You can’t install the full Google Play Store on Windows 10. Google only makes it for Android devices and Chromebooks, and Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Android, which let some Windows 11 PCs run Android apps, was discontinued in March 2025. The official option for Windows 10 is Google Play Games on PC, a free app from Google that installs Android games from Google Play. For other apps, use the app’s Windows or web version, or run apps from your Android phone through Phone Link.
Applies to: Windows 10 version 2004 and later, and Windows 11.
Option 1: Google Play Games on PC (games)
Google Play Games on PC is Google’s official way to play Android games from Google Play on Windows, with keyboard and mouse controls and progress that syncs with your phone.
Check the requirements
According to Google’s requirements page, your PC needs:
- Windows 10 version 2004 or later
- An SSD with 10 GB of free space
- 8 GB of RAM
- A processor with 4 physical cores
- Intel UHD Graphics 630 or a comparable graphics card
- A Windows administrator account
- Hardware virtualization turned on
Install it
- Go to the Google Play Games on PC page on Google Play’s website and select Download.
- Open the installer and follow the prompts.
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Browse or search for a game and select Install.
Only games that developers have optimized for PC are available, so not every game from your phone appears. Non-game apps aren’t offered.
If it reports that virtualization is off
Restart into your PC’s BIOS/UEFI and turn on Intel VT-x, Intel Virtualization Technology or AMD SVM. Then, in Windows, search Start for Turn Windows features on or off and select Windows Hypervisor Platform. The BIOS part is explained further in enabling virtualization on Windows 10.
Option 2: Use your Android phone’s apps with Phone Link
If you have a supported Android phone, such as many Samsung Galaxy and Honor models, Phone Link can show and run your phone’s apps on your PC screen.
- Open Phone Link from the Start menu (it’s built into Windows 10 and 11) and select Android.
- Follow the prompts to install Link to Windows on your phone and pair it.
- Select Apps in Phone Link to see your phone’s apps and open them on your PC.
The apps still run on your phone, so it needs to be nearby, on the same Wi-Fi network, and turned on. App support varies by phone model.
Option 3: Use the Windows or web version of the app
Most popular Android apps have a Windows app in the Microsoft Store or a website that works in a browser. For example, WhatsApp, Spotify, Netflix, Instagram and Microsoft Teams all have Windows apps, and Gmail, Google Maps and Google Docs work in Edge or Chrome. Search the Microsoft Store first, because it’s built into Windows and installs apps safely.
What about Android emulators?
Third-party Android emulators, such as BlueStacks, run a full Android system on Windows and can include the Play Store. They can work for games and some apps, but they’re large, can slow older PCs, and some bundle ads or extra software. If you use one, download it only from the developer’s own website and decline any extra offers during installation, as shown in installing BlueStacks. For a side-by-side look at emulators, Phone Link and Google Play Games, with setup steps for each, see how to run Android apps on Windows 10.
Avoid websites that offer a “Google Play Store for PC” .exe or APK download. Google doesn’t publish one for Windows, and these files are a common source of malware.
Troubleshooting
Google Play Games reports that my PC isn’t supported
Check each requirement above. The most common problems are a hard drive instead of an SSD, fewer than 4 processor cores, or virtualization turned off.
A game I want isn’t available
The developer hasn’t released it for Google Play Games on PC yet. Check the game’s own website for a Windows version, or play it on your phone.
Phone Link doesn’t show an Apps section
Your phone model doesn’t support the Apps feature. You can still use Phone Link for messages, calls and photos.
The Microsoft Store has an app with the same name but a different developer
Check the developer name on the store page. Install only apps from the official developer to avoid copycats.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install APK files on Windows 10?
Not directly. Windows can’t run Android apps on its own. An emulator can install APK files, but only use APKs from trusted sources.
Is Google Play Games on PC free?
Yes. The app is free. Games are free or paid just like on your phone, and purchases use your Google account.
Does this work on Windows 11?
Yes. The same options apply. More on Windows 11 is in running Android apps on Windows 11.
Windows 10 is out of support. Does that matter?
Windows 10 stopped getting free security updates on October 14, 2025. Apps and games may stop supporting it over time, so consider upgrading to Windows 11 if your PC is eligible. Moved to a newer PC? The Windows 11 routes are covered in Google Play on Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.