If you’re looking to run Android on Windows 11 or 10, there’s no shortage of emulators available today. For those who are wondering, there are numerous reasons why you might want to use an Android emulator on your Windows PC. For instance, Android developers can debug their apps, gamers can enjoy Android games (such as Android RPG games, and even some of the best gacha games for Android) on a larger screen and the list goes on. So in this guide, I have curated the 10 best Android emulators for Windows 11 and 10 in 2024.
1. BlueStacks 5
BlueStacks is undoubtedly one of the best Android emulators that you can find on Windows 11 and 10. It not only covers gaming but as a general user, if you want to enjoy Android apps on Windows PC then BlueStacks is a great emulator at your disposal. Over the years, it has gone through many refinements and the latest version of BlueStacks 5 is based on Android 11, which lets you run games like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact on Windows. There are also Android Nougat, Android Pie, and Android 11 versions of BlueStacks.
BS5 doesn’t need a graphics card as a requirement to run and it is compatible with both AMD and Intel PCs. Thus, you can use BlueStacks to emulate Android on a low-end Windows PC as well. For gamers, BlueStacks has introduced a new BlueStacks X interface in BS5 that offers cloud gaming functionality. You can play over 2 million games using BlueStacks X and the basic requirement is just a stable internet with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps.
BlueStack brings several useful features like Game Controls, Multi-Instance, Eco Mode, Performance Mode, Trim memory, and native support for Xbox and PS4 controllers. Simply saying, the gaming performance on BlueStacks is quite refined and you will not feel any platform limitation while playing Android games on Windows.
Also, it supports older Windows versions like 7 and 8.1 which is great. In tandem, BlueStacks is one of the best Android emulators for Windows 7. All in all, if you are looking for an overall best Android emulator for PC then BlueStacks surely comes at the top.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great compatibility | Heavy on resources |
| Feature-rich | |
| Based on Android 11, 9, and 7 | |
| Offers an app-store |
Download: Free
2. Google Play Games on PC
In case, you are unaware, Google has officially launched Google Play Games for Windows 11 and 10. You can install games directly from the Play Store and start playing on your PC. As simple as that. Google has curated Android titles which are optimized and work better on Windows. Some of the popular Android games available on Windows are Clash of Clans, Free Fire Max, Angry Birds 2, Asphalt 9, Genshin Impact, and more.
Sure, you can’t install other Android apps with Google Play Games, but if you are looking for an Android emulator primarily for gaming, I would strongly recommend Google Play Games. Earlier, we compared Google Play Games and BlueStacks to find the performance difference, and turned out, Google Play Games is much better optimized for PCs.
It takes about 700MB of RAM while BlueStacks guzzles the memory. You also get smoother gaming performance with fewer stutters. Not to mention, since this is an official tool by Google, you don’t have to worry about signing in a Google account on third-party emulators.
Pros Cons Great performance Primarily for gaming Supports popular Android titles Install games seamlessly Consumes much less memory
Download: Free
3. Gameloop (Tencent Gaming Buddy)
Gameloop is another way you can experience high-quality Android gaming on Windows PCs. It’s a dedicated gaming emulator developed for gamers who want to play a range of Android mobile games on desktop PCs.
You may be surprised to find that Gameloop – earlier called Tencent Gaming Buddy — has been developed by Tencent as part of the desktop-mobile gaming experiment. Initially, you could only use this platform to play PUBG Mobile on PC, but now Tencent has brought support for a huge list of Android games which include Apex Legends Mobile, Among Us, Roblox, Call of Duty, and more.
Additionally, you can get the Google Play Store by installing a separate module that is available inside the setup. Basically, with Gameloop, you are getting Play Store support and all the popular Android games with mouse and keymapping support.
So to put it straight, if you are looking for the official Android emulator for playing PUBG and other games on Windows 11 then Gameloop is a much better proposition. Plus, it supports keyboard mapping in games like PUBG, which means you can easily use the touch-oriented UI with a keyboard and mouse.
Pros Cons Best for playing Android games like PUBG Limited to gaming Lots of high-end Android games available Optimized for various graphics standards
Download: Free
4. Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA)
Besides Google, Microsoft is also working to bring official support to Android apps on Windows 11. It has developed Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), a compatibility layer that allows you to run Android apps on your Windows 11 PC. However, officially, it’s supported via the Amazon Appstore and it’s only available in handful of countries currently. But you can still run WSA on your Windows 11 PC and sideload any Android app you want.
You can even sideload Google Play Store on your Windows 11 PC and install Android apps right away. I have personally used Android apps on Windows 11 via the WSA layer, and the performance is quite good. It also allows you to remap the keys for supported games. WSA also consumes less memory than BlueStacks. So I would strongly recommend you try out WSA for all your Android emulation needs on Windows 11.
Pros Cons Run Android apps and games Limited to certain regions Consumes less memory than BlueStacks Better performance than BlueStacks
How to install Android apps on Windows 11 via WSA
5. LDPlayer
If you are looking for an Android emulator for Windows 11 that is optimized for gaming, let me offer you the latest emulator in town, LDPlayer. Though it is relatively new, LDPlayer has quickly risen in popularity due to its great performance. The latest version, LDPlayer 9, is based on Android 9 Pie for running popular Android games like Genshin Impact, Blue Archive, Epic Seven, and more.
There is also a dedicated app store for games and they run quite well on LDPlayer. If you want to improve performance, you can also take advantage of Virtualization Technology from the Settings page.
All in all, I would say LDPlayer is an up-to-date Android emulator that offers a simple yet powerful Android experience on Windows computers, be it gaming or just general usage.
Pros Cons Supports both Intel and AMD PCs Not as feature-rich as BlueStacks Fast and lightweight Based on Android 9 Relatively less bloated
Download: Free
6. MEmu Play
MEmu Play is another awesome Android emulator on Windows that has lately gained a lot of traction. It is a tough task to name a single or even a couple of features considering that MEmu comes loaded with a ton of useful features.
One of the most prominent features of the emulator is the fact that it supports both Intel and AMD CPUs which is great from a compatibility point of view. As astonishing as it may sound, it is a feature not available on many Android emulators out there.
Apart from that, the emulator comes with the ability to run multiple instances of apps and Android versions at once. Furthermore, the software is based on Android Nougat (7.1.2) by default, but can also run Android 9.0. You also have the option to run Android Kit Kat (4.4), and Lollipop (5.1).
While the emulator has some great optimizations for gaming, I think it’s one of the best Android emulators for general users as well. You can run the emulator on any Windows version from Windows 7 to 10 and it’s compatible with both Intel and AMD processors. What more can you ask for?
Pros Cons Not as feature-rich as BlueStacks Not suitable for low-end PCs Multiple versions of Android Performance is really good for gaming Custom key mapping
Download: Free
7. Nox Player
If you’re someone who’s looking for an Android emulator on Windows that offers tons of features other than just gaming, well then, Nox Player is the perfect pick for you. We’ve previously reviewed the emulator and boy, does it come preloaded with a plethora of features.
Gameplay optimizations, controller compatibility, the ability to change the Android device’s build.prop, and a completely user-friendly interface are just some of the things where Nox Player outshines BlueStacks and other Android emulators on Windows.
It is based on Android Pie (Android 9) and its multi-instance synchronization feature makes playing multiple games simultaneously an easy task. It’s also one of the few Android emulators for Windows 11 that supports Android 12.
There is one factor where Nox Player truly scores over BlueStacks, and it is the ability to get root access. If you have ever tried rooting BlueStacks, you’d know that it is a tedious task. But on Nox Player, you simply have to enable a toggle in the settings, and poof! – you’re rooted. That’s how simple Nox Player is for you and I believe it’s among the best Android emulators on Windows.
While the free version is loaded with ads, NoxPlayer recently launched an ad-free premium version if you don’t want pesky ad popups. One of the major benefits of using NoxPlayer as compared to other Android emulators for Windows is that it is not entirely tailored for gamers; even developers can use it for testing apps.
That said, keep in mind, the emulator was embroiled in controversy for its move to install bloatware against users’ choice. Besides that, in February 2021, NoxPlayer’s Android server was hijacked by a hacker group and it injected malware on user computers. Nox has asked users to reinstall the software to avoid the attack. However, I would advise you to wait for some time and then try your hands on Nox Player, but only if you find the application trustworthy.
Pros Cons Packed with features Installs bloatware against user’s choice Built-in Root support Recently hijacked by a hacker group Tons of customization Supports Android 12
Download: Free, $3.69/month for the Premium version without ads
8. PrimeOS
PrimeOS is not an Android emulator per se, but an Android OS that can run flawlessly on Windows PCs, leveraging the real power of CPU and GPU. Basically, if you are into Android gaming then this virtual device of sorts is a much better option than installing an emulator, as it will run directly on the hardware without the need for binary translation.
What’s more, you can use keyboard mapping to play your favorite Android games on PrimeOS. You can consider PrimeOS as an alternative to the Android x86 project.
Not to mention, PrimeOS also brings Google Play Store support, so you can seamlessly install and play thousands of games. It also has a dedicated DecaPro Gaming Centre that enables you to enhance your gaming experience on the PC setup.
The best part is that you can also dual-boot PrimeOS with Windows 11 with minimal effort. In a nutshell, I would say, to play intensive Android games, PrimeOS is the best platform for PCs. It supports Android 11 and 7 for PCs.
Pros Cons Run directly on the hardware No one-click installation Works as a separate OS Has a dedicated gaming center Dual-boot with Windows 11
Download: Free
9. Bliss OS
Next, if you use Android emulators a lot, why not consider dual-booting Android on your PC just like PrimeOS? Bliss OS can let you do that, and then you’ll have a fully functional Android PC on your hands. Bliss OS comes with almost every feature you’d like to have, including Widevine L3 DRM, which means you can easily stream Netflix on your repurposed Android PC.
For gamers, Bliss OS comes with support for keymapping, gamepads, and profiles. So you can easily play your favorite Android games on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, complete with keyboard and mouse support. Currently, the stable version of Bliss OS is built on top of Android 11 and Android 12L, which are available with both Google and FOSS apps.
Pros Cons Full-fledged Android OS for PC No Widevine L1 support Support for gamepads, keymapping, and more Widevine L3 license for streaming
Download: Free
10. Genymotion
If you are an Android developer and looking for a way to virtually test Android apps in a Windows environment then Genymotion is one that you should pick. It is a popular Android virtual device platform, especially for developers. Genymotion runs offline through a Windows app and on the cloud through a web browser so you have great flexibility.
In addition, you have a lot of options as you can choose your Android platform from Android 4.1 to the latest Android 13 build. On top of that, you can also install the Google Play Store by selecting your choice of GApps package.
However, you can’t install games like Call of Duty or PUBG so keep that in mind. Apart from that, the best part about Genymotion is that you can integrate it with Android Studio on your Windows computer.
You can develop your app smoothly on your choice of device and platform. So to conclude, if you want to test apps on multiple Android versions in a Windows environment then go with Genymotion.
Pros Cons Best Android emulators for developers No gaming Supports the latest Android build Choose your own GApps package
Check Out Genymotion: (Free for Personal use, Desktop plan starts at $136/year)
So, this is my list that includes some of the best Android emulators you can use to run Android apps on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. Whether you’re a developer looking to test apps or a casual user who’s looking to play some games, you will certainly find the best emulator for your needs here.
If you ask me personally, I would recommend Google Play Games on PC and Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) as they’re officially supported by Google and Microsoft. But with so many good alternatives around, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same for you. Which one of them is your favorite Android emulator for Windows? Chime in your two cents in the comments section below.
Google Play Games on PC and BlueStacks are the best Android emulators currently. Apart from that, if you are looking for PUBG and similar titles then you are better off with Gameloop. You can also take a look at Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA).
It depends on your PC configuration. If you have got a powerful spec (8GB RAM, i5, and SSD) then BlueStacks is better than Nox. Other than that, Nox is quite good too, but recently it was criticized for its move to automatically install bloatware. I would not really recommend Nox over BlueStacks.
Generally, 8GB is recommended to have a seamless experience while playing PUBG on emulators. Higher RAM ensures that the emulator does not freeze due to some background Windows activities. That said, you can surely play PUBG on an emulator with 4GB RAM, but don’t expect a great experience.
There have been reports of Nox installing bloatware like McAfee and Chromium automatically without user consent. It also installed Segurazo, an anti-malware service that was detected as a virus. After that, Nox pulled back from this move but for now, it’s up to you if you want to use the emulator.
Abubakar Mohammed
