The Windows tablet is becoming more popular. But if you are looking for a larger selection of applications, Android It is the answer to your requirements.
While installing Android on a desktop PC is reasonably simple, installation may be complicated on a Windows tablet. One problem is that the tablets do not have a CD / DVD drive.
So how can you install Android on a Windows tablet? We will show you in this article.
What Windows tablet are you using?
Before continuing, you should keep in mind that Android can only be installed on standard 32-bit or 64-bit Windows tablets. Those who use ARM processors (like the old Microsoft Surface RT) are incompatible.
Meanwhile, the process of installing Android on your tablet differs from one device to another. However, the general approach is the same.
Windows 8 tablets are desperate for an upgrade to a usable operating system. In many cases, Windows 10 is the solution. However, the lack of applications or the increasing complexity of Windows 10 may prevent you from performing the update.
So for many, Android is the only way to continue using old-fashioned but perfectly adequate tablet hardware.
What you need to install Android on a Windows tablet
Start by gathering everything you need to install Android:
- Your Windows tablet, connected to a power supply.
- A blank USB flash drive of 16 GB or more.
- Second USB flash drive with the Windows installer loaded (in case of problems).
- USB flash disk writing software (we recommend Etcher).
- USB keyboard (a mouse is optional).
- A USB hub so you can connect multiple devices to your tablet at the same time.
- The correct version of Android for your system.
When it comes to installing Android, the first option you should try is Phoenix OS.
Intel also maintains some Android images for Windows machines. You will find them as part of the Celadon open source project, available for download on GitHub.
Before continuing, check the web steps specifically related to your tablet. It is important to have a direct reference, step by step, so that you make sure you do not make any mistakes that can erase your disk. You certainly want to avoid any errors that may leave your computer unbootable.
Why install Android on a Windows tablet?
Windows has a user interface that can be used in touch screen and tablet mode, but the selection of Microsoft Store applications is relatively modest.
If you already have experience with Android tablets and do not especially like the Windows touch environment, the change is reasonable (when possible, of course). Thanks to the improved OTG compatibility on Android (so you can connect USB drives and input devices), you may not even notice the difference.
However, you should keep in mind that you will be restricted to applications that support x86 (32 bit) compatible systems. These are growing in number, but don't expect to run all the applications in the Play Store.
Setting up your tablet for Android installation
You cannot simply install a second operating system on a device designed for Windows, without making some adjustments to the system configuration.
First, you must ensure that Secure Boot is disabled. Then, open Settings, then Update and recovery. Then, click on Recovery and select Restart now, under Advanced startup.
From here, use the arrow keys to select: Troubleshoot, then; Advanced options and then, UEFI Firmware Configuration.
In this section, look for Security in the menu on the left and set a Supervisor password. Once you've added this, open Boot, look for the Safe Boot option and set it to Disabled.
Once this is done, press and hold the power key to restart. Then you must press and hold the Windows button until the screen turns back on. This allows a quick direct access to the BIOS screen, where you must make sure that the UEFI mode is selected.
Then turn off the tablet and connect the USB hub directly to the USB port. Do not use a docking station.
Installing Android on the tablet
With the keyboard and USB stick connected to the hub, start your tablet PC by pressing F12. In the start menu, use the arrow keys to select the USB drive. When you need to make selections (such as enabling dual boot), use the volume keys on your device.
Different versions of the Android installer have slightly different steps. In most cases, the dual boot option must be selected. It is often not worth removing Windows completely, since the bootloader is required for Android to run.
If everything goes according to plan, the next time you start the tablet, you should see a start menu, where you can select between Android and Windows.
Alternative ways to run Android applications on Windows
If your main motivation to install Android on your Windows tablet is to use applications, an emulator is a simpler solution. You can choose from several tools to run Android applications in this way, which include:
- NoxPlayer: probably the best Android emulator for Windows.
- BlueStacks: ideal for fans of Android games.
- Andy: Includes functions for the development of games and applications.
Keep in mind that these tools will only run as well as the hardware of your Windows machine allows.
Turn your tablet into Android with a virtual machine
Installing Android on a Windows tablet can be difficult. It might take a while to find a suitable image, for example. In the worst case, there may not even be a compatible version of Android for use.
So don't give up If an Android emulator doesn't suit you, consider a virtual machine.
Tools like VMWare Player or VirtualBox run a virtual environment, in which you install an Android operating system. This could be the operating system you previously downloaded to run on your specific tablet model, or it could simply be Phoenix OS.
Either way, this is a cleaner option than dual boot or complete Windows removal. Just start Windows, start the virtual machine and run Android.
Run Android on a Windows tablet
It can be a difficult job, but eventually you should be able to install Android on your Windows tablet. You may end up with a dual boot configuration, or you may trust a virtual machine. Either way, with Android running, you can start enjoying your favorite applications and games.
With everything installed and Android running, it should work perfectly. However, whatever method you use to install Android on your tablet, you are likely to find some features missing or disabled.
As such, you must install Google Apps to get basic products such as YouTube, Google Play, Gmail and all other popular Android applications provided by Google.