If the Android app you want to install isn’t available on Google Play, you can download the APK file from the web and install it manually. This may be required if the developer was unable to get the app authorized for the app store or if the app is still in the testing stage and not yet ready for public release.
An Android application is installed via an APK (Android Package Kit) file format. It serves a similar function to other file types, such as Mac PKG files and Windows EXE files.
You have unknowingly used an APK file if you have ever loaded an Android app from the Google Play Store. The app store transfers the file to your phone and launches it automatically for you when you press the Install button.
You have to grant permission to an app in order to install an APK file using Chrome, Files by Google, a file manager, or any other program.
The Settings app has an option that allows you to accomplish this.
Navigate to the Apps or Apps & Notifications section of the Settings app.
In the top-right corner, tap the three dots. Proceed to the following step if you are unable to see that.
On some Android devices, tap Special access, or Special app access.
Select Install unknown apps.
Click on Chrome (or your preferred web browser).
Turn it on by flipping the toggle next to “Allow from this source.”
Install an Android APK file.
Downloading the APK file using Chrome, your Android’s default browser, is the simplest way to install it. You can use other web browsers as well; just make sure you provide them the same permissions mentioned above. Here’s how to use Chrome to install APK files:
Just tap the download option on the APK file download page, just like you would with any other file.
Whenever you get a prompt about the file being possibly hazardous, click on it. For instance, select OK or Download anyway.
It’s now time to install the app on your smartphone after downloading the APK. To view the file in Chrome, hit the three-dot menu icon and select Downloads. If you would rather install software that way, you can alternatively utilize a file manager.
After tapping the file name, select Install. When the app has finished installing, it will appear alongside all of your other apps in a short while.
Use a USB cable to transfer the APK installer.
You can still install apps from your computer even if you can’t use a browser to download the file or if your phone doesn’t have internet connectivity. Download the APK file using your desktop web browser in the manner mentioned above. Next, establish a connection with your Android phone and move the file.
Activate USB debugging mode on your Android device if you haven’t linked it to a computer before. After that, you may use a USB cord to connect your phone to your computer, and it will mount the device similarly to a memory stick.
In File Explorer, your phone will appear as an additional drive. Transfer the APK file into the designated folder on your phone, which may be named Download, /sdcard/download, or a similar one.
After the file has been transferred, tap the APK file to install the app on your phone using a file explorer app.
Advanced: Use Fastboot and Minimal ADB to Run the APK Installer
There’s an advanced approach that might work if you tap the APK installer and it doesn’t start. Using a program called Minimal ADB and Fastboot, you can install the software on your Android device from your PC.
Make a USB connection to your phone and turn on USB debugging.
Install Minimal ADB and Fastboot after downloading them to your PC.
The Command Prompt window appears when you run the tool. Type the adb devices command.
Your phone’s ID will show up if the gadget recognizes it. It’s now time to move the APK file.
Locate the APK file that you downloaded on your computer, then select Copy from the context menu by right-clicking on it.
Go to the Minimal ADB and Fastboot folder using File Explorer. Usually, it’s found here:C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot\
In that folder, paste the APK file.
To make the APK file easier to type as a command, rename it to something brief. In this instance, we’ve selected inkitt.
