Microsoft announcement today that Windows 11 beta users can now try Android apps on their PC. But oddly enough, there are only 50 apps available.

If you’re a Windows Insider in the US and have an Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm processor powering your device, you can grab your first Android app from the Microsoft Store. However, the store does not host the apps and instead will connect you to the Amazon Appstore to download them. You will need an active Amazon account to get started.

As on Chrome OS, Android apps can run simultaneously with Windows 11 apps in the different Snap Layout modes of the platform. You can even pin them to the Start menu or taskbar. Android apps will offer push notifications in the Action Center, much like the Your Phone app, which syncs between your Android phone and your PC, collects alerts with Windows apps. Microsoft has also made it possible to share your clipboard between apps, which should help make this built-in functionality seamless.

As it has just entered the testing phase, the applications available to try are severely limited – a mere pinch of a fraction of the 600,000 Android apps on offer in Amazon’s Appstore, and only a tiny fraction of the 3 million apps on Google Play. Some of the applications offered by Microsoft I hadn’t heard of it before.

G / O Media may earn a commission

$ 30 off

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Keep an eye on your health
With a focus on biometric health data, a key new feature is improving their sleep tracking.

“We’ve teamed up with Amazon and popular app developers to organize 50 apps for Windows Insiders to test and validate on a wide variety of hardware.” Microsoft said in its announcement, adding that it will continue to offer new applications in the coming months. Some of the available app titles include games like Lords Mobile and June trip, read applications such as Kindle and Comics, both owned and operated by Amazon, and content like Khan Academy Kids and Lego Duplo World.

At the very least, the screenshots show full use of the added compatibility. We even see the Linux-based GIMP graphical app working with a Windows app, an Android app, and a progressive web app.

Microsoft will only enable Android apps in the Windows 11 beta channel. It plans to bring early access to the feature to its development channels “on the go.” As for when the capacity becomes available to the rest of Windows 11 users, well, we’ll just have to wait and see.