How to Fix Android Apps Not Working on Windows 11

Windows added native support to run Android apps starting Windows 11. The support for Android apps in Windows 11 has exponentially expanded the portfolio of apps and enabled users to enjoy their favorite mobile apps even on their desktops or laptop computers.

The way Windows achieves flawless execution of Android apps is through Windows Subsystem for Android a.k.a WSA. The WSA app comprises Linux kernels and the Android operating system that acts as a component layer and runs Android apps.

Since the technology to achieve this is decently complex, there could be scenarios where Android apps are not working properly or keep on crashing when opened. Due to so many co-dependencies sometimes there could be not one but multiple reasons for the problem at hand.

Fortunately, software-based issues are easy to tackle and resolve, and below are some methods you can use next time one of your Android apps is rendered useless due to some issue.

Android Apps Not Launching on Windows 11

One of the most basic issues you face more often than you hope to is Android apps not launching. If it’s the case with you below are some quick methods to resolve it easily.

Update Windows Subsystem for Android

As mentioned earlier, WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android) is one of the crucial components to run Android apps on your PC, it is imperative that it stays up-to-date in order to be able to do that.

To manually update WSA, head to the Microsoft Store either from the pinned apps grid on the Start Menu or by simply tying the same in the menu.

Now, from the Microsoft Store window, click on the ‘Library’ option present at the bottom-left section of the window.

Then, on the ‘Library’ screen you will be able to see the list of all apps waiting to be updated.

Now, locate the ‘Windows Subsystem for Android’ from the list and click on the ‘update’ button present on the far right edge of the tile.

Once updated, restart your PC from the Start Menu and check if the issue has been resolved.

Updating WSA could do wonders if the problem you were facing was due to a known bug that developers addressed in the newer version. In case that’s not the case with you, there are plenty more options.

Restart Windows Subsystem for Android

One of the most preliminary things you can do is restart Windows Subsystem for Android. Restarting the app can definitely flush out some basic problems.

To restart WSA, head to the Start Menu and type Windows Subsystem. Then, click on the ‘Windows Subsystem for Android’ tile from the search results.

Then, from the WSA window, locate the ‘Turn off Windows Subsystem for Android’ tile and click on the ‘Turn off’ button present at the far right edge. This will close any currently open Android apps on your system along with WSA and restart it back again when you launch an Android app again.

This should resolve issues arising due to app cache data or any preemptive scheduling. If this didn’t do any good for you; hop on to the next method.

Restart your Windows 11 PC

If you have are one of those people who never turn off their PC, simply restarting it just might do the trick for you. Due to continuous operation, many logical systems of the computer are under extreme stress, and restarting them might straighten out issues for you.

Restarting your PC is pretty elementary, head to the Start Menu and click on the ‘Power’ button. Now, from the expanded menu, click on the ‘Restart’ option to restart the PC. Also, do remember to save any unsaved files or tasks before restarting your PC to avoid any loss of data.

Reinstall Windows Subsystem for Android on your PC

If none of the above solutions work for you, the last resort is to uninstall and then reinstall the WSA app on your computer. The quickest way to uninstall and reinstall WSA on your PC is by using Windows Terminal.

To reinstall WSA, first, head to the Windows Terminal by either selecting it from the pinned apps on the Start Menu or by simply typing it in the menu.

Windows Terminal is by default set to open a PowerShell window, on that, type the following command and hit Enter on your keyboard.

winget uninstall "Windows Subsystem for AndroidTM"

Once the progress is completed and the app is uninstalled, type the below command and once again hit Enter on your keyboard. This will display the current version and name of the app in a list form.

winget search "Windows Subsystem for AndroidTM"

Next, type the below-mentioned command hit Enter on your keyboard to execute it. This will initiate the installation process for WSA on your system.

winget install "Windows Subsystem for AndroidTM"

Android Apps Open But Don’t Work

The second most commonly faced issue is app launching as usual but either aren’t displaying anything, are not registering any input, or one of the functionality is shot. In any case, it requires your immediate attention tend the situation, and below are some quick fixes for it.

Installed App could be Incompatible

With the added advantage of sideloading Android apps, you are bound to try some of your favorite apps on the Windows computer even if any supported store is not offering the app yet.

Though you will be able to install it as easily as any other Android app, its behavior and functionality will be a mystery till you actually run the app. There can be a scenario where you have tried all the possible solutions but all went in vain as the app is still not responding.

If you ever encounter such a scenario do keep in mind this possibility of having nothing wrong with the WSA app or even your computer for that matter, but the specific app is the culprit.

Unfortunately, there is no fix for running an incompatible app on your PC; however, with Windows expanding the Android app portfolio you might be able to soon download the app using the official route.

Update the Android App

Updating the app can rule out the possibility of a new Windows update interfering with the app since you are on an older version that is not yet optimized. If you have downloaded the app through Amazon Appstore, you can simply go to the store and update it.

However, in case you have sideloaded an app, the process is a bit lengthier than usual.

To update a sideloaded app, head to the ‘Android SDK Tools’ directory on your computer.

Then, paste the newer version of the app in the folder by pressing the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut.

Next, type cmd in the address bar and hit Enter to open a Command Prompt window set to the current directory.

Now, type the following command in the window and hit Enter to execute it. This command will uninstall the app without removing its cache or app data.

Note: Replace the <packagename.apk> placeholder with the app name you wish to install.

adb uninstall -k <packagename.apk>

Once uninstalled, install it again by typing the following command. Then, hit Enter to execute it.

Note: Make sure the version you are installing is newer to the uninstalled version of the app for this method to work effectively.

adb install <packagename.apk>

Clear App Cache and Data

Clearing app cache and data is basically bringing back to its fresh state, all your stored data, logged-in accounts will be wiped. You can even say it’s a soft reinstall of the app and will definitely clear out some problems.

To clear the app cache and data, first, search for the app by typing its name on the Start Menu. We are using ‘Among us’ as an example here. Then, right-click on the app and choose the ‘App settings’ option from the context menu. This will open a separate WSA window on your screen.

Now, from the WSA window, scroll down to locate and click on the ‘Storage & cache’ option.

Next, click on the ‘CLEAR STORAGE’ and then click on the ‘CLEAR CACHE’ button to bring the app to a fresh state. Once done, close the WSA window.

You can now relaunch the app and check if the issue has been resolved or not.

Reinstall the App on your System

In case no other solution is working for you, the last resort is to uninstall and then reinstall the app on your system to resolve the issue.

To uninstall any Android app from your system, head to the Start Menu and type its name. Then, right-click on the app’s tile and choose the ‘Uninstall’ option from the context menu.

Now, once the app has been uninstalled, if you had installed it using an APK file, locate it on your storage and double-click the file to run the installer.

Alternatively, if you had installed the app using the Amazon Appstore or Google Play Store head to the respective store by opening it from the pinned apps on the Start Menu or by simply searching for it.

Now, on the Amazon Appstore or Google Play Store locate your app by typing its name in the search bar present on the home screen, then hit Enter on your keyboard.