Microsoft is rolling out the latest updates for the Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 to every channel of the Insider Program. These updates were first made available in the Dev channel a few weeks ago and include, among other improvements, Android 12.1, also known as Android 12L.
The latest version of the Windows Subsystem for Android is 2204.40000.19.0, which is actually slightly higher than the version that was rolled out to the Dev channel a couple of weeks ago, but there are no new changes if you already had the latest version in the Dev channel. If you’re in the Beta or Release Preview channels, though, there’s quite a bit to unpack here.
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One of the big new features is support for advanced networking, meaning Android apps can connect to other devices on the same physical network as your laptop, like security cameras or speakers. Additionally, apps that use the camera should now display in the proper orientation based on the physical orientation of your webcam, and issues such as letterboxing or distorting the camera feed have been fixed. You should also see better support for mouse and keyboard input, as well as better integration with Windows notifications.
In addition to Android 12.1, this update also includes the latest version of the Chromium WebView, plus there’s a completely new Settings app for the Windows Subsystem for Android. This new app has new grouped settings so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for, plus it now lets you force apps to be non-resizable, which might be useful for testing how apps behave in specific scenarios.
Finally, Microsoft has also turned off diagnostic data for the Windows Subsystem for Android by default, and you can re-enable it in the settings. While it’s completely optional, diagnostic data can help Microsoft improve the experience in the future. You can also review all your diagnostic data in the settings app now.
To update to the latest version of the Windows Subsystem for Android, you can go to the Library section of the Microsoft Store to check for updates.