Running API Level 24+ on VS Emulator for Android (Hyper-V)

Question

I have been using the Visual Studio Emulator for Android to test my Xamarin apps and I am very impressed with the performance of Hyper-V over HAXM. However I can't seem to find any options for emulating anything past 6.0 API Level 23:

Is there any way to download additional system images for API levels greater than 23?

Answer 1

According to this and corroborated here, there will be no support for levels above 23 and they recommend that use the improved emulator that comes with the Android SDK. Here's the quote:

From Microsoft:

Hello,

This is an automated message. Unfortunately, we have no plans to publish Android images past 4.4. We recommend that you try Google or GenyMotion’s emulator for future images of the Android operating system.

When we first released the Visual Studio Android emulator, the Google emulator was slow, out-of-date, and a significant source of pain for mobile developers. In addition to the great work performed by GenyMotion, the Visual Studio Android Emulator proved that emulators can be fast, productive tools for mobile development.

Since then, Google has responded to developer feedback by increasing their investment in their tools. The next generation Google Android Emulator has closed the feature gap that previously differentiated Visual Studio’s emulator. Google’s emulator has become much faster and more feature rich.

We also know that, for mobile developers, authenticity is key. We believe that Google, as the platform owner, is best positioned to provide ongoing support for new versions of the platform in a way that accurately and authentically reflects the real-world behavior on devices.

For developers like you who’ve come to love and depend on the VS Android Emulator, thank you! We will continue to support in-market platform images according to Visual Studio’s generous support policy. However, Microsoft will no longer produce new Android images for the VS Android Emulator. We consider this a successful project that has come to a natural conclusion.

Happy coding!