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WSA can consume significant storage space as the VHDX file grows with app installations and data. This guide shows you how to install or move WSA to a different partition or drive with more available space.

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Prerequisites

Critical Requirements:
  • Target partition/disk MUST be formatted as NTFS
  • Both drives should ideally be SSDs for best performance
    • HDDs may work but can cause performance issues
  • At least 20GB free space on target drive (VHDX can grow large)
  • Basic knowledge of Command Prompt (CMD) usage

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Backup Your Data

If you want to preserve your apps and data, backup this file before uninstalling:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\userdata.vhdx
After reinstalling, copy the VHDX file back to the same location.

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Process Overview

The process involves three main steps:
  1. Remove existing WSA installation
  2. Install WSA from the desired partition
  3. Create a symbolic link to redirect AppData

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Step 1: Remove Previous WSA Installation

1

Stop WSA

Ensure Windows Subsystem for Android is not running:
  1. Open WSA Settings
  2. Click Turn off in the shutdown section
  3. Wait for WSA to completely stop
2

Uninstall WSA

  1. Search for Windows Subsystem For Android Settings in Windows Search
  2. Right-click and select Uninstall
Or use Add/Remove Programs:
  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
  2. Find Windows Subsystem for Android
  3. Click the three dots and select Uninstall
3

Delete Installation Folder

Delete the WSA folder where you extracted the build and ran Run.bat (usually named MagiskOnWSA or similar).
4

Remove AppData

  1. Press Win + R and type: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\
  2. Delete the folder named: 
    MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe
If you get an error that files can’t be deleted, ensure WSA is completely turned off.

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Step 2: Install WSA on Target Drive

1

Download WSA Build

Download the latest WSABuilds package according to your Windows version and CPU architecture from the Downloads page.
2

Extract to Target Drive

Extract the downloaded WSA build to your desired partition or drive.Example locations:
  • D:\WSA\
  • E:\Programs\WSA\
  • F:\Android\WSA\
3

Run Installation

  1. Navigate to the extracted folder
  2. Right-click Run.bat
  3. Select Run as administrator
  4. Wait for the installation to complete
See the Installation Guide for detailed instructions.

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Step 3: Move AppData to Target Drive

Even though WSA is installed on another drive, Windows still creates AppData (including the VHDX) on your C: drive by default. Use symbolic links to redirect this.
1

Copy AppData Folder

  1. Press Win + R and navigate to: 
    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\
  2. Copy the folder named: 
    MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe
  3. Paste it to your target drive (e.g., D:\WSA\AppData\)
  4. Important: After copying successfully, delete the original folder from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\
2

Create Symbolic Link

  1. Open Windows Terminal as Administrator
  2. Run the following command:
mklink /J "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe" "<Location_Of_Folder_In_Other_Drive>"
Replace <Location_Of_Folder_In_Other_Drive> with the full path where you copied the folder.Example:
mklink /J "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe" "D:\WSA\AppData\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe"
The /J flag creates a directory junction, which is a type of symbolic link that works well for this purpose.

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Step 4: Verify Everything Works

1

Launch WSA Settings

Open Windows Subsystem For Android Settings from the Start Menu.
If WSA Settings crashes, you may have made an error. Double-check:
  • The symbolic link path is correct
  • The folder was copied completely
  • You deleted the original folder before creating the link
2

Check Storage Location

  1. Navigate to your target drive location
  2. Go to the AppData folder you copied
  3. Check the LocalCache subfolder
  4. Verify userdata.vhdx is present and growing as you use WSA
3

Install a Test App

Install an app using your preferred sideloading method to confirm everything is working correctly.

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Understanding the Setup

After completing this guide, your WSA installation will be split across drives: 
D:\WSA\
├── Install\                    # WSA binaries and system files
│   ├── WsaClient.exe
│   ├── WsaService.exe
│   └── ...
└── AppData\                    # AppData redirected here
    └── MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe\
        ├── LocalCache\
        │   ├── userdata.vhdx   # Main storage file (grows with use)
        │   └── ...
        └── LocalState\
Windows applications will follow the symbolic link transparently, so WSA thinks its data is in the normal location.

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Storage Tips

The userdata.vhdx file grows as you install apps and store data. Monitor its size:
  1. Navigate to your target drive AppData location
  2. Go to LocalCache\ folder
  3. Right-click userdata.vhdx and check Properties
Consider keeping at least 10-15GB free space for growth.
To free up space within WSA:
  • Uninstall unused apps
  • Clear app caches
  • Delete downloaded files in Android
  • Empty Android trash/recycle bin
The VHDX file won’t automatically shrink but will stop growing.
You cannot run multiple WSA installations simultaneously, but you can:
  • Keep different builds in different folders
  • Switch between them by uninstalling and reinstalling
  • Swap VHDX files to switch between different data sets
Regular backups of userdata.vhdx are recommended:
  1. Turn off WSA completely
  2. Copy userdata.vhdx to a backup location
  3. Store with a date identifier (e.g., userdata_2024-01-15.vhdx)
Compress backups with 7-Zip or similar to save space (VHDX compresses well).

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Troubleshooting

  • Ensure WSA is completely stopped
  • Close any File Explorer windows showing WSA folders
  • Restart your computer and try again
  • Use Task Manager to end any remaining WSA processes
  • Verify target drive is not fragmented (defrag if HDD)
  • Check drive health using CrystalDiskInfo or similar
  • Consider moving back to SSD if using HDD
  • Ensure drive connection is not bottlenecked (USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0)
Start over carefully:
  1. Uninstall WSA again
  2. Delete the symbolic link: rmdir "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe"
  3. Delete target drive folders
  4. Follow the guide again step-by-step

Need Help?

Join the WSA Community Discord for assistance if you get stuck

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