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IT Home reported on November 4 that developer Computershik, with the help of Claude, has created the open-source project Megler, which aims to let phones running Windows 10 Mobile 1703 (version 10.0.15063) or later run Android apps directly.
According to the developer, the project neither emulates Android hardware nor requires an Android subsystem to be added to the operating system. Instead, it implements components of the Android runtime environment within an ordinary Windows app, allowing Android apps’ Java code and native ARM code to run directly on the phone’s processor.
Technically, Android apps typically contain Java bytecode and native dynamic libraries compiled for the ARM architecture. Megler implements its own dynamic linker, C runtime library, Java runtime, and some Android framework interfaces. It uses Windows technologies including Win32, Direct2D, Direct3D 11, and ANGLE to provide file access, thread management, graphics rendering, and other system functions.
To improve performance, Megler does not emulate the instruction set for native ARM code; it executes that code directly on the phone’s processor and uses just-in-time compilation (JIT) to compile frequently used Java methods into Thumb-2 instructions. The project also assigns interface drawing to a separate rendering thread and uses the graphics processor to render views, text, video, WebView content, and other elements, reducing the load on the main thread.
In terms of app compatibility, Megler already supports some Android apps developed in Java or Kotlin, as well as games built with NativeActivity or Unity IL2CPP. It supports running the official Google Play Store and Google Play services, allowing users to sign in to a Google account, search for apps, and download and install them directly. The project also integrates Android System WebView based on Chromium 128, which can render web content using the graphics processor.
The developer emphasizes that Megler can invoke Windows Hello to respond to biometric authentication requests from Android apps. It also supports receiving SMS verification codes, accessing the phone’s camera, using lock-screen media controls, and decoding media in formats including H.264, H.265, AAC, and MP3 through Windows Media Foundation. Local folders on the phone are also mapped to the /sdcard path, which Android apps can access.
However, Megler still has some limitations. Because Windows 10 Mobile phones use a 32-bit environment, the project currently cannot run Android apps that provide only 64-bit native ARM code. It also does not support the Vulkan graphics API, and the address space available to a single app is limited by the approximately 2GB ceiling for 32-bit processes. In addition, the phone must have developer mode enabled, be interop-unlocked, and trust the installation certificate provided by the project to meet the requirements for features such as code generation.
IT Home noted that Megler can now import APK, APKS, and XAPK installation packages directly, and apps can also be installed through Google Play. Users can also convert installed Android apps into standalone Windows apps, each with its own Start screen tile, process, memory space, and task switcher entry. Interested users can visit the project’s GitHub page (click here to visit).
The developer also compared Megler with Microsoft’s earlier Project Astoria. Project Astoria was an Android app compatibility solution for Windows 10 Mobile announced by Microsoft in 2015. It appeared in some Windows Insider preview builds but was ultimately canceled in February 2016. Project Astoria attempted to run a compatibility environment based on Android 4.4 KitKat inside Windows, while Megler provides the relevant functionality as a standalone Windows app. It does not require Microsoft to integrate an Android subsystem at the operating-system level and is therefore more lightweight.
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