© Courtesy of Android Police
When Microsoft first introduced Windows 11, it initially lacked a long-awaited feature: support for running Android apps that functioned as native software without having to explicitly run anything in an emulator. After more than a year of testing, the stable Windows Subsystem for Android arrived in early fall, based on Android 12. Like all your favorite phones, the WSA is getting the Android 13 update, which is now available for testing in the beta channel. .
Since WSA is brand new, there are a lot of changes in it and we have been waiting for this update. Microsoft has quietly released the Android 13 beta channel update for the subsystem (via XDA Developers). The GitHub repository describes some of the changes users can expect and the transition to Android 13 in general:
- Added new command to disable WSA for automation (wsaclient.exe /shutdown).
- 50% faster PC boot time without destroying hard drives
- Click on improve typing
- Improved board stability.
- Application scaling improvements
- Updated to Intel Bridge technology for Android 13.
- Improved reliability when opening media files in Windows.
- Jump list entries for apps that support app shortcuts
Even in this new version, some of WSA's old problems remain, such as limited geographic availability and an incomplete library of Amazon Appstore applications. Getting into the new beta is also a bit tricky, with insiders having to sign up for a separate WSA preview program with a Microsoft account, then wait up to a week for the features to be released on the Amazon Appstore (distributed via the Microsoft Store). .
You need to be a Windows Insider to run WSA Stable and WSA Preview to run the latest Android 13 beta. If you're a power user and don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, you can always go the other way and setup the latest WSA.by download.
Microsoft has not yet announced when Android 13-based WSA will be available on Windows 11 PCs in the stable channel. Since beta testing has only just begun, we suspect a mass rollout is at least a few weeks away.