Windows Subsystem for Android Gets Security and Performance Improvements in New Update

Microsoft has released a new preview update for Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), software that enables users to run Android apps on Windows 11. The update, version 2306, includes a number of new features and improvements, including improvements to camera compatibility, network improvements, and fixes for some problems.

While this is not a feature update for WSA, it is a release that will make the overall experience more stable for users. The build in question is Version 2306 and is currently only available in preview. As usual, Microsoft will be allowing preview testing this month before rolling out builds to all users towards the end of July.

It should be noted that WSA is not part of the Windows Insider Program. You won’t get preview updates via the Insider channel. Instead, you can receive WSA test builds one at a time but by filling out this Microsoft Forms page.

Here is the complete changelog for Windows Subsystem for Android 2306

Camera compatibility improvements Full screen mode with F11 now shows taskbar hover to improve mouse and touch experience Local network (in Advanced settings – Experimental features) now replaces “Advanced network”. Android apps can connect to devices on the same network, on all versions of Windows, obey Windows firewall rules, and work with VPN Share user folders (under Advanced settings – Experimental features) now gives users the option to change their default shared folder Subsystem will now prompts if app tries to use permissions that subsystem doesn’t have Subsystem has switched from EROFS to EXT4 for read-only disks Fix for OneDrive folder not showing in Android app Support for drag and drop for more file types (feature request Not supported Mime Type when Dragging Draw files in app #335) Improvements to picture-in-picture (new UI button when on PIP) Partially run mode is now enabled by default for devices with at least 16 GB of memory Stability fixes for ARM devices Linux kernel updated to 5.15.104 Update Android 13 security

Latest Updates Improve Android Support on Windows 11

Windows 11 is the first version of Windows that lets you run Android apps on your PC. This is possible thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), a technology that integrates Android applications with the Windows environment. You can access and install Android apps from the Amazon App Store, which offers more than 20,000 apps for Windows 11 users. Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, though. It has released regular updates for WSA to make it faster, smoother, and more secure.

Here are some highlights from the latest update:

May 2023: You can now adjust the amount of RAM allocated to WSAs, which can improve app performance and responsiveness. You can also scan Android application packages with anti-virus software before installing them, which can protect your PC from malware. April 2023: Now you can run Android video applications in Picture-in-Picture mode, which lets you watch videos in a small window while doing other tasks on your PC. You can resize and move the video window as you like. March 2023: This update improves various aspects of WSA, such as stability, graphics, audio, and security. It also fixes some bugs and glitches that affected some apps and features. February 2023: This update significantly improve WSA performance, especially for x86 processors, such as AMD and Intel CPUs. It also increases the performance of ARM processors, which are used in some laptops and tablets. You can now run Android apps faster and smoother on your PC. December 2022: This update brings WSA to Android 13, which brings several improvements to the Android app experience on Windows 11. For example, it improves mouse input, clipboard stability, and app resizing.