Running Windows 11 on Android Phones and Raspberry Pi: An Overview of the Renegade Project

At the end of last month Microsoft released the Windows 11 preview, inviting users to join the Windows Insider program and test the new operating system, despite the build being rough and containing bugs such as broken global search and limited rollback options.

Because Windows 11 promises Android app support, a Chinese development team experimented with installing the OS on Android smartphones, creating the open‑source Renegade Project (GitHub: https://github.com/edk2-porting/edk2-sdm845 ).

The project enables Windows 11 ARM64 to run on devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (full support) and Snapdragon 855 (partial support via the edk2‑sm8150 port). Early demonstrations show the system booting on phones such as OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi 8, although many native phone functions—most notably calling—are unavailable.

Microsoft officially supports Windows 11 on ARM tablets and laptops that use Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, but the community’s custom UEFI environment allows the OS to be loaded on standard Android phones.

Beyond phones, developers have also ported Windows 11 to Raspberry Pi 4 and the Lumia 950 XL (the last Windows Mobile phone), with the Raspberry Pi version requiring a 4 GB RAM board and the official Windows 11 ARM64 image, delivering a full desktop experience comparable to Windows 10 on the same hardware.

While the ports demonstrate basic functionality—Bluetooth, USB input, and a usable desktop—the lack of native mobile features (e.g., telephony) means the setup is primarily a technical showcase rather than a practical replacement for a phone OS.