How to Run Android Apps on Windows Phone

If you have ever used Android or iOS before, you must have realized that the sophistication of the user experience of Windows phones is simply unmatched. However, even though Microsoft has always dominated the PC market, it does not enjoy a comparable reputation in the world of mobile phones. The main reason behind this is the indifference shown by the app developers towards the platform. We see many Windows Phone users everyday on forums, ranting about the lack of even small, necessary apps that they need for everyday activities, like Google Maps.

Imagine what it would be like if we could run Android apps on a Windows phone. We could combine the best part of Windows, the user experience and the high-end cameras in Phones like the Lumia, with the thousands of cool Android apps that exist. That would be perfect. Well, I have good news for you – this is very possible and this is what I am going to show you.

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Setting up Apps in the Your Phone app

With Your Phone apps, you can instantly access the Android apps installed on your mobile device right on your PC. Using a Wi-Fi connection, Apps allows you to browse, play, order, chat, and more – all while using your PC’s larger screen and keyboard. You can add your Android apps as favorites on your PC, pin them to your Start menu and taskbar, and open them in separate windows to use side-by-side with apps on your PC – helping you stay productive.

What do I need to use Apps?

To use Apps, you will need:

A PC running the Windows 10 May 2019 Update or later. To check and update your version of Windows, on your PC go to Settings > Updates & Security > Check for update.

Your PC also needs to be using a graphics card (GPU) that supports DirectX11. Learn how to check your version of DirectX

An Android device running Android 9.0 or greater, with Link to Windows. See the full list of supported devices here.

Your Android device and PC to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Apps works for Your Phone app versions 1.20082.141.0 or higher. Older versions of the Your Phone app will show the previous phone screen experience.

What do I need to run multiple apps on my PC at a time?

A PC running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update or later. For best performance, we recommend having at least 8GB of RAM.

An Android device running Android 11.0.

On your Android device, you need Link to Windows version 2.1.05.6 or higher, or Your Phone Companion version 1.20104.15.0 or higher.

Multiple apps works for Your Phone versions 1.20104.20.0 or higher.

How do I set up Apps?

On your PC, open the Your Phone app and select Apps. Follow the setup instructions. If you encounter issues, here are some troubleshooting tips.

What devices are supported?

Apps is available on select Samsung devices that have Link to Windows, and a few recent ones are listed below. If your Android device is running Android 11¹ or higher, you may be eligible for the multiple apps experience. Those devices have an asterisk* next to them.

Samsung Galaxy Fold*

Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G*

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G*

Samsung Galaxy S20*

Samsung Galaxy S20+*

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE*

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra*

Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip*

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G*

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G*

The full list of supported devices can be found here.

¹ Android 11 availability depends on your mobile device, market availability, and your mobile provider.

Use apps from your Android device on your PC

With Your Phone apps, you can instantly access the Android apps installed on your mobile device right on your PC. Using a Wi-Fi connection, Apps allows you to browse, play, order, chat, and more – all while using your PC’s larger screen and keyboard. You can add your Android apps as favorites on your PC, pin them to your Start menu and taskbar, and open them in separate windows to use side-by-side with apps on your PC – helping you stay productive.

Note: For the best experience, we recommend making sure your Android device and PC are on the same Wi-Fi network and band. Some Wi-Fi networks offer different connection bands, like a 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz band. Make sure both your devices are connected to the same one. Learn more about how to do that in our Wi-Fi troubleshooting help.

How do I interact with apps?

You can use your PC’s mouse, trackpad, keyboard, pen or touch-enabled screen to open, type, scroll, and interact with apps. A few tips for using your mouse and keyboard:

Single click will behave the same as any single touch/tap interaction

Right click anywhere on your phone screen to navigate to the previous page

Click and hold will behave the same as a tap/hold interaction

Click and hold and drag to select content

Mouse scroll to move between pages vertically or horizontally

Some games and apps might not work with a mouse or keyboard. You’ll need to use a touch-enabled PC to interact with them.

If you’re encountering issues using Apps, our troubleshooting tips may help.

How do I know I’m using the multiple apps experience?

The requirements for using multiple apps are:

A PC running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update or later. For best performance, we recommend having at least 8GB of RAM.

An Android device running Android 11.0.

On your Android device, you need Link to Windows version 2.1.05.6 or higher, or Your Phone Companion version 1.20104.15.0 or higher.

Your Phone versions 1.20104.20.0 or higher.

How do I pin Android apps into Windows?

You can pin your Android apps to the Windows Start menu, taskbar, or add it to Your Phone app favorites.

To pin an app on your PC:

Open the Your Phone app

Right click on the app icon you want to pin or add to your favorites

How do I remove pinned Android apps from my Windows taskbar or Start menu?

If you’ve pinned an app to your taskbar, just right-click the app icon and select Unpin from taskbar.

If you’ve added an app to your Windows start menu, you’ll need to uninstall the app from your apps list. Go to Windows Settings > Apps & features, search for your app in the list. Select it, then select Uninstall.

Are the apps from my Android device now installed on my PC?

No, apps you open will be running from your Android device. The Your Phone app is mirroring apps from your Android device to your PC, meaning you’ll see the same thing on your PC that’s being displayed on your Android device.

Can I access Android apps without linking my device?

No, you need to connect your Android device to your PC via the Your Phone app in order to use this experience. Learn more about how to set up Apps here.

Can I open multiple apps at the same time?

If you have Android 11 on your Android device and one of these select Samsung devices, yes. For most other Android devices, you can only open one Android app at a time.

How to run multiple Android apps on your Windows 10 PC with Microsoft’s Your Phone

As a part of its partnership with Microsoft, Samsung had announced during the launch of the Galaxy Note 20 in August last year that the Your Phone app would soon offer support for running multiple apps on Windows. Following the announcement, Microsoft had started rolling out the feature to users who had opted for the Windows Insider program in November. The feature recently became generally available for all users with select Samsung smartphones.

According to Analy Otero Diaz, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, the multiple apps experience in the Your Phone app is now available to all users running the Windows 10 May 2020 update or later. In order to run multiple apps from your Samsung device via Your Phone on Windows, there are a few prerequisites. These include the following:

• The latest Windows 10 May 2020 update or later. It is recommended that you update to the latest version of Windows 10. You can check and update by heading to Settings > Updates & Security > Check for update
• A recommended 8GB of RAM on your Windows PC
• The latest version of Your Phone app on your Windows PC with version 1.20102.132.0 or higher
• Your Phone companion app to link Windows with your Samsung device. Make sure you have version 1.20102.133.0 or higher. You can download the app from the Google Play store
• You also need the latest Link to Windows Service with version 2.1.05.2 or higher. This can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store
• Both the phone and PC should be connected to the same Wi-Fi network

While Microsoft mentions that you need an Android 11 device to enable multi-app support on Your Phone, not all devices running Android 11 are supported. On a separate page, Microsoft lists all supported smartphones which currently only includes a bunch of Samsung devices. Here is the full list:

• Samsung Galaxy Fold
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S20
• Samsung Galaxy S20+
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
• Samsung Galaxy Note10
• Samsung Galaxy Note10+
• Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite

How to run multiple Android apps on Windows using Your Phone:

1. Once you have met all the requirements mentioned above, open the Your Phone app on your Windows PC
2. The app will ask you to select between Android or iPhone. Select Android and click on Continue
3. Next, you will be asked to install/update to the latest version of Your Phone Companion app on your Samsung smartphone by heading to this link (www.aks.ms/yourpc)
4. After you have installed/updated the companion app on your phone, confirm the same on the Your Phone app on your PC and open the QR code
5. On your supported Samsung smartphone, head over to Settings > Advanced Features and head to Link to Windows
6. Enable the service and tap on Add Computer and use the phone’s camera to scan the QR code displayed on the Your Phone app on your PC
7. Sign in to your Microsoft account and wait for a confirmation to allow your phone to be connected to your PC
8. You should now be able to see your phone on the Your Phone PC app
9. Head over to the Apps section on the left to get access to all apps installed on your phone

How to interact with apps:

One can interact with apps using your PC’s mouse, trackpad, keyboard, pen, or touch-enabled screen. Here are some tips if you are using a mouse and keyboard:

• Single click  will behave the same as any single touch/tap interaction
• Right click  anywhere on your phone screen to navigate to the previous page
• Click and hold will behave the same as a tap/hold interaction
• Click and hold and drag to select content
• Mouse scroll to move between pages vertically or horizontally

How to Run Android Apps in Windows 10 [Updated]

Update 8/24/202o: After a few weeks in beta, the new Your App update is rolling out publicly for Windows 10, and it looks like Microsoft is extending the feature to include non-Samsung devices as well . This article has been updated to reflect those changes.

One of the coolest announcements Samsung displayed at its Unpacked 2020 event was new functionality coming to the Your Phone app on Windows 10 that will give you full control of your Android device on PC.

The Your Phone app already lets Android users view notifications, texts and files on their Windows 10 PC , but many Android devices can now run apps and mirror the device’s screen directly to your PC’s desktop. The list of compatible phones only includes Samsung devices at the moment , but Microsoft says further device support is rolling out and will continue expanding over time.

Android apps will behave like a native Windows application; they run in their own app windows and can be pinned to your Windows taskbar and Start menu. And since everything runs off your phone, you won’t need to install the apps on your PC. You can even mirror your device’s main screen in a separate window on your desktop while other apps are running.

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Only select phones—like the Samsung Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra —will be able to run multiple apps simultaneously on desktop, but the other features will work on supported devices running Android 9 pie or higher and can be linked to Windows 10 via the Your Phone app.

How to connect your Android phone to Windows 10

The new Your App features entered beta in early August, but should now be available to users who have installed Windows 10 version 1809 or later. The exact availability of the feature will vary for all users, but here’s how to connect your Android phone to Windows 10 once you receive the update:

1. Make sure your phone and PC are on and connected to the same wifi network.
2. Install the Your Phone app on your Windows 10 PC ( Microsoft Store ).
3. Run the app and sign in with your Microsoft account when prompted.

From here, things will work slightly differently based on your device’s OEM.

• For Samsung users: Swipe down on the screen to open the quick-access menu and tap the “Link to Windows” icon. Sign in with your Microsoft account again, then follow the on-screen instructions.
• For other Android devices: refer to this guide for connecting your Android phone to Windows 10 .

How to open and control Android apps in Windows:

Once your phone and PC are connected, the Your Phone app window should appear on your desktop. Here’s how to open your apps on desktop:

1. Click the “Apps” shortcut from the left-hand menu to see a list of all applications installed on your device.
2. Click an app from the list to run it on your PC (note: some apps may not have full keyboard/mouse support, and may have visual/audio display errors).
3. You can also click “Open Phone’s Screen” to mirror the device’s screen in a separate window.

Once the app is open on your desktop, you can drag it around or swap to other programs, as with any other Windows 10 application window. To control the apps on desktop: