Last October, Microsoft and Amazon partnered to bring Android apps to the Windows 11 platform. At the time, the feature was limited to the Windows Insider Program in the Dev/Beta channel, and only about 50 Android apps were available.
With the Amazon Appstore Preview coming to the Microsoft Store, Microsoft is now opening up the feature to more users and offering over 1,000 Android apps and games.
Last year, the only Android apps tested were Amazon’s own Kindle app, the Washington Post, Clash of Kings, Coin Master and Lego Duplo World.
This experience is achieved through the Windows Subsystem for the Android platform (based on Intel’s Bridge technology). Both AMD and Intel devices will work as long as they meet the hardware requirements to run Windows 11.
This morning, Microsoft expanded access to the Amazon Appstore Preview. Now, Windows 11 users in the US can access the Amazon Appstore Preview to download over 1,000 Android apps and games, including Audible, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids, and more.
To use these games, users need to open the Microsoft Store and then update the Amazon Appstore Preview. You can then search for your favorite apps and games and download them through the Amazon Appstore. These Android apps will behave like Windows apps because they will integrate with Windows input and windowing experiences, such as Snap layouts.
Improvements to the taskbar are also rolling out today. The redesigned version of the taskbar in Windows 11 has received a lot of complaints from users who don’t like the taskbar now being locked at the bottom of the screen and not allowing users to add their own shortcuts. Microsoft has heard this feedback and has been planning to fix the issue, but today’s update is to address a different set of issues.
The taskbar will now display the clock and date on the secondary monitor’s taskbar; will now display real-time weather content in the top left corner of the taskbar; Microsoft Teams customers (with work or school accounts) will be able to view any window from the taskbar Mute, unmute and share to make video calls smoother.