Running Windows 11 on Android Phones and Raspberry Pi: Early Successes of the Renegade Project
The article reports on community efforts to install the Windows 11 ARM64 preview on Android smartphones and Raspberry Pi devices, describing the Renegade Project, successful deployments on OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi 8, remaining limitations, and the required hardware and firmware modifications.
At the end of last month Microsoft released the Windows 11 preview, which users can install via the Windows Insider program. Although the preview is still rough and contains bugs such as broken global search and limited rollback options, enthusiasts have begun experimenting with unconventional installations.
Because Windows 11 plans to support Android apps, a Chinese development team created the Renegade Project (GitHub: https://github.com/edk2-porting/edk2-sdm845) to enable the ARM64 version of Windows 11 to run on smartphones using Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (and partially on Snapdragon 855) processors.
Early results show that Windows 11 has been successfully booted on devices like the OnePlus 6T and Xiaomi 8, although many phone functions—such as calling—are unavailable. The project required a custom UEFI environment for the Snapdragon chipset.
Microsoft also announced official support for ARM‑based tablets and laptops, but only Qualcomm Snapdragon devices are officially supported. Developers have therefore built their own drivers and tools to extend support to Android phones.
Beyond phones, developers have demonstrated Windows 11 running on Raspberry Pi 4 and the legacy Lumia 950 XL. On Raspberry Pi 4, the installation process mirrors that of Windows 10 and requires a device with at least 4 GB of RAM and a Windows 11 ARM64 image.
Running Windows 11 on these alternative platforms provides a full desktop experience with basic functionality such as Bluetooth and USB input, though many native phone features remain missing. The community continues to refine the ports, aiming for broader compatibility.
Microsoft replaced the classic blue screen with a black screen in Windows 11.
Running Windows 11 on a OnePlus 6T.
Running Windows 11 on a Xiaomi 8.
References: https://enter21st.com/devs-begin-bringing-windows-11-to-android-telephones-from-oneplus-xiaomi/ and https://www.windowslatest.com/2021/06/30/windows-11-is-already-running-on-raspberry-pi-4/.
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