Latest Windows 11 Insider Update Brings Key Android Gaming Improvements

Update version 2206.40000.15.0 of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) for Insiders adds support for using controllers in Android games. That includes not only gamepads but also joysticks mapped to the conventional WASD keys. Games that use swiping gestures to aim or slide can now also be controlled using a keyboard’s arrow keys. All in all, the Android gaming experience on Windows 11 should be a lot more comfortable now, presuming the game actually supports controllers and not touch gestures only.

The update also brings other improvements across the board, particularly for networking, settings, and graphics. One note that Microsoft gives Insiders, though, is that some VPN services might not work properly with WSA’s Advanced Networking feature. If that’s the case for you, Microsoft recommends simply turning the feature off in order to reconnect Android apps to the internet.

This news bodes well for the Windows Subsystem for Android, if not for the rather important fact that it isn’t available yet anywhere outside of the U.S., at least not officially. Microsoft does plan to add five more countries to that list, but that won’t happen until the end of this year. Another critical caveat is that WSA uses Amazon’s Appstore and services, and some Android games and apps might not work properly in the absence of Google Play Services.