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Update Without Losing Data

WSABuilds can be updated in-place while preserving all your installed Android apps and their data.
Before updating:
  • Make sure WSA has been turned off from the settings
  • Close tools such as WSA-System-Control, WSA-Sideloader, WSAPacman, etc.
  • Wait for the WSA Settings spinning loader to completely disappear

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Update Steps

1

Download the latest build

Go to the WSABuilds releases page and download the version you want to update to.
2

Turn off WSA

  1. Open Windows Subsystem For Android Settings
  2. Click “Turn off”
  3. Wait for the spinning loader to disappear completely
  4. Ensure WSA is fully shut down before proceeding
3

Open the archive

Using 7-Zip, WinRAR, or any archive tool, open the .7z file you downloaded.Do not extract yet - just open the archive to browse its contents.
4

Navigate to the WSA subfolder

Within the .7z archive, open the subfolder that contains the WSA files.Example folder names:
  • WSA_2xxx.xxxxx.xx.x_xx
  • WSA_2xxx.xxxxx.xx.x_xx_Release-Nightly-with-magisk-xxxxxxx-MindTheGapps-xx.x-RemovedAmazon
5

Extract and replace files

  1. Select all files within the subfolder
  2. Extract them to your current WSA installation folder (where you originally installed WSA)
  3. When prompted to replace folders:
    • Select “Do this for all current items”
    • Click “Yes”
  4. When prompted to replace files:
    • Click “Replace the files in the destination”
6

Run the installer

Navigate to your WSA folder and run Run.bat.The script will update your installation while preserving all user data.
7

Verify the update

  1. Launch Windows Subsystem For Android Settings
  2. Go to the About tab using the sidebar
  3. Check if the WSA version matches the version you installed

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Update Process Explained

When you run Run.bat on an existing installation:
  1. The installer detects your previous MagiskOnWSA installation
  2. It automatically uninstalls the old version
  3. All user data is preserved (apps, settings, files)
  4. The new version is installed with your data intact
  5. Your Android apps and their data remain untouched
The update process uses the -PreserveApplicationData flag when removing the old package, ensuring your apps and data are not deleted.

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What Gets Updated

  • Android system version
  • WSA subsystem version
  • Magisk version (if applicable)
  • Google Play Services / MindTheGapps
  • Kernel and system libraries

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What Stays the Same

  • All installed Android apps
  • App data and settings
  • Login sessions (Google account, app accounts)
  • Downloaded files
  • Magisk modules (usually compatible)

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Troubleshooting Update Issues

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Update fails with “WSA is running”

  1. Open WSA Settings and click “Turn off”
  2. Wait 30 seconds
  3. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
  4. End any processes named:
    • WsaClient.exe
    • vmmem
    • vmmemWSA
  5. Try the update again

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Files won’t replace

Ensure WSA is completely shut down. If files are locked:
  1. Restart your PC
  2. Do not launch WSA
  3. Immediately run the update process

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Version number doesn’t match

If the version in WSA Settings doesn’t match what you installed:
  1. Verify you extracted files to the correct folder
  2. Check that Run.bat ran without errors
  3. Try running Install.ps1 manually as administrator: 
    PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Install.ps1

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Apps disappeared after update

This should not happen with the standard update process. If it does:
  1. Check if your userdata.vhdx file still exists: 
    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\userdata.vhdx
  2. If the file exists but apps are gone, you may need to restore from backup
  3. See the Backup and Restore guide

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Downgrading

To downgrade to an older version:
Backup your data first! Downgrading may cause compatibility issues.
  1. Backup your userdata
  2. Uninstall WSA
  3. Install the older version
  4. Restore your backup if needed

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Best Practices

Before major updates:
  • Create a backup of userdata.vhdx
  • Note your installed Magisk modules
  • Take screenshots of important app data
  • Check WSABuilds GitHub issues for known problems with the new version
After updating:
  • Verify all critical apps still work
  • Check Magisk modules are still active
  • Test root access if you use it
  • Report any issues to WSABuilds GitHub

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Update Frequency

WSABuilds releases updates regularly:
  • Stable builds: Monthly or when major Android/WSA updates are available
  • Nightly builds: More frequent, may be less stable
  • Security updates: As needed for critical vulnerabilities
Join the WSABuilds Discord to get notified about new releases and discuss update issues.

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Next Steps

Backup Your Data

Create safety backups before major updates

Troubleshooting

Fix common update problems

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