Looking for ways to install other Android apps on your Windows Subsystem for Android? As you already know, Amazon AppStore on Windows 11 doesn’t support many of the useful Android apps yet. This has led to users looking for “third-party” ways to install Android apps on their systems. And therefore, we are here with a guide on how to install APKs to Windows Subsystem for Android on your Windows PC.
Using a Sideloader to install APKs on Windows Subsystem for Android
Before you head on to the guide, make sure you have the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) installed on your system. Read this guide on how to install WSA on your Windows 11 PC. You will need the WSA IP address to install APKs in Windows 11. As it happens, you will find multiple ways listed on the internet that will help you install APKs on your Windows 11 PC. However, most of them will cause issues during installation and may cause unknown errors too. We recommend downloading .apk files and third-party apps from authentic sources only – such downloads, if corrupted, can cause serious problems.
There are two ways you can install APKs in a Windows 11 PC running WSA:
1) Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
2) Using a WSA Sideloader app
ADB will require users to spend some (boring) time with the Command Prompt, while Sideloader apps can make installing APKs much easier. In this article, we will be describing the Sideloader way to install APKs on your Windows Subsystem for Android.
Again, you will find a lot of third-party open-source Sideloader apps that claim to do the job for you. However, we have tried and tested TcNo WSA Sideload and found the process to be extremely simple. A Youtuber, named Troublechute, created this open-source project for peeps wanting to avoid the ADB way to install APKs.
Steps:
1) Download the TcNo WSA Sideload from Github. Here’s the link. Scroll down a little and click on the Download button. In the following window, look for the Assets section and click on the .exe file of TcNo WSA Sideload. Once the download is done, open it and let it perform the automatic (unzipping) operations.
2) When prompted, type Y and press Enter key to allow .apk file installation.
3) The application will then continue installing and will close itself, once done.
4) Now, open up Task Manager and look for Windows Explorer in the Processes list. Use the shortcut keys Windows + E to open Windows Explorer and bump it up in the Task Manager Processes list. Once you locate Windows Explorer, right-click on it and select Restart.
5) Download any .apk file you wish to install on your PC and open it (it will open with TcNo WSA Sideload).
6) Once the preliminary process is complete, the Sideloader will ask for your WSA IP address.
7) Open Windows Subsystem for Android from your Programs list and then navigate to its Settings page.
8) Copy your WSA IP address. Now, return to the Sideloader prompt, paste the IP address and press the Enter key.
9) The Sideloader will finish setting up completely.
10) That’s it. You will now be able to run the Android app, for which you installed the .apk. Look for the app in your Programs list and open it.
Now that you have set up a WSA Sideloader, you can right-click on any .apk file and select Install in WSA-SimpleSideload from the Context menu to install it. For more articles, stay tuned to us!
