Last month, I reported on Microsoft finalizing Android 13 support for its Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). Well, that support is now ready to go live for Windows 11 insiders. With Version 2211.40000.11.0 of WSA, users on the Insider can now enjoy Android 13 benefits on Windows.
If you are unfamiliar with WSA, it is a software engine that allows Windows 11 to support Android apps natively.
When Microsoft initially announced Windows 11 in June 2021, one of the big announcements was support for Android apps, the company’s latest effort to address the App Gap. This is thanks to a collaboration between Microsoft and the Amazon App Store.
With the addition of Android 13 in WSA, users get faster boot times and smoother mouse inputs. Google officially unveiled Android 13 in August and it seems Microsoft has been working on bringing the platform to Windows 11 through WSA. The company has been developing the integration since October.
Changelog
Below is the full changelog for the Windows Subsystem for Android January 2023 Preview update:
- Windows Subsystem for Android updated to Android 13
- Improvements in boot performance
- Improvements to mouse click input
- Improvements in clipboard stability
- Improvements to application resizing
- Reliability improvements to media files opening in Windows
- Jumplist entries for applications supporting app shortcuts
As always, you can grab the latest update if you are a member of the Windows Insider Program and head to Windows Subsystem for Android on the Microsoft Store. As this is a preview, Microsoft is asking for all feedback (suggestions and complaints) through the Feedback Hub (via Apps > Windows Subsystem for Android).
Tip of the day: Whether it’s for a presentation, song, or YouTube video, at some point in your life you’ll need to record audio from your computer. Windows 11 has multiple options to record sound due to its litany of apps. In our tutorial, we show you how to record audio using the built-in Windows 10 Voice Recorder and the freeware audio editor Audacity.