How to Install Android Apps on Windows Subsystem for Android with WSA PacMan?

The Preview Edition of Windows 11 comprises native support for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) which allows the user to install and operate Android-based applications on your Windows system (whether it is desktop or laptop) without the use of any third-party emulators on the device. But you can only download the applications from the Amazon Appstore at the moment as support for other app stores (like Google Play Store) is not available for Windows devices.

The Amazon Appstore isn’t as huge as the Google Play Store, and only a few selected Android Apps on the Appstore are available for download on Windows 11. Keeping aside the limited number of apps, the Amazon Appstore feature is only available for the Windows users who live in the US, so your system location must be set to the United States region or you’ll need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the Amazon Appstore on your Windows 11.

A new open-source tool on GitHub called WSA PacMan allows its users to install various Android applications without the need of installing the Insider Preview feature on your Windows Operating System. In today’s post, we will have a look at WSA PacMan and how you can use that tool to sideload your favorite applications on Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA).

Here’s an overview:

Prerequisites:

Before you begin, make sure you have already installed Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) on your Windows 11 machine. If you haven’t done it yet, don’t fret, we are here to help. Check out all our recent articles on WSA.

What is WSA PacMan?

WSA PacMan

The latest WSA PacMan open-source tool removes the requirement to use the Command Prompt (or Command-line feature) to install the Android apps natively on Windows 11 Operating System.

This open-source tool is generally available on GitHub for review and some feedback and it is mainly formulated or designed for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) feature on Windows 11. It has a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and operates ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command line to install the Android applications on Windows 11.

The open-source tool intends to simplify the app sideloading job by delivering a user-friendly GUI-based installer for Android APK files. It also shows the complete package name of the APK file, its version number, permissions, and the display icon of the APK file which looks quite similar to the general package manager app on an actual Android-based device.

To install this tool on your Windows 11 system, you need to install the Windows Subsystem for Android feature on your Windows 11 device which we’ve discussed earlier in our previous article. All the important information about the System Requirements and Installation Process has been discussed in that article with proper details.

How to Install Android applications on Windows 11 with WSA PacMan? 

  • After the installation of the Windows Subsystem for Android feature on your Windows 11 Operating System, search for the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings on the Search Box and open the app.
  • Now, you’ve to enable the Developer Mode option and then click on the Manage Developer Settings option and after some time, it will start the process to set up the Windows Subsystem for Android feature on your Windows 11 device.
  • Now, download the WSA-PacMan tool from the official website of GitHub. To download the tool, click here which will redirect you to the website of GitHub. Now, click on the WSA-Pacman-v1.1.2-installer.exe file and the downloading process of the installer file will begin.
  • After the downloading process is completed, install the file on your device. Now, the next step for you is to choose the Drive Location on your system where you want to install the software and then click on the Next button.
  • Now, again a new window will open and simply click on the Next button to proceed. On the next window, click on the Associate WSA Package Manager with the .apk file extension option and again click on the Next window. This feature is very beneficial for you as you just have to double click on any APK file and you’ll be capable to install the APK files easily.
  • Now, click on the Install button. Now, after the installation process, the Installation Wizard will ask you to restart your computer to apply the changes to your system. Click on the Yes, Restart the computer now option, and then click on the Finish button.
  • After the restart process, now download any APK file of any Android application like Facebook. Double click on the APK file which you’ve downloaded on your Windows system.
  • The WSA-PacMan tool will display all the related information about the APK file like apk version, permissions, the name of the package files, etc. Just click on the Install button and your Android application will be installed on your Windows system. Now, click on the Open App option to open the Android application on your Windows system.

Through these steps, you can easily install any Android application on your Windows 11 Operating System. Now, with the help of this tool from GitHub, you’re able to install many Android apps as possible. But, make sure that you’ve to download the APK files from a reliable or trustworthy source so that you don’t face any further issues regarding the installation process in Windows 11.

Last Words:

That’s all about WSA PacMan and how you can use that software to sideload android apps on Windows 11 on WSA. If you have any further queries, don’t forget to drop them down below, I will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for reading. I will be back soon with another interesting update. Keep visiting HiTricks. Don’t forget to join our Telegram Channel for getting the latest tech updates.

Anuj Kumar
Anuj Kumar

Anuj is a passionate blogger from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Currently pursuing B.sc in Programming and Data Science from IIT Madras. Apart from being an avid learner and a tech enthusiast, he loves playing PC Games and likes to keep himself updated with the latest trends in the tech industry.

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