Do you want to run Android apps on Windows? We are going to see 3 ways to test apps on your PC.
Today, it's easier than ever with plenty of emulators, app loaders, and mirroring tools that let you run Android apps on your computer.
Whether you want to enjoy Android games in a PC environment, test and develop your own app, or remotely control and run apps.
Using your computer, here are three tools you can use to run Android apps on Windows.
3 ways to run Android apps on Windows
1.BlueStacks
BlueStacks is an Android app loader that mainly focuses on letting you play Android games on your PC. As such, it doesn't emulate a full Android environment that developers would need.
However, if your goal is simply to try out available Android apps or play a mobile game on PC, BlueStacks is perfect. The software is free but also comes with a premium subscription version.
Due to its focused functionality, it is also extremely easy to install, with minimal configuration. You can choose the type of simulated environment you want, based on a variety of device presets (like OnePlus 5 or Samsung Galaxy S8+).
To use Bluestacks, you will need to sign in with a Google account to use the Play Store. Other than this and some other minor setup, you can start testing apps on your PC in no time.
Using BlueStacks to test apps on your pc
The app allows you to adjust a variety of settings to optimize performance and input. Meanwhile, if you want to record your gameplay, BlueStacks has recording and screenshot options available.
A major advantage for mobile gamers is BlueStacks' compatibility with gamepads. The software also includes tutorials for checking when opening a game for the first time.
However, not all games will work on the platform, depending on the developer's policies. For example, Niantic has blacklisted BlueStacks and most other app players for Pokémon Go.
If you are interested in other app players and emulators, check out our guide on the best android emulators in 2019.
You can download Bluestacks for PC at: BlueStacks (Free, subscription available)
2. Official Android Emulator from Android Studio
If you are looking for a full-featured Android emulator, look no further than Google's official emulator within Android Studio. As the official development environment for Android applications, Android Studio allows you to emulate the latest version of Android and create a virtual device.
Obviously, this tool is aimed at developers and not general consumers. As such, it is much more complex than the typical emulator. The software features code editing, APK analysis, and advanced emulation.
It is available for free on the Android developer website. You'll need Java installed to run the program, but luckily Android Studio now includes the JDK.
Download: Android Studio (Free)
Configuration with Android Studio
When configuring Android Studio, Google advises you to follow the setup wizard and install any recommended SDK packages. One of these recommended SDK packages is Android Emulator, which is required by Android Studio to simulate an Android environment on your computer.
Once configured, you can switch to the emulator (instead of creating a new project) by opening in Setup menu and choose AVD Manager (lo what does it mean android virtual device)
In AVD Manager, you can create a virtual device by selecting an existing device profile or by importing your own hardware profile.
This opens a window with an emulated Android device.
In this emulated environment, you can create your own application or load application files from existing applications. Based on Android Studio support, you can drag APKs to the emulator to install them and then run them.
However, we only recommend Android Studio for those who want to build and test apps on their Windows PC. If you want to run apps on your PC for convenience or games, the other tools on this list are better suited for that purpose.
Android Emulator Alternatives to Android Studio
There are other full featured Android emulators that you can use to run Android apps on PC instead of Android Studio. VirtualBox also allows you to create a virtual Android device with your virtual machine tools.
However, because VirtualBox is a general-purpose virtualizer, you'll need to install a bootable version of Android (such as Android-x86) on the virtual machine.
It's not the easiest emulator to set up, so we only recommend it for relatively tech-savvy users. There are also other Android-focused virtualizers and emulators that use the VirtualBox software. These include Genymotion and YouWave.
But these emulators do not always offer the latest version of Android. They also sometimes have compatibility issues if you already have VirtualBox installed, so we recommend avoiding those.
3. AirDroid
If you already own a capable Android phone and just want to view apps on a larger screen or use a keyboard and mouse for input, you can use a remote control and mirroring tool.
One option for this is AirDroid.
The software allows you to mirror and control your Android device with your computer. This means that you can also run applications and control them directly through your PC.
As a bonus, you can run AirDroid within Chrome. However, AirDroid also offers standalone software for your PC. To use either version, you'll also need the companion AirDroid mobile app installed on your smartphone, along with an AirDroid account.
To link AirDroid to your phone, simply access AirDroid on your computer and scan the provided QR code. Using AirDroid's remote control feature requires root access or access via USB debugging if your phone is not rooted.
The downside of AirDroid is that mirroring your device results in a slight delay. Despite this, AirDroid is useful if you want to run Android apps on your PC without an emulated environment.
AirDroid also includes many other features such as mobile notifications and messages via your PC. This means that screen mirroring is not its only use.
Download: AirDroid for Windows
Or for Android (Free, subscription available):
Other ways to run Android on Windows
While these are the best tools and ways to run Android apps on your Windows PC, there are other methods available as well. This includes dual booting an Android operating system on your computer or PC, choosing from a variety of app loaders, and more.
However, most of the people want a simple program that allows them to run their Android apps on a PC.
Are you enjoying a game on your Android phone or tablet? Do you want to continue playing when you sit at your computer? You're lucky! This is how you can do it!