Open files APK on a pc His days are numbered. Since the launch of the Google Play Store in 2008, applications available on the Google App Store have always been available on APK format, a format that as of August 2021, will be renamed AAB, so it is a matter of time, that the applications in this format are no longer available as they are today.
Until all applications are in this format, there are still a few years to go, a format designed to reduce the size of applications and that, due to its operation, reduce high piracy rates which has traditionally always been associated with the Android ecosystem.
What is an APK file
APK stands for Android Package Kit although it is also called Android Application Package. It is the file format that Android uses to distribute and install applications. APKs contain all the elements an application needs to be properly installed on a device.
An APK is a ZIP file, format used by all developers to distribute applications in all ecosystems. In general, compressed files (such as zip, rar, jar ...) are used to combine several files into one, in order to make them more portable or compress them to save space.
Files in APK format are a variant of the JAR (Java) file format, as this operating system is programmed in Java. All APKs are ZIP files at their core, but they must contain additional information to function properly as an APK.
Are APK files safe?
As long as Download the APK files from the Google Play Store, you can be sure that the files do not contain malicious files, since Google's application review department is in charge of analyzing them, although sometimes they can sneak some other application with malicious purposes.
If we choose to download APK files from sources other than the Google store, we run the risk that the application contains some type of malicious software programmed to record our activity on the smartphone.
That does not mean that all the APKs that are not available in the Play Store contain malicious codeThey simply cannot be available in the Google app store because they do not meet all the guidelines required by the search giant.
An example of an application that is not available in the Play Store and that it is completely safe is the Epic Games installer, an application with which we can install Fortnite on our device. Google kicked out this app of your store when it included its own payment gateway, thus skipping the one established by Google.
If we have any questions about the security of the APK that we have downloaded, we can use the web Total virus for analyze the downloaded file and thus to be able to leave doubts.
For protect users with low knowledge, Android natively does not allow to install APK files that do not come from the Play Store. In order to do so, we must previously activate the option Unknown origins within the terminal settings. Once this option is activated, we will be able to install any APK that reaches our hands.
What permissions does an APK need to work?
If before installing an application, you want to know the permissions it needs to be able to work, we have the APK-Info application at our disposal completely free app that we can download from GitHub, where the application code is also located.
From the application itself, we can directly analyze the APK through Virus Total, access the application file in the Play Store, install it on our smartphone through ADB ...
How to download APKs from Google Play
But, first of all, we must download the application file that we want to access from our PC. While it is true that we have at our disposal a large number of alternatives to the Play Store That allow us download and install the APKs on our smartphone, it is best to always do it from the Play Store, unless it is an application that is not available in the Google application store.
In addition, as our intention is to open the file on a PC, it is advisable to carry out this process from it so as not to have to upload the file to the cloud, send it by email, through messaging applications ... download an APK from Google Play, we are going to use the web APK Downloader.
The first thing we must do is access the web address where the Play Store application that we want to download is located and copy the url.
Next, we access the APK Downloader web and in the upper box we paste the URL of the game or application that we want to download and click on the button Generate Download Link.
Finally, a tab is displayed with the details of the game or application, including the size of the file, the version number and the last time it was updated. To download it, click on the button Click here to download ...
How to open APK files on Windows
Being a compressed file, if we want to open a file in APK format, we just have to use the Windows file explorer to access all the files that are inside of the file in APK format.
The fastest method to be able to do it, is change the .APK extension to .ZIP. In this way, the system will recognize the file as a compressed file and by double clicking on it, it will show us all the content that is inside.
How to open APK files on Mac
The process to access all the files found inside an .APK file in macOS, is the same as in WindowsSince the Apple operating system for computers supports the .ZIP format natively.
How to run APK files on PC / Mac
If what we want is not to open the files, but what we want is install an APK on your computer, managed by Windows or macOS, what we must do is use an Android emulator.
BlueStacks
If we talk about Android emulators, we have to talk about the most popular of them all: BlueStacks. This Android emulator, available for Windows and macOS, allows us to install and run any APK application, regardless of its origin.
For run an APK file with BlueStacksOnce we have it installed, we only have to click twice on the file so that, since the extension is associated with this application, BlueStacks automatically opens and the application installation begins.
Another option is to install the application from the application options bar on the right. BlueStacks requires a Google account, since all games and applications make use of Google services. The download of this application is completely free and does not include any type of purchases.
MEMU Play
Another very interesting one android emulator for windows (no version for macOS) is MEMU Play, an emulator that offers us practically the same functions that we can find in BlueStacks and that also allows us to install any APK.
To install an APK in MEMU Play, we will click twice on the file if we don't have another emulator installed. If we have more than one emulator installed and the APK extension is not associated with MEMU Play, we must click on the right button of the application, select Open with and click on MEMU Play.
MEMU Play operating requirements are lower than those required by BlueStacks, so if your computer is not very powerful, you should consider this application to run APK files on your PC or Mac.
MEMU Play requires a Google account, since all games and applications make use of Google services. The download of this application is completely free and does not include any type of purchases.
NoxPlayer
NoxPlayer, available for Windows and macOS, offers us a interface very similar to BlueStack, It is based on Android 7 Nougat although a beta version based on Android 9 is already available.
For install an APK on our PC or Mac through NoxPlayer, we proceed the same as with BlueStacks, clicking twice on the application, as long as we do not have another Android emulator installed and that the extension is associated with it.
If so, click on the right mouse button on the application, select the option To open with and we select NoxPlayer.
NoxPlayer requires a Google account, since all games and applications make use of Google services. The download of this application is completely free and does not include any type of purchases.
Interesting the web APK Downloader, I did not know it. I already have it in Favorites.
I always download the APKs and I don't do it from the PlayStore. The reason is because GooglePlay or PlayStore are not 100% reliable either, there have been many cases of viruses, and when you download an application directly from them it automatically installs it. If you download the APK of any application (I always do it from the computer) then you have the option to analyze the APK with Total Virus, with which you can download the APK from any APK page with practically no problems, because if there are no viruses Any download page works (although I always do it from the most popular ones).
How do I then transfer the APK to the phone to install it?… Well, very easy, through the DRIVE application. From the computer I upload the APK to my DRIVE account and now from the phone I open DRIVE, look for the APK and download it and then install it.