Imagine running the newest version of Android — Android 16 — directly on your Windows PC or laptop, complete with the official Google Play Store. Not a limited preview, not a fake simulator, but the full Android operating system running smoothly on your computer. Android 16, codenamed Baklava, introduces performance refinements, a cleaner interface, and updated system features that normally require buying a brand-new phone to experience.
In this guide, I’ll show you step by step how to install and run Android 16 on Windows using Google’s official Android emulator. This method is completely free, safe, and works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Once set up, you’ll be able to install apps from the Play Store, browse the web, watch YouTube, and even test Android games — all on a bigger screen with keyboard and mouse controls.
By the end of this tutorial, your Windows PC will double as a fully functional Android 16 device. Let’s get started.
Check If Virtualization Is Enabled
Before we install anything, there’s one important requirement: your computer must support hardware virtualization. This is what allows Android to run smoothly inside the emulator. Without virtualization, Android 16 will feel extremely slow or may fail to boot.
First, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Go to the Performance tab and click on CPU. On the right side, look for the line that says Virtualization.
- If it says Enabled, you’re ready to continue.
- If it says Disabled, you need to enable it from your BIOS.
To enable it, restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup (usually by pressing Delete, F2, F10, or Esc during startup). Inside the BIOS, look for one of these options:
- Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) for Intel processors
- SVM Mode for AMD processors
Turn it On, save changes, and exit BIOS. After Windows boots again, open Task Manager one more time to confirm virtualization now shows Enabled.
Once this is done, your system is ready to run Android 16 at full speed.
Enable Virtual Machine Platform in Windows
Now that virtualization is enabled in your BIOS, we also need to turn on a Windows feature that helps the Android emulator use hardware acceleration properly. Without this step, the emulator may run slowly or fail to start.
Click on the Start menu and search for Windows Features. Open “Turn Windows features on or off.” A list of optional Windows components will appear.
Scroll down and find Virtual Machine Platform. Check the box next to it. If you also see Windows Hypervisor Platform, enable that too for better performance.
After selecting the options, click OK. Windows will install the required components. When it finishes, it will ask you to restart your computer. Go ahead and restart before continuing.
Once your PC boots back up, your system is fully prepared to run the Android emulator smoothly.
Download and Install Android Studio
Now it’s time to download the official Android emulator. We’ll use Android Studio, which is Google’s official development environment and includes the Android Emulator built in. This is the safest and most reliable way to run Android 16 on a Windows PC.
Click the button below to download Android Studio from Google’s official website:
Once the file finishes downloading, open it and follow the installation wizard:
- Click Next through the setup steps
- Keep the default components selected
- Choose the Standard installation option
- Accept the license agreements
- Let Android Studio download additional files
The first launch may take a few minutes because it installs emulator components in the background. Just wait until everything finishes.
When Android Studio opens successfully, we’re ready to install Android 16 and create our virtual device.
Install the Android 16 System Image
Now that Android Studio is installed, we need to download the actual Android 16 system files. This is what allows the emulator to boot into Android 16 instead of an older version.
Open Android Studio. On the welcome screen, click More Actions, then choose SDK Manager.
Inside SDK Manager:
- Go to the SDK Platforms tab
- Look for Android 16 (API Level 36)
- Check the box next to it
- Click Apply → OK
Android Studio will now download the Android 16 platform files. This may take a few minutes depending on your internet speed.
If you don’t see Android 16 in the list, enable “Show Package Details” at the bottom of the window. Sometimes newer versions are hidden until this option is turned on.
Once the download finishes, your PC now has the official Android 16 system image installed and ready to use.
Create an Android 16 Virtual Device With Play Store
Now we’ll create a virtual Android device that boots into Android 16 and includes full Google Play Store support.
Inside Android Studio, open Device Manager (sometimes called Virtual Device Manager). You can find it on the welcome screen under More Actions, or inside Android Studio from the Tools menu.
Click the Plus (+) button to create a new device.
You’ll see a list of device profiles:
- Choose a Pixel phone if you want a phone-style interface
- Choose Pixel Tablet if you want a larger tablet layout
After selecting a device, click Next.
On the system image screen:
- Select Android 16 (API 36)
- Make sure Google Play is selected in the services column
- Choose the first stable image from the list
- Click Next
Now open Additional Settings to fine-tune performance based on your PC:
- Internal storage: 20–30 GB (for apps and games)
- RAM: 2–4 GB (more if your PC has 16GB+)
- CPU cores: allocate about half your total cores
- Graphics: keep Hardware / Automatic
- VM heap: 512 MB works well for games
These settings help the emulator run smoother, especially with heavy apps.
Click Finish. Your new Android 16 device will appear in the Device Manager list.
Boot Android 16 and Sign In to Play Store
Now comes the exciting part — starting Android 16 for the first time.
In Device Manager, click the Play ▶ button next to the virtual device you just created. The emulator will open in a new window and begin booting. The first startup may take a little longer, just like a brand-new phone being powered on for the first time.
Once the Android home screen appears:
- Complete the initial Android setup
- Connect to Wi-Fi (it uses your PC’s internet automatically)
- Sign in with your Google account
After signing in, open the Play Store. You’ll see the exact same interface as on a real Android phone or tablet. From here, you can install apps, download games, and explore Android 16 just like a physical device.
Try opening:
- Chrome to test browsing
- YouTube for video playback
- Google Photos and Files
- Any apps or games you want to experiment with
Casual games run smoothly on most PCs, while heavier games depend on your hardware. You can even connect a USB controller or use keyboard controls for better gaming.
At this point, your Windows PC is officially running Android 16 with full Play Store access.
Final Thoughts
And that’s it — you now have Android 16 running on your Windows PC using Google’s official Android emulator, complete with full Play Store access. You can install apps, explore the newest Android features, test performance, and enjoy mobile apps on a bigger screen without buying a new phone.
This setup is perfect for developers, gamers, or anyone curious about the latest Android version. Since everything runs through official Google tools, it’s safe, free, and easy to remove anytime if you no longer need it.
Feel free to experiment with different virtual devices, adjust performance settings, and try new apps. Every PC will perform a little differently depending on hardware, so don’t be afraid to tweak RAM and CPU allocation for the best experience.
If you followed the steps correctly, your computer is now doubling as a fully functional Android 16 device.
Enjoy exploring Android — and let me know what apps or games you try first!
