Fix: Amazon Android App Store Not Working on Windows 11

Microsoft created a lot of hype around the launch of Windows 11 by emphasizing that the new operating system comes with a subsystem for Android. Its intention is to run Android applications, made possible by a collaboration with Amazon.

Unfortunately, when Windows 11 launched, the majority of early adopters realized that the Amazon Android app store was not available to them.

As it turns out, there are a lot of potential causes that might contribute to this issue occurring. Here’s a list of the most common culprits that will make the Amazon AppStore unavailable on your Windows 11 PC:

• Windows Subsystem for Android is missing – One reason why you’re unable to access the Android app store on your Windows 11 installation is that the subsystem for Android is missing from your PC. In this case, you can fix the issue by installing the Windows Subsystem for the Android app or by sideloading it.
• Not available in your country – Keep in mind that this Windows subsystem for Android is not available worldwide. In fact, unless you appear in MS’s databases as US-based and part of the Windows Insiders (Dev Channel), you won’t be able to use this functionality without bypassing the requirements. 

Now that we’ve explored some potential reasons why the Windows Subsystem for Android is not working on your PC, let’s go through some possible fixes to allow you to use this new Windows 11 functionality.

1. Sideload the Windows Subsystem for Android

The official documentation published by Microsoft in regard to the long-anticipated Windows Subsystem for Android states that the feature is only available for the Dev Channel (of the Windows Insider Program) and that the PC region needs to be set to the US.

This could likely be the reason why you’re unable to run the Amazon Appstore on your Windows 11 computer.

If you are not part of the Windows Insider program, the good news is, these restrictions that Microsoft imposed can be easily bypassed. With minimal hassle, you’ll be able to run the Amazon App store without switching away from a stable build.

From our testing, it turns out that the latest release of Windows Subsystem for Android can be easily installed on supported builds.

Follow the instructions below for a complete guide on making the Android App store available on Windows 11:

Note: If you’re not US-based, you’ll also need to follow the second guide (below this guide) to bypass the geo-restriction too.

1. Let’s start by grabbing the installer package of the Windows Subsystem for Android. Since Microsoft doesn’t offer an official way to fetch the direct download link for the app package, we’ll need to opt for a third-party site to bypass this inconvenience. We found this online link generator for the Microsoft Store and it allows us to get the download link. 
2. Once you’re inside the Online link generator for the Microsoft Store tool, use the first drop-down menu to select ProductID, then type 9P3395VX91NR inside the box before clicking on the OK icon to initiate the search.

   Note: 9P3395VX91NR is the product ID of the Windows Subsystem for Android on the Microsoft Store. Alternatively, you can select URL (link) from the drop-down menu and paste the following link in the box:

    https://www.microsoft.com/fr-fr/fr-fr/fr-fr/en-us/p/windows-subsystem-for-android/9p3395vx91nr

3. From the list of returns that you got, look for the largest file from the list. It should be an MSIX file ending with Bundle (extension .msixbundle).

   

4. Once you find it, click on the filename to download the file locally. Once the download is complete, right-click > Open file location and take note of the location since we’ll need it shortly.
5. Wait until the download is complete then press the Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Once inside, type ‘wt’ and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up a Windows Terminal app.

   Note: At the User Account Control (UAC) window, click Yes to grant admin access. 

    

6. Once you’re inside the Windows terminal app, type the following command and press enter to deploy the package that you downloaded previously:

    Add-AppxPackage -Path <path_to_msixbundle_file>

   Note: Keep in mind that <path_to_msixbundle_file> is simply a placeholder. Replace it with the path that you got in step 4.

7. If everything goes as planned, you should start seeing the package deployed. Press the Windows key and start typing Windows Subsystem. You should see it listed among the search results.

   

8. Launch the Android App store app once again on your Windows 11 computer and see if the app starts working.

If you’re not located in the US, chances are you’ll also need to bypass the geo-restriction imposed by Microsoft by following the instructions below.

2. Bypass the region lock of the Amazon Appstore

Keep in mind that in order to be able to use the Amazon App Store on Windows 11, you will need to be part of the Windows Insider program (Developer Channel). Furthermore, your operating system needs to be US-based, and you also need a US Amazon account.

If you followed the instructions above, you’re already part of the developer channel. However, the geo-lock will likely still prevent you from accessing the Amazon AppStore – Your PC’s region needs to be set to the United States.

Fortunately, there is a way to sidestep the Android Appstore’s region lock for the Windows Subsystem for android. This will allow you to access the Amazon Appstore regardless of your location by bypassing this soft restriction.

Important: This method assumes that you already have the Windows Subsystem for Android package installed on your Windows 11 PC. If you didn’t do this already, follow the instructions above. 

The workaround is very simple. You just need to sideload the APK file using ADB with a special -r parameter. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Makes sure the Windows Subsystem for Android is installed and actively running on your PC. 
2. Next, ensure that you have the ecosystem to support the sideloading of the apps through ADB. If you haven’t done this already, follow this article to learn how to Sideload Android Apps on Windows 11. 
3. The next step is to download the latest stable version of the Amazon AppStore app. You can get it externally, but the safest place to download it is from the official Amazon download page. 

   Note: Copy the location path where the .apk was downloaded because we’ll need it at step 6. 

4. Once the download is complete, press the Windows key + R to open up a Windows Terminal window by pressing Windows key + R, then type ‘wt’ and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. 

   

5. At the user Account Control, click Yes to grant admin access. 
6. Inside the elevated Windows Terminal app, type the following command and press Enter to sideload the Amazon AppStore app:

   adb install -r <full_path_to_the_APK_file>

   Note: <full_path_to_the_APK_file> is just a placeholder. You need to replace it with the actual path where you downloaded the APK.

7. Wait until the command is processed, then open the Amazon Appstore and see if it’s working as it’s supposed to.