How to install android app from app file

How To Install Android Apps Using The APK File

Plus, we go over some of the risks

Google Play Store isn’t the only source of apps for Android devices. There are many sites that host Android apps as well. You can download apps as special APK files from these sites and install them on your phone. To install these, you’ll need to configure your phone since these are unofficial Android apps.

If you’re new to APKs and you aren’t sure how to install Android apps with these APK files, our guide here will help you out.

What Is An APK File?

APK stands for Android Package Kit and it’s a file consisting of all resources and codes that the app needs to install.

For example, if you download the APK for YouTube, the APK contains YouTube’s resources like banners, logos, and other content. The APK also contains the code that instructs the app what to do when you press a certain option.

In a nutshell, an APK is an app installer for Android devices. You tap an APK file and it installs the app on your phone.

Why Use An APK To Install An App On Android?

There are various reasons you may want to use an APK to install apps.

A common reason is that the app you’re looking for isn’t present on the Google Play Store. You can download the APK for that app from the developer’s site and use the app on your phone.

Other reasons include the Google Play Store restricting certain apps in your region. An APK helps overcome that limitation.

What Are The Risks Of Installing An APK From Outside The Store?

Using an APK to install Android apps comes with risks. One major risk is that you aren’t sure what the app will do on your phone. It could be a malicious app that can steal your data, for example.

Since these apps don’t go through the Google Play Store quality and security checks, these apps can have any code, and they can do anything to your phone.

However, most apps are safe to use. As long as you trust the website or the developer you’re getting the APK from, you should be fine.

How To Enable APK Installation On Your Android Device

On almost all Android phones, the option to install unofficial apps (APKs) comes disabled by default. You need to turn on this option to install APKs.

1. Launch the Settings app on your phone.
2. Scroll down and tap the About phone option.

1. Tap Build number for about 7-8 times to enable developer options.

1. Get back to the main settings screen, tap Developer options, and enable Unknown sources.
2. If you don’t find the Developer options menu, look for options like Security or Lock screen and security. This option varies by device but you should find it.

How To Enable App-Specific APK Installation On Android

Some Android phones have a feature where you can only enable APK installations from specific sources. On these phones, you need to turn on the APK installation option for each app that you’ll be using to download APKs.

For example, if you’ll use Chrome to download and install APKs, you need to enable the APK installation option for Chrome.

1. Open the Settings app and tap Apps & notifications.

1. Scroll down and tap the last option that says Special app access.

1. Select Install unknown apps on the following screen.

1. Choose the app you’ll use to install APKs. In most cases, it’ll be either your browser or file manager.
2. Enable the Allow from this source option.

How To Install An Android App Using An APK

Installing an application using an APK file is the easiest part. If you haven’t already downloaded the APK for your app, download it now or browse some of the popular and safe APK download sites to get your APK.

You then have two ways to install your app using the downloaded APK.

Using Android Debug Bridge (ADB)

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) helps you to remotely execute commands on your phone from your computer. If your APK file is saved to your computer, you can use a command in ADB to push the APK to your device and install the app.

We have a comprehensive guide on how to install Android apps using ADB. Check that out and you’ll learn the entire procedure.

Using Your Android Phone

If you’ve already transferred the APK file directly to your phone, you can either use your browser or the file manager app to install the APK file.

1. Launch either your browser or file manager and tap the APK file.
2. You’ll see a prompt asking if you want to install the app. Tap Install at the bottom.

1. You’ll see the live installation progress on your screen.

1. When the app’s installed, tap Done to close the current screen or tap Open to launch the newly installed app.

How To Install Updates For APK Apps On Android

The Google Play Store only lets you update the apps that you’ve downloaded from the store. To update your apps that you’ve installed using APKs, you have two methods.

Manually Find & Install Updates

One way to update your APK apps is to download the newer APK file and install them. This’ll overwrite your existing app but will preserve your data in those apps.

You can find newer versions of your APK apps on some APK download sites or the official website for the app.

Use An App To Update Your Apps

You can use a free app like APKUpdater to update your downloaded apps just like the official Google Play Store method. This app scans your device for all installed apps, finds updates for those apps, and offers to install the updates.

APKUpdater uses multiple sources to find the latest versions of your installed apps. It also sends a notification when an update is found for your apps.

What To Do With The APK After Installing The App

Once you’ve installed an app using the downloaded APK file, you no longer need the APK file.

You can safely delete the APK from your phone using a file manager to remove clutter and free-up your memory space.

There are various reasons apps aren’t published to the official Google Play Store. However, with the ability to install Android apps using APKs, you can install any app on your phone, regardless. You can even test apps you’ve developed yourself using this feature.

Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm. Read Mahesh’s Full Bio

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How to Install APK Files on Android [also for Android O]

Android app package file (.apk) is a file format used to install Apps and Games on Android and other operating systems that allow for side loading of Android apps, like the BlackBerry Z10. APK files are similar in nature to MSI packages on Windows and Deb packages on Debian-based operating systems like Ubuntu.

Almost all Android devices support side loading of Apps from .apk app package files. However, for security reasons installation of apps from unknown sources is kept disabled by default on Android. Also, from Android 4.0 onwards, Google does verify apps that you side load from .apk packages on your Android device for malwares and related threats, and thereby restrict installation of apps that may cause harm.

Anyway, Unknown Sources option hasn’t been kept hidden, thereby making it easy to let users install .apk files on their Android devices. You can enable the installation of .apk files from unknown sources from the settings page on your device, let’s have a look.

icon-cogs HOW TO INSTALL APK FILES ON ANDROID

STEP 1: Enable App Installation from Unknown Sources

Android 2.3 (and below) versions

Go to Settings » Application » check ‘Unknown sources’ box

Android 4.0 (and above) versions

Go to Settings » Security » check ‘Unknown sources’ box.

Once you’ve enabled installation of .apk files from unknown sources, you can click/open a .apk file on your Android device and install it.

STEP 2: Install APK file using an APK Installer app OR a File Manager

To install a .apk file you must first transfer the file to your device’s internal or external sd card. You can then either use a file manager on your device to access the file OR you can use an app from the Play store that’ll list all the .apk files present on your device making it easier for you to manage and select files.

icon-list-ol Installing .apk files using an APK installer app

1. Transfer the .apk files to your device’s internal or external storage.
2. Download and install the ‘Easy Installer – Apps On SD‘ app from play store to your device → Play store link.
3. Open the app and let it scan for all the .apk files present on your device.
4. Once the scanning finishes, select the app you want to install and then tap the ‘Install’ button at the bottom.
5. Now on the installation screen select Install to begin installation of the app.
   └ In case you see ‘Next’ instead of ‘Install‘ then click through Next and you’ll then get the ‘Install‘ button.

TIP: The Easy Installer app also lets you select multiple apps at once. It gives you the option install apps one after another without breaks — as soon as installation of one app completes, installation screen for the next app will show up and so on until the last app selected is installed.

icon-list-ol Installing .apk files using a File Manager app

1. Transfer the .apk files to your device’s internal or external storage.
2. Download a file manager app from the play store (if you don’t have one). We recommend using the ES File Explorer app → Play store link.
3. Now, using a File manager app, open the folder where you downloaded or transferred the APK file on your device.
   └ If you downloaded an APK file directly on your device, it should be in the Download folder.
4. Select the APK file you want to install.
5. Select Install to begin installation of the app.
   └ In case you see ‘Next’ instead of ‘Install‘ then click through Next and you’ll then get the ‘Install‘ button.

With the release of Android O, the process has changed a bit. If you are on Android O, there is actually no such things as ‘Install form other sources’, as you have to manually enable each app using which you are looking to initiate the install procedure.

For Android O users, we have created a separate guide to install apps using their APK file.

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How to Install APK on Android

Have an Android app not on Google Play? Install it from its APK

What to Know

• Allow Chrome to install unknown apps by going to Settings >Apps >Menu >Special access >Install unknown apps.
• Install a file manager (such as Cx File Explorer or File Manager) so that you can find the APK file after you download it to your phone.
• Download an APK file and open it to install it. Alternatively, transfer the APK Installer from your computer using USB.

If you want to use an app from outside of the Google Play Store, you can install the app’s APK file. This article explains how to install APKs on Android 7 or later.

Allow Unknown Apps on Android

Before you can download APK files using Chrome or any other browser, you must first allow unknown apps:

Go to your device settings and tap Apps & Notifications (or Apps in older versions of Android).

Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner.

Tap Special access.

Tap Install unknown apps.

Tap Chrome (or whichever web browser you use)

Move Allow from this source to the On position.

Install an Android File Manager

Now that you’ve configured your phone to let you install unknown apps, you’ll need a way to find the application file (APK file) on your phone so that you can run it.

Android phones typically come with a file manager app you can use, but if you don’t have one, search for one on Google Play. Some of the best options include Cx File Explorer and File Manager.

Download the APK Installer From Your Android

The easiest way to install an APK file on your Android is to download the file using the default browser, Chrome.

Find a website offering the Android app and tap the link to download the APK file. Accept any pop-ups, including “This type of file can harm your device.”

Only download APK files from reputable sources. A quick Google search can often let you know if an app (or company that makes the app) has a questionable reputation.

If your phone’s web browser doesn’t give you the option to open the file after downloading, open your file explorer app, go to the Downloads folder on your device, then tap the APK file.

Allow the app any required permissions it asks for. Then, at the bottom of the installer window, tap Install.

Now you’ll see the app available in your list of installed apps.

Transfer the APK Installer via USB

If you don’t have internet access on your phone, or for any other reason you can’t use a browser to download the file, you can still install apps from your computer. Using your computer web browser, download the APK file just like described above. Once it’s downloaded, connect to your Android phone and transfer the file.

If you’ve never connected your Android to your computer, enable USB Debugging. You can then plug your phone into your computer with a USB cable, and it’ll mount the phone like it would a memory stick.

Once your phone is connected to your computer, it shows up as another drive in your computer’s File Explorer. Move the APK file you downloaded from the app website to the /sdcard/download folder on your phone.

Once the file is transferred, use the file explorer app on your phone as described in the previous section to tap the APK file and install the app.

If you don’t have a USB cable, another solution is to install WiFi FTP Server from Google Play. Then, use an FTP client on your computer (like FileZilla) to transfer the APK file from your computer to the /sdcard/download folder on your phone. However, this is an advanced option and requires an understanding of how to use FTP files.

Advanced: Run APK Installer With Minimal ADB and Fastboot

If the APK installer isn’t running when you tap it, there’s an advanced solution that might work. You can install the APK file on your Android from your computer using a tool called Minimal ADB and Fastboot.

Connect your phone via USB and enable USB Debugging.

Download and install the latest version of Minimal ADB and Fastboot on your computer.

Run the tool, and a command window opens. With your phone connected to your computer with the USB cable, type the command adb devices.

If the tool detects your phone, an ID for the device appears under List of devices attached. Now you’re ready to transfer the APK file.

Using Windows File Explorer, find the downloaded APK file on your computer.

Right-click the file and select Copy.

Using Windows File Explorer, navigate to the Minimal ADB and Fasbtoot folder (typically c:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot\).

Paste the APK file into that folder.

Rename the APK file to something short so that it’s easy to type as a command.

Back in the same command window you had open before, type the command adb install app name (replace with the name of your APK file).

When you see the word Success, the app is installed on your phone.

What Is an APK?

An APK (Android Package Kit) is a type of file that installs an application for Android. It’s just like an executable (EXE) file for Windows or a package installer (PKG) for Mac.

If you’ve ever installed an Android application from the Google Play store, then you’ve used an APK file without realizing it. When you tap the Install button, Google Play automates the process of transferring the APK file to your phone and running it for you.

Why Use an APK?

If the Android app you want to install isn’t available on Google Play, you can download the APK file from the web and install it manually.

Finding APK Installers

There are many websites where you can find non-Google Play apps to install. Three of the most popular are APK Pure, Reddit’s APK Directory, and APK Mirror.

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