How To Open Apk Files On Windows

How to Run Android Apps on Your Windows PC

This site may earn chapter commissions from the links on this folio. Terms of utilize.

Android's application ecosystem has proven to exist versatile and developer-friendly after a bit of a slow start. You are complimentary to develop an app for Android and publish it to the Play Store with Google's restrictions, or you can distribute information technology yourself outside the Play Store. This has led to a plethora of cool Android apps, some of which aren't bachelor on iOS or other platforms. Even in this historic period of giant phones, you might occasionally want to use those apps on a bigger screen, similar the one continued to your Windows PC. Fortunately, with a little leg work, you lot can run Android apps on a PC. There are a few dissimilar ways to become about information technology, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Android Studio

One popular way to get Android apps running on a PC is to become through the Android emulator released by Google every bit part of the official Android Studio. The emulator can be used to create virtual devices running whatever version of Android y'all want with dissimilar resolutions and hardware configurations. The first downside of this process is the somewhat complicated setup process.

Android Studio

You lot'll need to grab the installer from Google's site and run through the setup process to download the platforms yous want — probably whatever the almost recent version of Android happens to be at the time (7.1 at the fourth dimension of publishing). Google has some pre-configured emulation options available in the carte for Nexus/Pixel devices, but yous can set the parameters manually, too. In one case you've booted your virtual device, y'all'll need to go apps installed, but the emulator is the bone stock open source version of Android — no Google apps included.

Since there's no Play Store, yous need to do some file management. Take the APK you desire to install (be it Google's app parcel or something else) and drop the file into thetools binder in your SDK directory. And then use the command prompt while your AVD is running to enter (in that directory) adb install filename.apk. The app should exist added to the app listing of your virtual device.

The big upside here is that the emulator is unmodified Android correct from the source. The fashion apps return in the emulator will exist the same equally they render on devices, and about everything should run. It's great for testing app builds before loading them onto test devices. The biggest trouble is that the emulator is sluggish enough that y'all won't want to make a habit of running apps in it. Games are out of the question as well.

BlueStacks

If you're looking to get multiple apps and games up and running on your computer with the minimum of effort, BlueStacks is your friend. BlueStacks presents itself as just a way to become apps working, only it actually runs a full (heavily modified) version of Android backside the scenes. Not only that, just information technology has the Play Store built-in, so you accept instant access to all of your purchased content. It actually adds an entry to your Google Play device list, masquerading as an Android telephone.

The BlueStacks client volition load up in a desktop window with unlike app categories like games, social, and so on. Clicking on an app or searching does something unexpected — it brings up the full Play Store client equally rendered on tablets. Yous tin can really navigate around in this interface just as y'all would on a real Android device, which makes it articulate there's a lot more to BlueStacks than the "App Actor" forepart stop. The chief screen in BlueStacks with the app categories is just a custom home screen, so replacing it makes BlueStacks feel almost similar a regular Android device.

Having total Play Store access means you won't be messing effectually with sideloading apps, and BlueStacks manages to run apps pretty well (and better if you have a CPU that supports hardware virtualization). Most games are playable, but keep in mind you'll have trouble operating many of them with a mouse. If your PC has a touch screen, you can yet use apps and games that rely on more than i touch input. BlueStacks tin can essentially brand a Windows tablet PC into a function-time Android tablet.

The biggest issue with BlueStacks is that it'south not running a standard Android build. All the alterations the visitor made to get apps working on a PC tin cause issues — some apps fail to run or crash unexpectedly. This customized environs is as well of little value as a evolution tool because there's no guarantee things will return the same on BlueStacks as they might on a real Android device without all the back-end modifications. It's too a freemium service with a $2 pro subscription, or you can install a few sponsored apps.

Link to Windows

Some Android phones (more often than not Samsung devices) have enhanced support for Microsoft'south Your Phone Windows customer, offer access to your messages, notifications, photos, and yes, apps. The apps aren't technically running on the PC — they're mirrored from your telephone. Notwithstanding, this system is very fleshed out and officially supported. Everything else nosotros've talked about is a bit of a hack or non for regular users, but you tin be up and running with Link to Windows in a few minutes.

You will need a phone that works with the latest Your Phone features. That includes the Samsung Galaxy S9 and newer, likewise equally the Microsoft Surface Duo. The characteristic will expand to more phones in the future, though.

First, make sure you've got the Your Phone app on your Windows PC. Next, launch the Link to Windows client on your Samsung phone — information technology should exist accessible under Advanced Features and from the quick settings. You'll have to scan a QR code on your computer with the telephone and sign into your Microsoft account. And that'due south information technology.

Your app list appears in the Your Phone app, and you can launch whatever of them. Your phone doesn't need to be plugged in, but Wi-Fi is recommended. Supported devices running Android 11 can run multiple apps side-past-side on Windows, but be enlightened that less powerful phones will exist sluggish with more than than ane simultaneous app.

Then What'southward the Best Way?

If you demand to test something with the intention of putting it on other Android devices, the emulator is still the best mode. This is all-time suited to developers as the configuration and direction of apps is complicated. It'southward deadening, but you'll be able to see how things will work on the real deal. If you're interested in getting more than a handful of apps running on your PC so you tin can actually utilize and enjoy them, BlueStacks App Histrion is the best solution for most people. It's easy, has Play Shop access, and works on multitouch Windows devices.

If you happen to have a phone compatible with Microsoft's latest Your Telephone features, that's past far the easiest mode to get Android apps on your PC. Many of these phones are expensive, so it's not worth buying ane merely for this single use case. However, if y'all're due for an upgrade and running Android apps on a PC is on your list of priorities, this might influence your decision. I still don't call back you should buy the Surface Duo, though.

Now read: