Taking a look at your friend's Android smartphone, you noticed the presence of an app that you had never seen on the Play Store. Intrigued by what you asked for explanations about it, your friend explained how and where to download the app but when the download was complete you found yourself in front of an APK file? Well, if that's the case and if now you would like to understand how to do it in order to open APK file I have good, indeed excellent news for you: I am here ready to explain to you everything that needs to be done to succeed in the enterprise.
Before explaining, step by step, what needs to be done in order to open APK files, it is good that you understand what we are talking about. APK files are packages that contain all application files for Android, similar to .apps on Mac, and to some extent .exe on Windows. It is possible to obtain APK files from alternative markets for Android or from specialized Internet sites, but you have to be careful what you download, in order to avoid running into even serious problems.
Having clarified this, if you are therefore willing to find out what you need to do in order to open an APK file on Android, but also on your computer, I invite you to get comfortable and dedicate a few minutes of free time to carefully read this guide. I am sure that in the end you will be able to tell yourself more than satisfied that you have succeeded in your intent and that you will also be ready to say that doing this was actually a real breeze. Ready? Yup? Very well, then let's get started.
Index
Preliminary information
Before getting to the heart of this guide and explaining, in practice, how to open APK file, let me give you some more information on the nature of this category of elements.
As I already mentioned at the beginning of this guide, the APK files are nothing more than the packages containing the apps for Android: generally, these files can be safely downloaded from the proven seriousness markets available for the devices animated by the " green robot ”, such as the Google Play Store, the HUAWEI AppGallery or the Amazon Appstore.
However, it is also possible to obtain APKs from third-party markets other than those mentioned above, or from Internet sites, and this is where the security problems begin, especially if you try to open files of this type directly on Android (the emulators for Windows and macOS, on the other hand, create a protected environment that does not affect the operating system data): these files could in fact be designed to deliver malware to users' devices, putting at risk not only the integrity of data, but also of sensitive information and the entire operating system.
For this reason, in order to avoid that the user installs files of this type too lightly, Android blocks their execution by default: the execution of APK files can still be authorized by performing a simple unlock procedure but, please, always check the reliability of the site or market from which you get the files, using tools such as WOT or McAfee Siteadvisor, or by carrying out targeted searches on Google.
Furthermore, if you intend to often operate with APK files on Android, choose and install a good free antivirus for your smartphone or tablet, so as to nip in the bud any computer threats potentially carried by applications of dubious integrity.
How to open APK files on Android
Once you have clarified all the security aspects of the case, let me explain how to open APK files on Android in the simplest way possible. Exactly as already mentioned above, the Google operating system allows the opening and execution of APK files, as long as a specific system function is unlocked.
So, if you have an Android edition on your device equal to or greater than 8.0, you must authorize the app from which you are going to start the installation of the APK file: for example, if you intend to download it from the system browser, you will have to allow the latter to start APK files; if, on the other hand, the file is already present on your device and you intend to access it through a file manager, you will have to operate on the latter.
Having said that, once you have identified the app from which you intend to open the APK file, go to the Settings of Android by tapping on the symbol in the shape of agear resident on the Home screen or in the drawer of the device, reach the sections Apps & Notifications> Advanced> Special Access Apps / Special App Access and tap on the item Install sconosciute app.
Now, examine the list of applications on Android looking for the one from which you intend to act on the APK file (e.g. the Google Chrome browser), tap on its name and move from OFF a ON the corresponding levetta alla voce Allow from this source; if necessary, wait for the timer to “expire” and respond in the affirmative to the next warning.
Keep in mind that, on some versions of Android, the names of menus and options may be slightly different: to give you an example, on Xiaomi-branded devices, you need to access the panels Settings> Privacy Protection> Special Permissions> Install Unknown Apps.
If, on the other hand, it is running on your device Android 7.0 or earlier, you do not have to authorize any specific app, but only enable the installation of files from unknown sources for the entire operating system: you can do this by going to the menu Settings> Security (or similar) and moving from OFF a ON the corresponding levetta alla voce Unknown origin.
Once the unlocking procedure has been completed, you just have to access the APK file to be installed using the app you previously authorized (if necessary), answer affirmatively to thewarning regarding potentially harmful files (if it is shown) and tap the buttons Install e End / Open, to complete the app installation and launch it.
Do not forget, once the procedure is complete, to revoke permissions for installing files from unknown sources, repeating the same procedure I showed you a little while ago e deactivating any switches you have previously enabled.
If you were wondering about the possibility of being able to open APK files on iOS, I'm sorry to inform you that the answer is no: you cannot run apps of this type on smartphones and tablets produced by Apple, unless you get involved in extremely complex procedures - and, let me tell you, somewhat inadvisable.
How to open APK files on computer
Contrary to what you might think, it is possible open APK file on PC not only to view the content, but also to run the applications contained within them, thanks to some programs designed for the purpose.
For example, if you are interested in viewing the elements contained in an APK package because you are approaching the world of Android programming and would like to understand something more about the internal organization of the files containing the apps, you can achieve this by using any program free for the management of compressed archives with support for APK archives, what it could be 7-Zip for Windows or cake for macOS.
Once you have downloaded and installed the chosen program (I explained how to do it in the guide I linked you a little while ago), you just have to find the APK package to view the content, right click on its icon and select the items 7-Zip> Open they are poisoned Windows, or Open with> Keka if you use macOS instead, from the context menu that appears on the screen.
If I wanted to instead run an APK file on the computer exactly as if you were in the presence of a smartphone or a tablet animated by the Google operating system, you must install a emulator for android equipped with support for manually uploading APK files. Below I will illustrate, in detail, the operation of the BlueStacks emulator for Windows and macOS.
How to open APK files on Windows PC
To install the emulator BlueStacks on Windows, connected to its official website, click on the button Download BlueStacks and, once you have obtained the program installation file (eg. BlueStacksMicroInstaller_XX.exe), open it and click on the buttons Yes e Install now, to start downloading the necessary files from the Internet and to complete the program setup.
Once installation is complete, you should find yourself in front of the emulator main screen: if the program does not start automatically, you can use the icon that, in the meantime, has been added to both the Start menu and the Windows desktop.
During the first start, an analysis of the computer will be carried out and the subsequent decompression of the files necessary to run the Android apps; later, you will see a window, the central part of which, which clearly resembles the Android drawer, contains the links to the apps installed in BlueStacks.
Now, if you intend to use the emulator only to run APK files, you can avoid running the Play Store (with Google account association) and go straight to the "point": to upload the file, click on the button [APK] located in the small right sidebar of the program, or press the key combination Ctrl + Shift + B on the keyboard and use the next panel to select the package of your interest. If you don't see the BlueStacks sidebar, click the button placed at the top.
Following this operation, the installation of the app will be completed completely automatically; at the end of the procedure, the icon of the installed application will appear on the BlueStacks Home screen, accessible by clicking on the symbol of cottage located at the top. To start the installed APK, click on its icon and, if prompted, Apply graphics settings and restart the program, using the button that appears on the screen.
How to open APK files on Mac
Also BlueStacks per Mac allows you to install APK packages in an extremely simple way. However, the ways of installing the program change: to obtain it, connect to this website and click on the button Download BlueStacks, to download the program setup file, in .dmg format.
When the download is complete, launch the file obtained, double-click on the icon BlueStacks Installer, located in the window that opens and, when necessary, press the button apri to overcome the restrictions imposed by the Mac on non-certified developers.
Now, press the button Install now, type the Password of the Mac in the appropriate field, click on the button Install assistant and wait for the copying of the files necessary for the operation of the emulator to be completed.
To complete the setup, grant the program the necessary permissions for its correct functioning: then click on the buttons Open System Preferences e Allow and, once in the macOS System Preferences screen, click on the symbol locked padlock visible at the bottom left, in order to authorize the modification of the settings.
At this point, type the administration password of the Mac and click on the button Unlock, in order to conclude the setup and display the main screen of the software. If the program does not start automatically, open it yourself, using the icon that has been added, in the meantime, to Launchpad.
Once you have reached the BlueStacks home screen, click on the button Start and log in to your Google account; then, press on the buttons NEXT, Accept e Get started with BlueStacks, to finalize the initial configuration phase.
At this point, to install an APK file in BlueStacks, locate the file in question using the Finder macOS, right-click on its icon and select the items Open with> BlueStacks from the contextual menu that appears; to start the installed applications, open the emulator, click on the tab My Apps (top) and then on application name to be performed.
