The Android app installer built for Windows 11, WSA Tools, now backs up installed programs and data. Version 0.2.0 of the tool developed by the programmer Simone Franco can recover entire programs as if they had never been deleted from the computer.
This addition is especially useful for the experimental state of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), where bugs can roll frequently and the solution requires reinstallation of the component or a specific application. With the new WSA Tools function, progress with apps already installed is not lost in the process, such as logins, preferences or full levels in little games.
WSATools Backups! I’ve been testing this for a while and it’s the new WSATools 0.2.0 tool.
Backup your WSA android apps and data easily, so if your subsystem breaks or you just need to reinstall them, it will be this easy! pic.twitter.com/zY9YXhKi2b
— Simone Franco (@Simizfo) January 2, 2022
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The WSA Tools feature actually works simply: the program saves a copy of the virtual partition dedicated to WSA, stored on the computer in VHDX format. Restoring this document recovers all data from applications used on the computer, including the programs themselves.
If you’re a member of the Windows Insider program and you’re on one of the trial versions that support Android apps, it’s worth giving WSA Tools a try. The software can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store, but beware of fake programs.
What is WSA Tools?
WSA Tools is an alternative Android app installer currently available for Windows 11 testers to use only. The tool allows you to install any app designed for Android from the APK file on your PC, just like it happens on your mobile phone.
Such capability is only possible because the Windows Subsystem for Android works as a virtual machine integrated into the operating system. However, without WSA Tools, it is only possible to download apps via the Amazon Appstore, inside the Microsoft Store, whose catalog is limited to curated by MS.
