Early adopters of Windows 11 on Arm are finding that while the new platform offers significant promise, it also comes with a few hurdles, particularly in the realm of app compatibility. The transition to native Arm versions of popular applications is ongoing, and users may need to do some legwork to ensure they are getting the right versions of their favorite apps.
Initial App Installations: A Mixed Bag
In my recent experience with a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x 14 Gen 9, I set out to install a suite of essential applications to see how well they performed on Windows 11 on Arm. My first task was to install the Google Chrome and Brave web browsers. Chrome's installer correctly detected the system and offered the native Arm version, which was a pleasant surprise. Brave, although less clear on its website, also installed the correct native version without issue.
Next, I turned to iA Writer, a Markdown editor I frequently use. Unfortunately, the Microsoft Store only offered an x64 version. Given that iA Writer is developed by a small team, it's understandable that a native Arm version might not be a priority. Despite this, the x64 version worked flawlessly for my needs.
Affinity Photo 2 was another critical application on my list. While Affinity had announced support for Windows 11 on Arm, the Microsoft Store only displayed an x64 version. A quick search revealed that I could download the native Arm version directly from Affinity’s website, which I promptly did.
Challenges with Shell Integration
One of the more significant challenges came with attempting to install the Google Drive client. This application requires shell integration, and unlike Chrome, there has been no indication that Google plans to port Drive to Arm anytime soon. My initial attempt to download and install the client failed due to compatibility issues. Despite searching through support forums, I found no viable solution. For now, I’ll rely on OneDrive and manually upload files to Google Drive as needed.
Navigating App Compatibility
The journey to seamless app compatibility on Windows 11 on Arm is far from over. Users must often take extra steps to ensure they are using native Arm versions of their applications. The Microsoft Store listings are not always definitive, and sometimes a bit of detective work is required to find the correct versions.
Despite these challenges, the promise of Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11 on Arm on Snapdragon X remains strong. As developers continue to adapt their applications for this new architecture, we can expect a more streamlined experience in the future. For now, early adopters will need to exercise patience and resourcefulness as they navigate this evolving landscape.
