How to open and install APK files on PC

Luckily we have the possibility to open and install APK files on our PC so that we can enjoy our favorite apps and games. In this way we can move away from that small screen to a larger one such as that of our PC or the same laptop that is not bad either.

Therefore we are going to teach some of the methods we have available to pull in many moments of our PC and thus enjoy those games on a larger screen. Oh, and it's not going to be as complicated as it could be. We go with several methods, so be careful.

BlueStacks

Is the best option we have to install or open apk files on pc currently due to its simplicity and ease which is to install it. It is a platform in itself that allows us to open and install APK files so that from it we always have access to those applications and video games.

Really what Bluestacks does is generate an Android install behind the scenes so that these apps and video games can be launched. It is as if we launched Android Studio, Google's app development platform, but in a beautiful and simple way without having to get into folders, and more.

How to open APK files on a PC

The best of all is that in this Android installation running in the background, It also adds the fact that it has the Play Store installed so that we can pull it and thus access all the apps and games that we have purchased. Of course, we can install APKs from this emulator as we will show you below.

In fact, we will have two tabs at the top that takes us to the apps and games center, and the second for what would be the games we have installed on our PCs. That is, we always have to access Bluestacks to launch them and thus be able to play Mario Kart Tour.

The best tool to install APK files on PC

And is this maybe the biggest advantage of Bluestacks, since it will prevent us from messing with APKs, so that we can even search for that downloaded APK and avoid having to go through other more cumbersome methods of doing it, such as Android Studio.

That said, it should be mentioned that starting an application on a PC means that we are facing a software that has not been optimized so much for these screens larger dimensions such as controllers or controls, such as a mouse.

Finally, and although Bluestack seems to give us an ideal experience, the fact that the apps are updated can lead to errors in this Android simulation environment, so pay attention to this because it can lead you down the street of bitterness.

You can opt to download it for free just like going through their subscription model.

How to install an APK with Bluestacks

We wanted to leave this part for a section itself, and that is Bluestacks also allows the installation of APKs that we have downloaded previously from sites like apkmirror (one of the most trusted and that we recommend when you want to access a specific APK).

This tool creates a virtual environment on your computer that resembles an Android device, allowing mobile apps and games to run as if they were launched on a real phone or tablet. It is surely the most intuitive and simple process on the list.

Use APKs from Bluestacks, step by step

BlueStacks is a popular and versatile tool that serves as a gateway for users who want to experience the world of mobile applications and games on their computer. That being said, the process is pretty simple:

We launched Bluestacks from our PC
Our we go to the "My apps" tab
From the corner at the window We look for the option «Install APK»
We look for the file hosted on our PC and install it.

Connecting to Windows with Your Microsoft and Samsung phone

Samsung with "Connect to Windows" and the invaluable help of Microsoft, has managed to launch the apps that we have installed on our mobile phone on our PC or laptop. That is, any APK that we manually install on our Samsung mobile can be started from the desktop of our PC.

We have already commented in various publications all the advantages of Connecting to Windows and the Microsoft Your Phone app. And the advantages are numerous, since we can receive phone calls or even quickly transfer files when our two devices are linked or even have a clipboard to copy and paste applications from one place to another.

We actually have on our video channel Androidsis a tutorial what does it teach you how to open the apps you have on your mobile from your PC. And best of all, in the latest update of the Your Windows Phone app, you can even open several apps at the same time and even pin it to the Windows taskbar.

How to connect, step by step, your Samsung device to the PC with "Connection to Windows"

We are really facing one of the best options, although not really before one that we can open APKs from Windows, but we have to go to our mobile phone, download the apk and install it to start it later from the computer or laptop.

If we look for simplicity and we have a Samsung mobile as well as a Windows PC, we can install and open those APKs. Having said that, we will really do a full-fledged mirroring, or what would be a mobile screen streaming, although with a format that gives the appearance that we are managing with the app on our PC or laptop.

Let's see how to do it.

On your Samsung device, Open the “Settings” app.
Find and select the “Advanced Features” option. Once there Tap on “Connection to Windows”.
Activate the “Connection to Windows” option and Open the “Your Phone” app from Windows.
Follow the on-screen instructions until you are prompted for a security code to place on both devices.
Make sure the codes match and once ready, click “Connect”.

Install APK Files on PC with Android Studio

We are going to go to the most complicated method of all, and It is exactly what a developer who wants to create or modify the app would use that you created with Android Studio. The interesting thing about Android Studio is that it simulates or emulates virtual devices with any version of Android. It is that we can even launch an old version to be able to launch that APK of an app that has been supported, so in itself it is a more complete experience.

Step by step to install APK files on PC with Android Studio

These would be the most basic steps:

From the computer we are going to install Android Studio to the google web.
We install Android Studio on the PC.
We start a virtual device to emulate.
El APK that we have downloaded we take it to the Tools folder in the Android Studio SDK directory.
We would go to the folder where the APK is and we start this command with administrator rights with the Windows command: «“adb install filename.apk”.
Where filename.apk would be the name of the apk that we want to add to the virtual device list.

El The greatest handicap of this operation is that it is missing some important points like Google Play Services, so unless it is a very simple app, as we are looking to launch an APK of a very popular application, it will be difficult for us to imitate the experience.

Android Studio is really made for those who want to test their apps before publishing the final versions to the Play Store, but as a way to test an APK, of course we can.

Launch APK files on a PC with Chrome

And now you will wonder If there is any way not to pull a android emulator like those mentioned in order to start APK files. Yes there is and it is through the Chrome browser with an extension that will allow us to perform this action.

This tool is created by software developers for the Android operating system. So it allows us through Chrome to emulate APKs even in other operating systems such as MacOS as long as we have the same browser installed.

How to install, step by step, APKs in Chrome with APKCombo Downloader

For be able to launch APK files in Chrome we have to check the following steps:

Install the browser Chrome and go to APKCombo Downloader.
We added APKCombo Downloader to Chrome.
Download the APK what we want on our computer or laptop from Google Play. You will see that a new icon top right In your Chrome browser, click there to download.
We choose the tablet or mobile model in which we want to launch the app.
We previously click on the test button to check that the app is working well.
Click on «Launch app» and ready.

Now we can start the APK on our PC and thus enjoy or test that app on our computer. Now we only have to choose which of the methods shown may interest you the most. We openly recommend Bluestacks because we simply have to download, install and log into our Google account to proceed to the installation of an APK from the integrated Play Store or an APK through the said method.