If you have installed Windows 11, the latest version of Microsoft’s PC operating system, you may be wondering how to run Android apps on your computer. Because even though Microsoft has promised to let you run those apps through the Amazon Appstore for Android. But the feature hasn’t been implemented yet. Until Microsoft offers the feature in a future update, you can still download and run Android apps and games on your Windows PC.
We’ll use Android emulators instead of Amazon’s Appstore. Here are a few of the best emulators we found, with the one exception that because Windows 11 is new, all of these emulators will have bugs. However, software updates should bring more stability over time.
Bluestacks
Bluestacks has been around for a long time and has evolved significantly over the years. This emulator allows you to download and install apps from Google Play, which is a huge plus, and many of its best features are geared toward gamers. So, if you want to play your favorite Android games with a keyboard and mouse, Bluestacks is a good option—it allows you to create macros and scripts to map your favorite actions to keyboard shortcuts, saving you time while gaming.
It also allows you to quickly change your device profile to run apps that are only available on specific devices. Some games, such as PUBG Mobile, are best run in the developer’s own emulators, but Bluestacks works well with the majority of apps and games.
GameLoop
Tencent, the Chinese tech giant, owns GameLoop and, as the name suggests, focuses on gaming. Since Tencent has released PUBG Mobile and a number of other mobile games, GameLoop’s goal is to give you the best experience when playing these games. It also features an anti-cheat system, which is useful if you’re trying to avoid hackers in your game.
NoxPlayer
NoxPlayer is also aimed primarily at people who want to play, and if you’re having trouble with Bluestacks or GameLoop, give NoxPlayer a chance. It has the features you need for gaming: keyboard and mouse support, macro recording, and the ability to run multiple games at the same time.