If you have heard of the term APK but have no idea what it means, then you will find this article to be illuminating. An APK is an abbreviation for the term Application Package File so while it may sound daunting, it isn’t! These are files with an extension of .apk and they have been made to work with the Android operating system.
What can we use APK files for?
Android APK files are quite useful in the sense that while they are entire programs, these are compressed to form lighter files. Think of them as you would think of a zip file! They are usually best associated with working on your smartphone and your tablet devices! However, that leads us to this review’s topic! We are going to tell you how to open APK files on PC!
Should we install APK files on Windows?
So, the question then arises, is it safe to open APK files on your computer or Windows when they are not designed for this format? Another issue that can arise is the fact that every APK might not even be an official Google or Android software. Therefore, there is a risk attached if it is a 3rd party APK file.
However, if you have a basic understanding of what a normal APK looks like, then you won’t have much trouble since not all of them are potentially dangerous. They are many times quite useful since developers use them to store beta versions in an easier attempt to get feedback from users.
How to Open Apk Files on PC!
If you have BlueStacks on your PC, it will make it much easier to open an APK file on your Windows. The advantage of BlueStacks is that it can enable many APK files to run at the same time. So, it is quite simple to switch between them one after the other.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Your first step will be to launch the BlueStacks.
- Then go to Google Play so that the Play Store is accessed.
- Simply search for the particular Android app you want to install and click on the app for its details.
- You will then select the option that reads Install so it can be downloaded on your PC.
- You will see various app icons. You can choose the installed APK app you want to run.
- You will see BlueStacks makes it easier as each app will open in a new window.
In case you wanted to know how to open an APK file on Android as well, here you go!
You might be wondering why there needs to be a specific method to do this since APK files are essentially just Android files, right? Well, in reality, while it is quite simple to download an APK file on your Android device, opening it is quite another story! Confused? There is no reason to be since we have the answer for you!
As we mentioned the downloading aspect is the same as any file but when you try to open it, the APK file might not install. This is primarily because if you are not using the Google Play store to download the files, they will not install as they pose a security risk to your device.
However, this can be fixed to install APK files from unknown sources. All you have to do is go to Settings, Apps, and notifications and go to Advanced. Then click on Special app access and Allow it to Install unknown apps.
Just so you have options, we are going to end this list by adding 2 more methods to open Android and APK files on Windows!
Samsung link feature
While BlueStacks is an exceptional method, who doesn’t like more methods to open APK files on their PC? So, those users, also have the option to utilize Samsung’s Windows link feature. Bear in mind that this feature is only available on the latest phones and models.
However, if you do engage with this, it provides support for Your Phone Windows 10 client. What this essentially means is that it allows you to get easy accessibility to all your smartphone applications, photos, and messages and more simply via creating a link with screen mirroring. While you will be able to access this information keep in mind that your apps will not be on your PC but will be mirrored from the phone.
- The first step in this is to download the Your Phone app on your Windows PC.
- Next, you can open it using the Link to Windows client via your Samsung device.
- You will find this in the quick settings under the option for Advanced Features.
- Using your phone, you will have to scan a QR code on your computer. Then, you will be asked to sign in to your Microsoft account and you are in!
Google Android Emulator
Another method to open APK files on a PC is to utilize the Android emulator which is a Google Android Studio service. This is achieved by the emulator as it establishes virtual devices no matter what version of Android you might be using. However, the only real letdown is that this is a little trickier to set up than other methods.
This has been our detailed review on how to open the APK files on PC and we have discussed that although it might be different, the process of opening APK files is not that hard! As long as you are aware of what kind of device and file format you are opening them on, it should be a breeze!
With that, we end our review with all the tips and tricks on how to open APK files on Windows and we hope that our readers leave this space with a better understanding of all things APK!
Leave a Comment