How to install WhatsApp in Windows subsystem for Android

There are times when you might want to install the Android version of WhatsApp on your Windows laptop instead of opting for the limited functionality of the WhatsApp desktop app that you get on the Windows Store. This is possible with Windows subsystem for Android which is a software that enables your Windows 11 device to run Android.

In this article, I will share all the required steps to install it. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

First of all, browse to https://www.whatsapp.com/android and click on Package Installer to download the WhatsApp.apk file.

Once the file is downloaded, you need to sideload it (i.e. install 3rd party software) into the WSA (Windows subsystem for Android).

The process for sideloading the .apk file is simple and just needs two steps:

1. Enabling Developer Tools on the Windows subsystem for Android.

2. Installing the app using ADB (Android Debugging Bridge).

You can enable Developer mode by simply toggling the switch in Advanced settings in Windows subsystem for Android. Make a note of the displayed IP address and port number.

Now we will use ADB to actually install the app. ADB is a command-line tool that can be used to connect to your Android device and perform different activities. You can download it from https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools. Extract this zip file to a folder.

Open a command prompt window and type the following command.

cd "C:\Users\Pramod\Downloads\platform-tools\"

Now type the following command to connect adb to the Windows subsystem for Android.

adb connect 127.0.0.1:58526

Then type the following command to install the APK file we downloaded earlier.

adb install "C:\Users\Pramod\Downloads\WhatsApp.apk"

And that’s it! The app will be installed, and you can find it under Apps in the WSA.

Thanks for reading! Comment below if you have any questions.