You can open an Android application on your Android phone by downloading it as you would any other file and opening it when prompted. APK files downloaded from outside of the Google Play Store may not be installed immediately due to a security measure.
HOW TO OPEN AN APK FILE ON ANDROID
- APK files are usually downloaded directly from Android devices and are in ZIP format. You’ll need a emulator to open them.
- APK files are used for distributing apps using Google’s Android OS.
- APK files can be downloaded in ZIP format directly from Google Play or other websites.
- A typical APK includes an AndroidManifest.xml file, classes.dex file, resources.arsc, META-INF folder, and res.
- APK files are compatible with a variety of operating systems. However, they’re primarily used on Android devices.
Navigate to the menus below depending on your Android Version:
- Select Settings > Apps, then select Special Access > Unknown apps.
- Setting > Apps and notifications > Advanced > Special access to apps > Install unknown applications
- Setting > Apps & Notifications
- Setting > Security
It may be necessary to grant a particular app permission to download unofficial APKs. For example, you could need to toggle Allow from this Source after selecting Chrome. If you see this option, select Install Unknown Sources or Unknown Apps.
If you can’t find the file, use a file manager such as Astro File Manager or ES File Explorer File Manager to search for it.
HOW TO OPEN AN APK FILE ON WINDOWS
An Android emulator can be used to open APK files on Windows PCs. BlueStacks is one of our suggestions from the list of best Android emulators available for Windows. Other methods can be found in How to Get Android Apps on Windows 11.
Android Studio is used to create these apps. However, you can’t use it to play Android games or to test out new apps on your computer. It’s compatible with Windows and macOS.
HOW TO OPEN AN APK FILE ON A MAC
BlueStacks is also available for Mac. For more information, see How to use BlueStacks on Mac. Nox is also an option.
HOW TO OPEN AN APK FILE ON IOS
APK files are not compatible with iPhones or iPads because they’re built differently. The two platforms also don’t work together. iOS apps are saved in a format called IPA.
HOW TO EXTRACT APK FILES
A file extractor can be used to open APK files on desktop systems. Try one of our Best Free Zip & Unzip Programs. APK files are archives that contain multiple files and folders. You can unzip these files with programs like PeaZip or 7-Zip in order to view the components of the app.
This will not allow you to use the app directly on your computer. This requires an emulator, such as BlueStacks, which runs Android OS on your computer.
HOW TO CONVERT AN APK FILE
APK files are not compatible with most file conversion programs or services. APK files are applications that can only be run on certain devices, as opposed to other file types such as MP4s and PDFs which work on many platforms.
If you would like to convert an APK to ZIP instead, follow the above instructions. You can either open the file with a file extractor and then repackage as ZIP or simply rename it to.ZIP.
This is not a true conversion. This only works with APK files, because they already use ZIP. It’s simply adding a new file extension (.APK).
You can’t use an Android app on Windows if you want to convert APK files to IPA.
You can usually find an iOS equivalent to the Android app you wish to install on your iPhone or iPad. The same app is available for both Android and iOS.
Install the Windows APK Opener from the list above, and use that to open your Android app. It doesn’t have to be in EXE format to work.
FAQ
Can APK files harm my device?
Unfortunately, APK files sometimes cause harm to devices. It’s because APK files can contain malware. Therefore, it is recommended that you run them through an online virus scan before installing (an Android antivirus application is also a good idea). Download only from trusted sites to reduce the risk of your device being infected by a malicious program.
Are APK files legal?
Downloading APK files to install apps outside of the Google Play Store is perfectly legal. APK files are just like EXE and ZIP. Google created the format, but anyone is able to create and use APKs.
How can I locate APK files on an Android device?
Use an Android file manager search to locate APK files. Many mobile devices have a built-in file manager. However, there are many other options available in the Google Play Store.