The announcement of Windows 11 last year took many of us by surprise. Microsoft had previously claimed Windows 10 would be the final major version, but as it turns out, it wasn't. Equally surprising, though, was the fact that it came with support for Android apps. The Windows Subsystem for Android allows Windows 11 users to run Android apps and games on their computers. It also serves as the perfect complement to the Windows Subsystem for Linux, bringing Microsoft's legendary OS to a whole new level. The Redmond-based tech giant is now rolling out an update to its Android component, this time focusing on its networking capabilities first and foremost.

There are a handful of big takeaways from this update, as announced by Microsoft. The first one is related to advanced networking. The feature, which allows you to access other devices in the same network as your PC, is now becoming available to Android apps on ARM PCs. The advanced networking feature was initially only available on x86 machines when it was first introduced in the previous update. In addition, Windows users can now also enjoy IPv6 on their Android apps, as well as VPNs. With the introduction of advanced networking for everyone, the subsystem no longer has a different IP from your computer, meaning you'll no longer see your IP address in the Settings menu now.

Furthermore, subsystem users are now also gaining support for the AV1 codec. The codec itself has been heavily pushed by Google recently, so we're glad to see the Android subsystem on Windows catching up on that.

The update is rolling out in the United States for Windows 11 users on the Insider program. If you're already in the Insider program, just wait for the update, with version number 2205.40000.14.0, to land on its own. If not, make sure to enroll.