3. Sideloading and non‑official ports​

Some users will attempt to sideload APKs or run custom compatibility layers. This is risky: sideloaded apps may bypass store vetting, and compatibility is spotty. It also shifts the responsibility for security and updates to the end user.

4. Native Windows replacements, PWAs, and browser tools​

For certain use cases, native Windows apps, PWAs, or browser utilities can be adequate substitutes. Examples:
  • PWAs and site‑pinning can replace Hermit‑style lite apps.
  • Windows podcast clients or web players can approximate Podcast Republic.
  • Browser casting or native manufacturer apps can replace some Web Video Cast workflows for desktop‑initiated casting.
Each substitution should be evaluated on features you need (offline download, per‑conversation visuals, advanced notification rules) versus what you can accept as “close enough.”

Platform comparisons: how Apple and Google approach cross‑device apps​

Apple allows iPhone and iPad apps to be available on Macs with Apple silicon when developers opt in — there is no porting process for many apps because the frameworks are compatible, and the App Store for Mac can expose iOS apps on Apple silicon Macs directly if the developer hasn’t opted out. This creates a smoother path for mobile apps to appear and run on desktops in Apple’s ecosystem. Google’s approach for Chromebooks is different: many Chromebooks can run Android apps through the Google Play Store depending on device model and configuration, and ChromeOS includes dedicated guidance and developer tools to optimize Android apps for the larger screen. That model keeps Android as a first‑class runtime on some laptops (Chromebooks) even while Windows is retreating from its official Android runtime. Implication: rival platforms have preserved smoother integration between mobile and desktop for many apps, making the Windows retreat more noticeable for users who previously relied on WSA.

Security, privacy, and operational risks of the available workarounds​

  • Emulators: increase the attack surface, require careful configuration, and often run as privilege‑heavy software that can access many host resources. Emulators may also be less frequently updated than official runtimes.
  • Sideloading: bypasses app‑store protections and should only be done when you trust the APK source and understand the implications.
  • Phone mirroring: depends on the phone’s security; if your phone is compromised, mirrored content may be exposed to the PC.
  • Casting and discovery: enabling network discovery protocols (mDNS, UPnP) on untrusted networks can expose devices to unwanted scanning and control attempts.
Best practices:
  • Prefer official, maintained tools and avoid sideloading when possible.
  • Use strong device authentication (device PIN, biometric unlock) and keep phones and PCs patched.
  • Use browser‑based PWAs or native Windows apps for sensitive workflows when feasible.
  • When using emulators, isolate them (separate user account or VM) and restrict network exposure.

What the deprecation means for developers and users​

For developers: WSA’s end means fewer straightforward paths to reach Windows users via Android binaries. Developers who value cross‑platform reach will need to consider:
  • Shipping native Windows apps,
  • Offering robust PWAs or web experiences,
  • Supporting cloud sync and web‑controlled playback/management solutions that work across platforms.
For users: the immediate impact is that some convenience use cases (SMS clients with deep customization, notification managers that run where the messages are, phone‑as‑remote casting experiences) will require users to keep a phone in their workflow or accept imperfect desktop substitutions. The choice will be pragmatic: keep using the phone alongside the PC (via Phone Link or cast), adopt emulation if you need the exact Android experience, or migrate to desktop alternatives where acceptable.

Practical recommendations for Windows users today​

  1. If you rely on SMS workflows (Textra‑style features), set up Phone Link for reliable SMS mirroring and back up any important messaging data to a secure cloud or local archive. Phone Link provides the most polished official experience for SMS on Windows.
  2. For notification control, test Windows’ Focus Assist and per‑app notification settings first; if you need mobile‑grade filtering, consider continuing to use your Android phone for that layer rather than trying to force a desktop app to do the same job.
  3. If a particular Android app is indispensable, evaluate an emulator only after weighing the security and performance trade‑offs. Isolate the emulator and avoid sideloading unknown APKs.
  4. Use PWAs and browser site‑pinning where possible to replace Hermit‑style needs on the desktop.
  5. For casting and home‑AV workflows, use the native casting features in browsers and TV/streaming device apps when available; reserve Web Video Cast on the phone for scenarios where its device support and phone‑centric UX are uniquely valuable.

Strengths and weaknesses of the current landscape​

Strengths:
  • Official phone‑to‑PC mirroring (Phone Link) is a reasonable solution for SMS and basic notifications, and it is supported and maintained by Microsoft.
  • PWAs, browser improvements, and native Windows apps cover many general-purpose needs, and developers can target the web to reach multiple platforms.
  • Rival ecosystems (Apple, ChromeOS) continue to demonstrate that close mobile‑desktop integration is feasible when the vendor controls both sides of the stack.
Weaknesses and risks:
  • The deprecation of WSA removes a simple, uniform runtime for Android apps on Windows and forces users into fragmented, often less elegant alternatives.
  • Emulation and sideloading increase security risk and maintenance burden for end users.
  • Some app categories — advanced notification management and carrier‑tied SMS clients with deep customization — are inherently harder to replicate on desktop platforms.
Unverifiable or time‑sensitive claims to watch: download and rating numbers for Play Store apps change frequently; the counts presented by third‑party aggregators are good directional indicators but should not be treated as immutable facts. When exact figures matter, consult the app’s Play Store entry or the developer’s official communications at the time of decision‑making.

Conclusion​

The BGR/Bez Kabli roundup is a concise reminder of a persistent truth: mobile-first utilities often exist for reasons that tie them tightly to phone hardware and Android system behaviors, and removing the official Android runtime from Windows exposes that structural gap. For many users the pragmatic path forward will be hybrid — keep the phone in the loop with Phone Link or casting, use PWAs and native Windows tools where they match needs, and accept emulators only when the exact mobile experience is essential and the security costs are understood. The core takeaway for Windows users: the “just run it on your PC” dream for every Android app is now patchier and more work‑intensive. The best outcomes will come from consciously choosing which mobile workflows to keep on phones, which to migrate to desktop‑native equivalents, and which to run in controlled emulation — with careful attention to the privacy and security trade‑offs at each step.
Source: Bez Kabli Windows 11 users: 5 popular Android apps you still won’t find on the Microsoft Store
 

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