WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android), i.e. a technological development that has made it possible in recent years running Android apps on Windows 11has been one of the main incentives to jump from Windows 10 since the announcement of this operating system. And hand in hand with this bold move, Microsoft also announced the arrival of a specific application store, operated by Amazon, which, if it never had a catalog as extensive as Google Play, provides access to interesting collection of software.

In a complementary way, we have also seen alternative designs such as the WSA Pacman, whichwhich significantly expanded the possibilities when installing software designed specifically for Google’s operating system in Windows 11. Thus, for several years, Windows users have enjoyed the possibility of using applications designed specifically for Android, and Microsoft has made every effort to update this subsystem to improve its performance and expand its reach.

about a year and a half ago Microsoft has confirmed that WSA has already reached a stable stateand subsequently we saw how the supported version of Android was updated, its performance was significantly improved on AMD and Intel platforms, and last summer he again published an update with very interesting news that theoretically confirmed to us that Redmond’s bet for this technology was beyond doubt .

A big mistake, and as we can read in the company’s technical documentation, Microsoft ends support for Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). And while its removal isn’t immediate, they haven’t set an overly long deadline either, as Windows 11’s compatibility with Android apps will drop within a year today, March 5, 2025. However, Microsoft confirms that it will continue to provide technical support until this date.

With respect to disabled, developers and users, Microsoft does not offer any solution, that is, it does not propose to maintain compatibility for already installed applications, so these people will have to look for alternatives to the applications they currently use. And yes, to make the impact even greater, starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 6, it will no longer be possible to download and install the Amazon App Store for Windows.

It’s true, and anyone who’s tried it can attest, that Amazon’s app store design didn’t provide as complete an experience as Google Play’s integration with the Microsoft Store could bring, which it can be. this proposal did not arouse as much interest as might have been expected. However, removing the WSA seems an obvious overkillto the extent that we’ll have to wait both for the potential response this measure gets and for Microsoft’s response after receiving said feedback.