Turning Windows into Android?

[Windroid]

As many of you know: I have both Android and Windows 11 installed on my computer (a tablet-laptop hybrid). That is: I have two operating systems on the same computer. What about another approach? Can Windows be turned into Android?

Windows 11 can run Android apps (once you install the Android subsystem), but the ability to run Android apps on Windows isn't that same as having the Android experience. For example, Windows doesn't have the standard Android navigation buttons (back, desktop, switch apps) at the bottom of the screen. Windows also has a traditional desktop-computer desktop, and not a scrollable list of icons like you'd find on Android and iOS.

It is possible to get the Android experience with Windows 11?

 

[ocnbrze]

on Samsung's flagship phones i can use samsung's dex. basically i can connect my phone to me pc either by usb or wirelessly. a window then pops up of my phone's homescreen in which then i can interact with just by using my computer. now some games do not play nice on dex, but most should run just fine. i don't really use dex all that much. but it is there for people who need some portability and productivity done.

 

[mikedt]

IMO what gives the most Android experience, is a touch screen, that's on many Android devices, like tablets and smart-phones. Many Android apps and games are designed for touch-screens, and may not be so usable on a traditional deskptop PC system with a mouse. The standard Android navigations buttons, i.e. back, desktop, switch apps, depending on the particular Android subsystem, can mapped to certain keys on the PC keyboard.

 

[Windroid]

IMO what gives the most Android experience, is a touch screen

I have that. As I said: My computer is a tablet-laptop hybrid.

 

[mikedt]

I have that. As I said: My computer is a tablet-laptop hybrid.

Well what actual Android system are you running on your Windows 11 tablet-laptop hybird? Because if you use something like Bluestacks, that shows an Android tablet type environment, with scrollable app icons, and navigation buttons.

 

[Windroid]

Well what actual Android system are you running on your Windows 11 tablet-laptop hybird?

Microsoft's own "Windows Subsystem for Android™ with Amazon Appstore". But as I said, that's just Android apps under Windows. Not like FydeOS: FydeOS looks and feels like Android.

Because if you use something like Bluestacks, that gives Android tablet type environment.

It does? You're not talking about merely running Android apps on Windows? You mean Android's navigation buttons (back, desktop, switch apps), Android's desktop/home screen, etc.?

 

[mikedt]

Microsoft's own "Windows Subsystem for Android™ with Amazon Appstore". But as I said, that's just Android apps under Windows. Not like FydeOS: FydeOS looks and feels like Android.

Okay, that's something I'm not familiar with, and I only have Windows 7 at work.

It does? You're not talking about merely running Android apps on Windows? You mean Android's navigation buttons (back, desktop, switch apps), Android's desktop/home screen, etc.?

I've used Bluestacks. It's basically a whole Andoid OS running in a virtual machine, that functions and appears like a tablet to Android apps and games. It definitely looks and feels like Android, and it has all the Google apps as well, including Play Store.

 

[Windroid]

It's basically a whole Andoid OS running in a virtual machine

Wouldn't that slow things down, if it's Android in a virtual machine? You get more performance running an OS on your actual machine, than on a virtual machine. Then again, my "Android" is actually Chromium OS. Do Android apps on Chromium/Chrome OS also run in a virtual machine which slows things down?

 

[mikedt]

Wouldn't that slow things down, if it's Android in a virtual machine? You get more performance running an OS on your actual machine, than on a virtual machine. Then again, my "Android" is actually Chromium OS. Do Android apps on Chromium/Chrome OS also run in a virtual machine which slows things down?

In theory I think yes, it would slow things down, because you still got Windows running as the host OS. But how it actually performs depends on the specs of the computer you're running it on. And of course Android devices themselves come in many different specs, and all shapes and sizes, some much faster than others. I've used Bluestacks on an Intel i5 Macbook Air, and performance was good..

The other way to obtain a true Android experience on a PC or laptop, is to use Android-x86 or FydeOS, which boots on the actual hardware. But from experience and what I've read Android-86, it can be very choosy about the hardware it supports, and it's beta. FydeOS, I don't know much about at all, other that it can run natively or in a virtual-machine. I've never tried it.

Of course if you go the native boot Android approach on the actual machine, you're NOT "Turning Windows into Android".

I don't know what actual device you've got there, like the make, model, and specs. But I used to have an Ainol Windows 10/Android tablet, and it was a rather miserable and clunky experience using the thing. I gave it away in the end.

 

[Windroid]

I used to have an Ainol Windows 10/Android tablet, and it was a rather miserable and clunky experience using the thing. I gave it away in the end.

Oh? How was it miserable and clunky?

 

[mikedt]

Oh? How was it miserable and clunky?

The Intel Atom processor was rather underpowered for Windows 10. Okay for Android, as long as apps and games weren't too demanding. The Android experience from Windows, was basically an icon on the Windows desktop, labelled "ANDROID", that would reboot the tablet into Android mode.

 

[Windroid]

I've used Bluestacks

I tried Bluestacks briefly, but it didn't seem to be designed for a tablet. The android app in Bluestacks remained horizontal after I switched my tablet to vertical.

 

[Davdi]

You could try Android X86 (Android for PCs installed like any other OS) from here: Android-x86 - Porting Android to x86
I've used it very successfully on an old Dell laptop

 

[mikedt]

I tried Bluestacks briefly, but it didn't seem to be designed for a tablet. The android app in Bluestacks remained horizontal after I switched my tablet to vertical.

I've only used Bluestacks on laptops, and I think the devs have only designed it for use on desktop PCs and laptops. Which are not usually used in a vertical mode.

 

[Windroid]

You could try Android X86 (Android for PCs installed like any other OS) from here: Android-x86 - Porting Android to x86
I've used it very successfully on an old Dell laptop

That may be a worthwhile Android distribution, but I already have an Android distribution I'm using very successfully. I was hoping to turn Windows into Android (without giving up what makes it Windows).

 

[Windroid]

I've been using WinLaunch, that's a tablet style Launcher for Windows. It has some bugs and rough edges, but I love it!