We have a full explainer on how Android apps work in Windows 11. Windows 11 uses Intel Bridge Technology (IBT)-a “runtime post-compiler”-to natively run Android apps. It’s not really a great experience and it puts a lot of stress on your computer’s performance.Īndroid apps in Windows 11 are not running in an emulator. Running a virtual Android device on your PC does technically work, but it’s more of a bandaid than a solution.
This has always been the big downside with BlueStacks. After all, it is literally an entire operating system running on top of your existing Windows operating system. The problem with emulators and virtual machines is they require a lot of resources from your PC.
RELATED: How to Run Android Apps and Games on Your Windows Desktop with BlueStacks Why Is Windows 11’s Android App Solution Better? Microsoft That’s a huge part of what makes BlueStacks different from Android apps in Windows 11.Įmulators and virtual machines can be great solutions, but they’re not without problems. The Android apps and games are not running in Windows, they are running in the virtual Android environment. If you’ve ever heard of the term “ virtual machine,” that’s essentially what BlueStacks is. It’s all self-contained inside the BlueStacks app.
BlueStacks is quite literally an entire virtual Android device running on your Windows PC. It creates a virtual environment for Android apps and games to run inside. At the most basic level, BlueStacks in an emulator.