Thanks to an update to the Your Phone application by Microsoft, users can now access Android applications on Windows 10. However, until now it is only available for the Samsung Galaxy line of phones.
Quoted by Mind-People.com from CNET, the update was first officially announced at the Samsung Unpacked event last August 5, 2020. This allows users to pin Android apps to the Taskbar or Start menu on their Windows 10 PC for quick and easier access.
For now, this feature has just launched and is available for Samsung Galaxy phones. You can find a list of HP supported by Microsoft on the following page (click here)
.
Things needed to run Android apps on Windows 10 PC
Apart from Samsung Galaxy phones (for now), you need to run Windows 10 update in October 2019 or later.
You can check the version running on your PC by going to Settings > Updates & Security > Check for updates.
You'll also need the latest versions of the Your Phone app and Link to Windows. For phones, must be running Android at least 9.0 or higher with Link to Windows integration.
Finally, your phone and computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network for the feature to work.
How to run Android apps on Windows 10 PC
Once you have everything you need and your phone is connected to your computer, the Your Phone app will appear on your desktop.
Here's how to open Android apps on the desktop:
- Click the Application shortcut from the menu on the left. You will see a list of all the apps on your phone.
- Click the application you want from the list, and it will open in a separate window on the PC.
Note that not all apps work with a mouse or keyboard, but many will.
According to Microsoft, here are some tips for using Android apps on the desktop with Mouse and keyboard:
- One click is like a touch or a tap
- Right click anywhere on the phone screen to navigate to the previous page.
- Click and hold will be the same as tap/hold interaction.
- Click and hold and drag to select content.
- Scroll mouse to move between pages vertically or horizontally.***