Windows 11 is the biggest change to Microsoft's desktop operating system since 2015. While it brings a whole lot of new stuff to the table, a specific aspect of it caught our eye over here in Android land: Windows now supports Android apps. In a similar fashion to its Linux support, which had already been included with Windows 10, the latest version adds an Android subsystem so you can install and run your favorite apps on Windows natively. However, this wasn't a launch feature, so you couldn't just fire up a Windows 11 machine and start running Android apps. If you do want to try it out, the feature is now available for beta users.

Windows 11's Android Subsystem is available for Insider Program testers in the Beta channel, which is a little less bleeding-edge than the Dev channel, but a little bit more daring than the Release Preview channel. Just as we've reported before, the platform of choice for installing apps on your computer is the Amazon Appstore. As of right now (via XDA), the selection of apps is a little thin — only 50 apps are currently available. They were handpicked by Microsoft and Amazon, presumably to ensure that they're working alright on Windows PCs.

Microsoft also says it will add more over time, so it's definitely a possibility that the entire Amazon Appstore catalog will eventually be available for Windows 11 computers. Or at least a bigger selection than we have now. If 50 apps are not enough for you, you also have the option to sideload APKs using ADB — probably not the most straightforward method in the world, but hey, at least you won't be limited to an Amazon-only life if you know your way around that. If you do go down that route, beware that not all apps will work as they're supposed to.

If you have a Windows 11 PC and you're interested in trying out some Android apps on your computer, be sure that it's is enrolled in the Insider Program, particularly on the Beta update channel. We don't know when it'll make its way to stable Windows 11, but if Microsoft wants us to live with the Amazon Appstore, we'll definitely need more than 50 apps.