Before Microsoft shipped the Surface Duo with Android, it was supposed to run a custom version of Windows called Andromeda OS, designed specifically for dual-screen devices. This plan was quietly scrapped years ago.
Now, thanks to a leaked build and serious developer efforts, you can finally see what Microsoft has been working on and even try it out for yourself.
For the uninitiated, Andromeda OS was a Windows 10-based platform that looked and felt a lot like Windows Phone, complete with live tiles and a Start menu that spanned two displays.
Microsoft originally envisioned it as the software foundation for early dual-screen hardware, including the first Surface Duo. But in 2018, the company canceled the project and instead switched to Android to avoid rebuilding a mobile app ecosystem.
How Andromeda OS found its way to the Surface Duo
As Windows Central reports, the canceled software remained hidden until a leaked, unfinished build surfaced online. Developer Gustave Monce took this build and successfully ported it to the original Surface Duo. He also mentioned that the port is not working on Surface Duo 2 due to lack of driver support.
If you want to try it out, you can download the Andromeda OS build as an FFU file and follow the flashing instructions available on Monces GitHub. However, consider this a warning that the process will erase your Android data and the setup is not suitable for beginners.
Once installed, the device can technically run both Android and Windows and share internal storage. However, a PC is required to start Windows. The available version is unstable and obviously incomplete, but it offers a rare glimpse into Microsoft’s abandoned mobile vision. It was probably Microsoft’s last serious attempt to reimagine Windows on mobile devices, and now for the first time you can see what could have been.
In its current state, the build is unstable and unfinished, but offers a rare glimpse into Microsoft’s abandoned mobile vision. Andromeda OS appears to be the company’s last serious attempt to reimagine Windows on phones, and a reminder of how different the Surface Duo could have been.
For anyone wondering what a modern Windows Phone might look like, here are some mockup designs that show how Microsoft’s mobile past and speculative designs continue to capture the imagination.
