If you’ve ever thought about running your favorite Windows Game (like GTA 5) or App on your Android smartphone or tablet, then you can fortunately do it using a third-party app. In this guide, we will explore the easiest way to install Windows apps on Android phones.
A third-party emulator app, Winlator, lets Android users install and access Windows apps on their phones. Winlator uses Wine and Box64/Box86 that brings Windows apps compatibility on several POSIX-compliant OS’, including Linux, macOS, and more.
When you open the Winlator and run a container for the first time, you will see the default apps list including the WineMine game, 7Zip, Wordpad, Notepad, the old Internet Explorer, and Game Controller to controls. For testing, I installed VLC Media Player and it works perfectly fine. You can also install your favorite games and connect a wireless mouse and keyboard for better controls.
How to Download and Install Winlator App
Sadly, the Winlator app isn’t listed on the Google Play Store, but we can sideload the app by downloading it from GitHub or Winlator’s official website. First, let’s take a look at the steps on how to install Winlator on Android phones.
Step 1: Download the Winlator app from GitHub or Winlator’s website.
Step 2: When downloaded, open the app, it will ask for permission to allow install unknown apps from different sources. Select Settings and then turn the toggle for Allow from this source.
Step 3: You will see the installation prompt, simply select Install. Once installed, open the app and grant the required permissions. Once done, it will automatically install the required system files.
How to Setup a Container on Winlator App
With all system files and dependencies installed, you can start making a container and run the Windows emulator on your Android smartphone or tablet. Follow these steps to make a container.
Step 1: Open Winlator app and tap the + icon at the top right corner.
Step 2: Give a name to the container, choose the screen size (by default it is 800 X 600)
Step 3: Under the Graphics Driver settings, select Adreno (Turnip) if your phone is powered by the Snapdragon processor. If it has a MediaTek chipset, then choose VirGL (Universal).
Step 4: You can check other settings if you want, once done, simply tap the done button at the bottom right corner.
How to Run Windows Apps in Winlator on Android
With the container setup done, you can start using the Windows emulator on your Android device and install Windows apps on your device. Follow these steps to install your favorite Windows apps or games on your phone.
Step 1: Tap the three dots icon on the right side of the container, then select Run option.
Step 2: You will see the Windows-like environment, even a proper desktop screen on your Android smartphone or tablet. You can control the cursor visible on the screen by dragging your finger across the screen, to open the app or folder, simply double-tap anywhere.
Step 3: If you want to access your Android smartphone’s Downloads folder, simply launch the D Drive and access all files stored inside the Downloads folder. Whereas, C Drive contains the system files of the container, and Z Drive contains the Android data.
Step 4: If you want to install any Windows app inside the Winlator’s container, then you need to download the setup file of the software on your Android device. For testing, I downloaded the VLC Media Player’s setup file and ran it.
The installation time may vary on the device’s chipset and RAM, it took a few more seconds compared to the installation time on Windows Laptop. But everything works as it works on any Windows PC.
If you are going to test Winlator on your Android smartphone, do share your experience in the comment section. Also, share this article with your friends.
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