One of the more exciting features in Windows 11 that was announced by Microsoft was the support for Android apps. It was only available in a limited public preview with just a few apps and never fully launched, though. And now the company is offering it back to beta users in China.
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Microsoft Adds Tencent App Store to Windows for Android Apps in China for Testers
Windows Insiders in China can now start using its Android apps via Tencent’s MyApp store, part of the Microsoft Store. The collaboration could bring Android app support to all of Windows 11, something Microsoft initially aimed for then backed away from.
Popular apps available in other stores including PUBG Mobile, Honor of Kings, REDnote, and Kuaishou are also in the MyApp store. Tencent intends to extend it up to 1,500 apps in total, which will also be searchable via Bing and Windows Search. This step will allow Android devs to access a bigger group of devices.
The partnership was originally revealed by Tencent and Microsoft back in May, but it’s not clear when these features would roll out to other Windows users in China and even more so globally. Microsoft announced global Android app support on Windows 11 and provided a public preview last year. However, the launch was called off sometime later and users will not be able to download new apps or use the existing ones after March 5, 2025, as that is when the preview will cease.
One reason the feature didn’t gain much traction was the limited app selection. The preview hooked users up with Amazon’s App Store instead of the ubiquitous Google Play Store, containing far fewer apps and requiring an account with Amazon.
Still, Microsoft has been steadily enhancing Android-Windows integration with options such as file transfers and using an Android phone as a webcam. The company may be looking to establish a more integrated experience like what is currently available between the iPhone and macOS. But whether Android smartphones will ever be this integrated with Windows is an open question.
FAQs
When will Android apps be available for Windows in China?
Android apps are now available for beta testers in China through Tencent’s app store. A full rollout date is not yet confirmed.
Can I run Android apps on Windows outside of China?
Currently, this feature is limited to Windows Insider testers in China, with no global availability yet.
