How to Sideload Android Apps in Windows 11

In this article I will show you how to sideload Android Apps in Windows 11 using the Platform Tools from Android and the Windows Subsystem for Android.

With the Android Apps support in Windows 11 being at the very beginning, we can only install up to 50 apps through the Amazon Appstore. So if we want to install other third party apps, we can sideload those apps using their apks.

What do you need

1. Windows Subsystem for Android. Check this article on how to download and install the program in Windows 11: Android Apps now Available in Windows 11 (How to Download and Install)
2. SDK Platform-Tools that include adb, fastboot and systrace. Download SDK Platform-Tools
3. Android Apps apks. Download apks from apkmirror.com

How to setup

Download the Windows Subsystem for Android, SDK Platform-Tools and the Android App apk that you want to install.

In the Windows Subsystem for Android make sure you have Developer mode enabled.

After that click on Manage developer settings and scroll down to make sure you have Wireless debugging enabled.

Next to IP address click on Refresh if you cannot see the IP address and then click on Copy to copy the IP address in your clipboard.

After you extracted the SDK Platform-Tools, you will need to open CMD as administrator in that location. (you can also use Powershell, but the commands will be slightly different)

Click on the Search Box and type cmd. Right click on CMD and click on Run as administrator. In CMD run the following command:

cd <location of the platform-tools folder>

You can get the location of the Platform Tools folder, by going to it and copying the location from the address bar in the File Explorer.

Now you will need to type in CMD the following command (make sure to change the IP address with yours):

adb connect 172.30.150.148

Now you are connect to that IP address using adb.

Drag and drop the apk file into the Platform Tools folder. Copy the name of the apk file and in CMD type the following command:

adb install <name.extension>

After you run the command, you should receive the following message:

Now the application is installed and you can use it in Windows 11.

Automate APK Installation

To automate the process, we will create a script in the location where we have the Platform Tools extracted.

Just open a notepad and type in the notepad the following lines:

adb connect <your ip address>
adb install %1

Save the file in the location where you extracted the Platform Tools and with the extension .bat.

When you want to install a certain .apk file, make sure you have the Windows Subsystem for Android opened. Just right click on the apk file and then click on Open with.

Select Always use this app to open .apk files and then click on Look for another app on this PC. Select the script that we’ve just created.

Now, everytime you double click on an .apk file, the Android App will be automatically installed.

For a more in depth explanation, you can watch the video below from the Youtube channel.