A few weeks ago the promised integration of Android to Windows 11 arrived, with a timid official selection of 50 Android applications available in the Amazon App Store, but being able to install any other Android application with its APK file.
Of course, Windows does not make it too easy for you.It is possible to install APK files in Windows 11 but, as we could see, it is somewhat complicated when having to deal with ADB. An infinitely easier way is with WSATools, with which installing an APK in Windows 11 is as easy as double-clicking the file.
The easiest way to install APK on Windows 11
When we tested the Android Subsystem for Windows 11, we commented that installing additional applications using its APK was a complicated but rewarding process. Even more rewarding is achieving the same result with virtually no effort. That is just what you can achieve with WSATools, a tool to facilitate the installation of Android applications in Windows 11, from its APK .
WSATools is available from the Microsoft Store, the Windows app store, and you can find it at this direct link. While Microsoft removed the app from its store a few days ago, it is finally available again, for now at least.
Installing WSATools on Windows is as easy as hitting Get and waiting for it to download and install itself. Afterwards you can choose to open the application, although this is not strictly necessary, as it integrates into the Windows file explorer.
With WSATools you have two ways to install APK. The first one is by opening the application, pressing Select an APK and looking for the file in your PC’s storage. The second is by simply double clicking on an APK file.
A curious detail of WSATools is that in the installation confirmation window it shows you the information of the application you are installing. The name of the application, its icon, its version, the name of its package and the size of the file are displayed. If everything is correct, press Install.
In doing so, WSATools takes care of “contacting” the Windows Android Subsystem and doing the operations in the background, which may take some time, depending on how fast your PC is and the size of the APK you are installing.If it is a simple application and the Android Subsystem is already started, the installation may take a few seconds.
Of course, keep in mind that for now the entire system is somewhat unstable, so the installation could fail or never finish. The WSATools application itself recommends that, if it does not complete in a long time, you close it and try again.
For the rest, there is not much else you have to do except press Open App when the installation finishes to open it, if you wish. Android apps that install on Windows 11 are also available from the start menu anyway.
We have used WSATools to easily install MiXplorer, which works without any problem in Windows 11. Remember that the Android integration in Windows 11 does not include Google services, so many applications that depend on them will not work even if you install them from their APK.
