Windows 11 Android Subsystem Update Adds Folder Penetration Sharing and Usage Guide

Yesterday Microsoft pushed version 2305.40000.2.0 to Windows 11 Android Subsystem preview users, finally supporting folder penetration sharing, which lets the Android subsystem and the host Windows system share folders without using network tools.

This version is only a preview update for the Android subsystem and does not yet have an offline installer; Microsoft will provide one after testing for Windows 11 Canary and Dev channels.

For security and privacy, Microsoft restricts Android apps' file read permissions, requiring a system dialog for each file or folder access request, and only the user's main folder (C:\USER\ ) can be read by the subsystem.

On the Android side, only files stored in /sdcard/Windows/ are visible to Windows 11 File Explorer; to share files, store them in both C:\USER\ and /sdcard/Windows directories.

For safety, executable (.exe) files cannot be shared from the Android subsystem to the host; attempts to place .exe files in /sdcard/Windows will be blocked.

Complete update log:

1. Enabled file sharing with drag‑and‑drop and copy‑paste between Android subsystem and Windows 11 host.

2. Settings now display all installed Android apps, and users can also find them in the Start menu.

3. Apps declaring android.hardware.type.pc can receive raw input directly from the system.

4. Compatibility improvements: Wi‑Fi API, camera hardware, and Linux kernel updates.

5. Android subsystem Chromium WebView updated to version 113, and Android 13 security patches from AOSP are included.