Image

How to Get Android Apps Running on Snapdragon X Laptops

7/25/2024

How to Get Android Apps Running on Snapdragon X Laptops

If you’ve recently purchased a laptop with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus processors, you may have noticed that the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) doesn’t work out of the box, even though it comes preinstalled on devices like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. Microsoft has been unwilling to address this issue, but fear not! We’ll guide you through the steps to get Android apps up and running on your Snapdragon-powered laptop.

The Problem with WSA

Android apps on Windows are set to disappear next year, but until then, they should still be supported. However, Microsoft’s approach to WSA is a bit puzzling. Although the company shipped WSA on its new Surface devices, it simply won’t fix it if it doesn’t work. This is particularly frustrating because Android apps are often better suited for tablet use than Windows apps.

The Solution

Jeremy Sinclair, a Snapdragon Insider, Windows on Arm enthusiast, and Windows developer, discovered that WSA won’t boot on Armv8 chips like the Snapdragon X series because parts of it use Armv7. Since Microsoft won’t address this, Sinclair has created a workaround that allows you to use Android apps on your Surface Pro 11 or any other Snapdragon X laptop.

Getting Started

Before diving into the installation process, make sure your laptop is ready to run the Windows Subsystem for Android. Follow these steps:

  1. Hit the Windows key and search for “Turn Windows features on or off.”
  2. Ensure that ‘Virtual Machine Platform’ and ‘Windows Subsystem for Linux’ are checked. If not, select them, confirm, and reboot when prompted.
  3. Enable ‘Developer Mode’ in your system settings.
  4. Open the Microsoft Store, go to your Library, and hit ‘Get updates’ to ensure you’re running the latest version of WSA.

Installing WSA

Now let’s install a working Windows Subsystem for Android:

  1. Download the WSA Patched files from its GitHub page.
  2. Create a new folder on your PC (e.g., c:\wsa-patched) to store the files.
  3. Navigate to c:\Program Files in File Explorer and select ‘Show hidden items.’
  4. Right-click on the WindowsApps folder, go to Properties, and under the Security tab, select ‘Advanced.’
  5. Change the owner to your account.
  6. Copy the contents of the MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_2311.40000.5.0_arm64__8wekyb3d8bbwe folder (located in WindowsApps) to your new folder.
  7. Delete the AppxBlockMap.xml, AppxSignature.p7x, and AppxMetadata files.
  8. Open PowerShell as an administrator and uninstall WSA using this command: 
    Get-AppxPackage -AllUser | Where {$_.Name -match "SubsystemForAndroid"} | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers
  9. Navigate to your folder in PowerShell (e.g., cd c:\wsa-patched).
  10. Register your folder as the new WSA installation: 
    Add-AppxPackage -ForceApplicationShutdown -ForceUpdateFromAnyVersion -Register .\AppxManifest.xml
  11. Back up the system.vhdx and vendor.vhdx files.
  12. Copy the corresponding files from the WSA Patched archive you downloaded earlier.
  13. Open the Windows Subsystem for Android from the Start Menu. If you enable Developer mode and manage developer settings, WSA should boot up. The Amazon Appstore will also appear in your Start Menu.
  14. If you need apps not available on the Amazon Appstore, check out our guide for sideloading apps on WSA.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’re all set to use Android apps designed for tablets on your Surface Pro 11. Enjoy the enhanced functionality and productivity! 🚀