Microsoft is now allowing Windows 10 users to run Android apps side by side with Windows applications on a PC. It’s part of a new feature in Your Phone available to Windows 10 testers today, and it builds upon the mirroring that Microsoft’s Your Phone app already provides. You can now access a list of Android apps in Microsoft’s Your Phone app and launch these mobile apps accordingly. These will run in a separate window outside of the Your Phone app, mirrored from your phone.
This new Android app support also allows Windows 10 users to multitask with other Windows apps with alt+tab support, and you’ll even be able to pin these Android apps to the Windows 10 taskbar or Start menu. The ability to launch apps directly from Your Phone means you no longer have to search around on a mirrored experience of your phone, you can simply pin your favorite Android apps to the taskbar and run them as if they’re regular Windows apps.
One big part of this new Your Phone experience is being able to run multiple Android apps side by side, something that Microsoft announced with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 launch earlier today. Windows 10 users won’t be able to access this particular feature until “later this year” on the Galaxy Note 20, and Microsoft says it’s also working with Samsung to bring this to other devices.
Not all Android apps will work seamlessly with this new Your Phone feature, though. Microsoft warns that some may block the ability to cast to other screens, producing a black screen instead. Some apps and games will also not respond to a keyboard or mouse, and others may play audio from your phone.
If you’re interested in trying out the new Your Phone apps feature, you’ll need a Samsung device. Microsoft has a list of all supported Android devices, but it’s literally only Samsung handsets right now. You’ll also need to opt into Windows Insider testing. You can opt in to the Release Preview ring to avoid testing full Windows 10 builds, and this will provide access to the Your Phone Apps preview before it rolls out publicly.