How to Run Android on Your PC Now That Remix OS Is Gone

Do you want Android apps and games on your computer?

In 2016, so many of you asked me about Remix OS. It was Android made for PCs, and you could run it from a USB pendrive without touching Windows.

I wrote this guide after hearing so many people say it was awesome. But Remix OS is dead now, and so is Microsoft's own Android app support in Windows 11.

So here's what still works if you want Android on your PC. I'll cover the options, which one to pick and what to skip.

Also Read: How to Make a Bootable USB Using Command Prompt (Windows 11)

TL;DR

• Remix OS: don't download it. It's stuck on an Android version from 2016 with no security updates.
• Windows 11: Microsoft's Android app support and the Amazon Appstore are no longer in the Microsoft Store.
• Android games on Windows: use Google Play Games on PC.
• Any other Android app, for free: use Android Studio's Android Emulator.
• Laptop or Linux: get a Chromebook, or run Waydroid on Linux. Bliss OS is the closest thing to Remix OS, but it's on hold.

What Happened to Remix OS?

Remix OS was made by a company called Jide. It was based on Android-x86, a version of Android for normal x86 PC chips.

On July 17, 2017, Jide announced that it was ending Remix OS development and moving away from the consumer space. The last version for PCs, 3.0.207, came out on November 25, 2016.

Don't download a Remix OS ISO today. It's stuck on an Android version from 2016 with no security updates, and today's apps expect a much newer Android.

What Happened to Windows Subsystem for Android?

Windows 11 used to run Android apps through Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore. Microsoft ended both, and starting March 5, 2025, they're no longer available in the Microsoft Store.

So if an old guide tells you to install the Amazon Appstore on Windows, skip it.

Android on PC Options at a Glance

1. Google Play Games on PC

If you want Android games, start here.

It's Google's own app for Windows, made so you can play the same games on your phone, tablet and PC.

Requirements

Google lists these minimum requirements:

• Windows 10 (version 2004) or later
• A solid state drive (SSD) with 10 GB of free space
• Intel UHD Graphics 630 or a similar graphics card
• 4 physical CPU cores
• 8 GB of RAM
• A Windows admin account
• Hardware virtualization turned on

Google says it's available in more than 140 regions.

Keep in mind: it only has the games that developers bring to it. It's not a full Play Store, so don't expect WhatsApp or Instagram there.

How to Install Google Play Games on PC

1. Go to Google's Google Play Games on PC page and download the app.
2. Install it and sign in with your Google account.
3. Find a game you like and install it.

If it says virtualization is off, turn it on in your PC's BIOS settings. It's usually called "Intel VT-x", "AMD-V" or "SVM".

2. Android Studio's Android Emulator

This is the official way to run almost any Android app on Windows, macOS or Linux.

It's made for app developers, but anyone can use it, and it's free. You can even pick a virtual phone with the Play Store built in.

Requirements

Google recommends at least:

• 16 GB of RAM
• 64-bit Windows 10 or later, macOS 12 or later, Linux or ChromeOS
• 16 GB of free disk space

How to Set Up the Emulator

1. Download and install Android Studio from Google.
2. On the welcome screen, click "More Actions" → "Virtual Device Manager".
3. Click "Create Device".
4. Pick a phone that shows the Play Store logo, and click "Next".
5. Pick a system image (an Android version), download it if needed, and click "Next".
6. Click "Finish", then press the Launch button next to your new device.

Once it launches, a full Android phone opens in a window on your PC. Sign in to the Play Store and install apps like on a real phone.

One thing to know: Google says the images with the Play Store can't be rooted.

Also Read: How to Run a Virtual Machine on Android (and What to Avoid)

3. A Chromebook

Most Chromebooks run Android apps from Google Play out of the box.

To turn it on, select the time at the bottom right, open "Settings" → "Apps" → "Manage Google Play preferences", and accept the terms.

Don't confuse it with ChromeOS Flex, the free version you can install on old PCs. Google only mentions support for some Android VPN apps on Flex, so don't install it expecting the Play Store.

4. Waydroid (for Linux)

If your PC runs Linux, Waydroid boots a full Android system in a container, right next to your Linux apps.

It needs a desktop that uses Wayland, and its Android image is based on LineageOS with Android 13.

5. Bliss OS: The Closest Thing to Remix OS

Bliss OS is the closest thing to Remix OS today. It turns your whole PC into an Android computer, and you can run it from a USB drive or install it.

But it's on hold right now.

As of August 2026, the Bliss OS team says it has stopped publishing new official images while it builds the next version. It won't give a release date.

It also says the older builds on SourceForge are archives with no updates and no official support.

So I'd wait for the new release instead of installing an old build.

The same goes for Android-x86, the project Remix OS was built on. Its last release, 8.1-r6, came out in June 2021 and is based on Android 8.1 Oreo.

Also Read: 7 Best Android Custom ROMs That Are Still Updated in 2026

Which Android on PC Option Should You Choose?

Pick the option that matches what you want to run.

• You want to play mobile games on a big screen: Google Play Games on PC.
• You need one specific app that isn't a game: the Android Emulator.
• You're buying a new laptop anyway: a Chromebook.
• You use Linux: Waydroid.

Final Thoughts

Remix OS was a great idea, and I'm still sad it didn't last.

There's no single Android for PC that I can recommend to everyone right now. But between Google Play Games and the Android Emulator, almost any Windows PC can run the Android apps you care about.

The main caveat is that Play Games only has games, so use the emulator for everything else.

Bliss OS may come back, but with no release date yet, don't plan around it.

FAQs

Can I still download Remix OS?

No, and you shouldn't try. Jide ended Remix OS development in 2017, and the last PC version, 3.0.207, is stuck on an Android version from 2016 with no security updates.

What is the best way to run Android apps on a Windows PC?

For games, use Google Play Games on PC. For any other app, use Android Studio's Android Emulator, which is free and made by Google.

Can I still run Android apps on Windows 11 with the Amazon Appstore?

No. Microsoft ended Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore, and they're no longer available in the Microsoft Store, starting March 5, 2025.

Is Bliss OS a good replacement for Remix OS?

It's the closest thing to Remix OS, but it's on hold, and the team won't give a release date for the next version. Wait for the new release instead of installing an old build from SourceForge.

Can I run Android on a Linux PC?

Yes, with Waydroid. It needs a desktop that uses Wayland, and its Android image is based on LineageOS with Android 13.

Still stuck? Tell me through the contact page.