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9 Fixes for Windows Subsystem for Android Not Working on Windows 11

Quick Fixes
  • Enable Hardware Virtualization, Hyper-V, and Virtual Machine Platform under Optional features on Windows 11.
  • Uninstall third-party hypervisor apps like VMware and Oracle VM VirtualBox from Settings > Installed apps.
  • Repair or reset Windows Subsystem for Android from Installed apps > Advanced options.

Reminder: Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon App Store will no longer be available in the Microsoft Store after March 5, 2025.

Fix 1: Terminate and Restart Windows Subsystem for Android

Terminating and restarting the Windows Subsystem for Android refreshes it, fixing existing glitches causing it to work inaccurately.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I shortcut to open the Settings app, select Apps from the left sidebar, and click Installed apps.

1 configure Installed apps

Step 2: Click the three-dot menu next to Windows Subsystem for Android and select Advanced options.

2 configure WSA advanced options

Step 3: Select Terminate to close it and shut down all its related processes. Restart your PC.

3 Terminate WSA

Fix 2: Tweak the Windows Registry

If terminating the app didn’t work, tweak the Windows Registry to fix the Windows Subsystem for Android not working on Windows 11.

Note: We recommend backing up Windows Registry values using File > Export before making any changes.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R shortcut to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.

4 open regedit

Step 2: Approve the UAC prompt and copy-paste the following path in the navigation bar.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\FsDepends

Step 3: Double-click Start, set its value to 0, and click OK to apply the changes. Then, restart your PC.

5 edit Windows registry

Fix 3: Enable Hardware Virtualization

Windows Subsystem for Android might fail to open if Hardware Virtualization isn’t enabled on your PC. To fix this, enable it manually in your system settings.

Step 1: Press the Alt + F4 keys (on your desktop) to open the Shut Down Windows utility, select Restart, and click OK.

4 Restart windows

Step 2: Press the designated function key (e.g., F2) while restarting to open BIOS settings.

Step 3: Enable Virtualization (SVM mode), press F10 to save changes, and exit BIOS. Reboot the system to verify if the issue is resolved.

Note: BIOS virtualization settings may appear different on your computer.

7 enable virtualization

Fix 4: Turn on Hyper-V

If Hyper-V isn’t enabled on Windows 11, Windows Subsystem for Android might not function accurately. Access Optional features to turn it on.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, search Optional features, and click to open it.

8 open optional windows features

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom and select More Windows features.

9 configure more Windows features

Step 3: Locate and enable Hyper-V in Windows features and click OK to apply changes.

10 enable Hyper V

Fix 5: Enable Virtual Machine Platform on Windows 11

Similar to Hardware Virtualization and Hyper-V, Windows Subsystem for Android requires the Virtual Machine Platform feature to work accurately on Windows 11.

Step 1: Open the Run dialog (press the Windows key + R shortcut), type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter.

open the Run dialog

Step 2: Select Turn Windows features on or off in the left sidebar and approve the UAC prompt.

enable or disable Windows features

Step 3: Locate and enable the Virtual Machine Platform feature and click OK to apply changes.

8 Enable Virtual Machine Platform

Step 4: Select Restart now when prompted to finish installing the requested system changes.

9 Enable Virtual Machine Platform

Fix 6: Uninstall a Third-Party Hypervisor App

Third-party hypervisor apps (e.g., Oracle VM VirtualBox and VMware) are known to create conflicts with Windows Subsystem for Android. Uninstall them manually to use the latter without errors.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, type appwiz.cpl, and click to open it.

Open Windows search menu

Step 2: Locate the third-party hypervisor app, right-click it, and select Uninstall. Approve the UAC prompt when it appears and reboot the system after uninstallation.

uninstall the hypervisor app

Fix 7: Disable Windows Defender Temporarily

Windows Defender can block apps from running and accessing system components. To rule out the issue, disable it temporarily and launch Windows Subsystem for Android.

Note: For security, we recommend re-enabling the Windows Defender once you’re finished working with the Windows Subsystem for Android.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, search Windows Security, and click to open it.

search Windows security

Step 2: Select Virus & threat protection.

configure virus and threat protection

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom and click Manage settings.

manage defender settings

Step 4: Disable the toggle for Real-time protection and approve the UAC prompt when it appears.

turn off real time protection

Fix 8: Repair or Reset the Windows Subsystem for Android App

Windows Subsystem for Android may fail to work on Windows 11 if its installation is corrupt. Head to Windows settings to repair or reset the app.

Note: Resetting the app removes all its data from Windows 11.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X shortcut to open the Power User Menu and click Installed apps.

open the Power User Menu

Step 2: Locate Windows Subsystem for Android, click its three-dot menu, and select Advanced options.

configure WSA advanced options

Step 3: Scroll down and select Repair. If repairing doesn’t fix it, click Reset to reset the app to its default values.

Repair the WSA

Fix 9: Rollback the Recent Windows Update

If the Windows Subsystem for Android abruptly stopped working after a recent automatic Windows Update, revert the system update manually to resolve the problem.

Step 1: Open Windows Settings, select Windows Update from the left sidebar, and click Update history.

configure Windows update

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom and select Uninstall updates.

uninstall Windows updates

Step 3: Locate the recent Windows Update using the Installed on label and click Uninstall to remove it.

uninstall recent Windows update

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Last updated on 22 May, 2024

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