How To Sideload Android Apps On Windows 11

How To Sideload Android Apps On Windows 11: Android apps were made available to the Windows 11 platform this week, and you can now set up the Windows Subsystem for Android right from Microsoft.ca. The only official way to install Android apps is from Amazon’s Appstore, but that could change soon! In the meantime, if Amazon isn’t your go-to store for all things digital content then keep reading because we’re able to sideload Android apps on WSA running on Windows 11.

Sideload Android Apps

Sideloading apps is a pretty simple task that can be accomplished on Windows 11 using the Android Debugging Bridge (ADB) and the WSATools app. With these two pieces of software, any Android app can be sideloaded.

Sideload Android Apps on Windows 11

You can use WSA to install any app from APK format. You can actually install a large number of applications, including games, music players and productivity software. Most apps will work just fine on Windows 11 unless they require special tweaks or DRM – like Netflix.

How to Sideload Android Apps on Windows 11

We are going to use “Aurora Store” a popular third-party app store on WSA for sideloading Windows 11 apps. You can sideload Windows 11 apps with two different methods mentioned below:

Method 1: Sideloading Manually

1. Download your desired APK file of the Android application from the popular APK website.

2. You need to set up ADB platform tools on your device, if you have not already set up, you can go to SDK Platform-Tools for Windows to download the required ADB files. After downloading the files just extract them into a folder on your device.

3. Now open the Start Menu and search for “Windows Subsystem for Android“, and open it.

4. The next screen of Settings of Windows Subsystem for Android will open. You need to scroll down and then enable Developer mode. After this, click the copy button on ‘IP address tab. If you are unable to see the IP address, you should click the refresh button below it and the IP address should appear.

Note: If the IP address still doesn’t show up after refreshing it, you should open the Files app from the first Settings page on the first option.

Sideload Android Apps On Windows 11
Enable the Developer mode and copy the IP address.

5. Additionally, open Command Prompt from the Start Menu. You can launch it using the keyboard shortcut Windows key + R, then type “cmd” and press Enter.

6. Now to go to the folder where you have previously extracted the SDK Platform Tools SDK. For example, your files are extracted in the directory D:\platform-tools. Enter the below syntax in the command prompt:

cd /d D:\platform-tools

7. Now enter the below syntax to connect WSA.

adb connect <ip address>

You need to replace them with the IP address you have copied earlier. Your syntax should look like this:

adb connect 172.17.149.24
Connect to Windows Subsystem for Android via ADB.
Connect to Windows Subsystem for Android via ADB.

8. Now go to the APK file that was downloaded earlier. Right-click on the APK file and select the option “Copy as path” from the menu.

9. Open the “cmd” window again and enter the below syntax:

adb install <file-path>

Now replace them with your own. The final path should be like this:

adb install “C:\Users\dudej\Desktop\Work\Sideload\aurora.apk”
Install the Android app via ADB.
Install the Android app via ADB.

10. The ADB will install your desired APK file that was downloaded earlier, after the installation is completed you can find the app in Start Menu.

11. The final step is to open the Start Menu, search for the app you have installed and open it.

Sideloaded Android app on Windows 11.
Sideloaded Android app on Windows 11.

Method 2: Sideloading Using WSATools App

1. Open Microsoft Store, download the WSATools app and install it.

WSATools on Microsoft Store.
WSATools on Microsoft Store.

2. Now set up and install ADB platform tools on your device.

3. If you have installed both the setup, WSATools and ADB, open the Windows Subsystem for Android and turn on the developer mode. You also need to run any android app installed to make sure WSA is on.

Turn on the developer mode on WSA.
Turn on the developer mode on WSA.

4. Now open the WSATools app, then locate ad select the .apk file that you wish to sideload on your device.

5. Once you have selected click on the “Install” button to complete the installation.

WSATools app

6. This is the final step, open your installed application or you can install other apk apps after the process is complete.

Application installed successfully message screen

We have successfully sideloaded Android apps on Windows 11 using the ADB and WSATools. These apps are compatible with regular Windows apps, but be aware that APKs cannot always be trusted. They could be malicious files designed to steal information from your device, so proceed at your own risk!

Conclusion

Did you know that Microsoft had been allowing Android apps to be installed on Windows Phone about two years ago so long as people were able to sideload them? If you use a Windows 11 phone, it might be great for your business to know that you’ll be able to install Android apps once the Windows Subsystem for Android releases.

Author

  • Bilal Akbar

    I am Bilal Akbar, the founder of TechTaalk. I am an expert web designer, graphic designer, SEO, and professional blogger. My specialty is WordPress, and I have spent the past few years in website development, blogging, search engine optimization, and digital marketing.
    I am passionate about helping people learn about technology and how to use it to their advantage. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to use technology to improve their lives, and I am committed to providing that opportunity through TechTaalk.

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