Microsoft has rolled out the May update for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) on Windows 11 in a preview to Windows Insiders. This month’s update bumps the WSA up to version 2304.40000.5.0. It comes with five notable changes, and the most important is a new option for users to configure how much memory to assign to Android.
For power who might be installing apps outside the Amazon App Store, this new option to configure memory for Android is huge. On PCs with a lot of RAM, more resources can now be allocated to running Android apps, for a lag and stutter-free experience. Other than this main feature, there is also a tweak for Package verification for apps on the Windows Subsystem for Android. Android apps can now be scanned using antivirus software installed on Windows prior to app installation. This should help cut back on potentially dangerous apps that could harm your Windows installation. The other three features can be seen below.
- Android apps will be launched when a user opens the supported app link from any app (Android AppLink support)
- Linux kernel updated to 5.15.94
- WSA reliability and performance improvements
These changes are only for Windows Insiders at the moment, so if you have a PC enrolled in either the Beta, Canary, Dev, or Release Preview channels, you’ll be seeing these new features. As usual, everyone else on the standard version of Windows 11 will get this update soon, once Microsoft finishes testing and gets feedback. Usually, it takes a few weeks. For those who are already up and running with the May 2023 update for the Windows Subsystem for Android, send feedback to Microsoft now. You’ll find a dedicated section for it in the Feedback Hub. Of course, this means the experience might not be bug, free, so be cautious of installing if you don’t want an unstable WSA experience.