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How to Open APK Files

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Preliminary Information

Before diving into this guide and explaining, in concrete terms, how to open an APK file, let me give you some more insight into the nature of this type of item.

APK files are simply packages containing apps for Android: these can usually be downloaded safely from reputable integrated stores available for devices powered by the “little green robot” operating system, such as the Google Play Store, HUAWEI AppGallery, and Amazon Appstore. However, there are situations, especially regarding smartphones/tablets lacking Google services, where manual installation of applications might be required.

This type of operation is called sideloading and consists, indeed, of manually installing an application from an APK file or one of its variants, downloading everything from external independent portals or stores not affiliated with the official Google Play Store. This means that it is wise to evaluate the security issue, considering you are proceeding with a download from unverified sources, although there are some that users have been utilizing for many years without particular problems. What I recommend in this context is to proceed only if you have a clear understanding of how to do everything safely.

That said, you might not know that the situation regarding sideloading on Android has seen a revolution in recent years. In app development and distribution, so-called bundles have grown significantly, which include both the usual APK file and the necessary additional files to ensure the application operates correctly. This is why you may encounter apps available exclusively in formats like .apkm and .xapk, which require going through a third-party app to be opened.

Do not worry, though, as even this type of sideloading operation is actually quite simple to perform if you know where to look. The aim of the tutorial you’re reading is to inform you about all installation procedures, related both to APK files and the newer variants that have become more widespread.

At the end of the guide, there will also be a section that will allow you to understand how to install this type of file on devices other than smartphones and tablets.

How to Open APK Files on Android

Now that you have a clear idea of the general picture of sideloading on Android, I would say it’s time to get into the meat of the tutorial and show you how you can actually proceed with manual app installation in these modes. Below you will find all the relevant information regarding the various types of files that can be used in this context.

Open APK Files

Let me start this guide with the classic APK files, which have been used for the longest time to manually install apps on Android, as well as being the format directly supported by the operating system (without the need for third-party apps).

The first question that may interest you in this area is related to where to find the APK files for the applications you are interested in. In this regard, you might find it helpful to visit the popular APKMirror website, as it has been widely used in this field for quite some time.

After managing the cookies according to your preferences (by tapping on the ACCEPT option, for example), you can use the search bar provided by the portal to look for the name of the application you are interested in. Upon reaching the relevant page, you simply need to select the version of the app you’re interested in and click on the DOWNLOAD APK button, then possibly the Download anyway option.

In any case, once you have the APK file of the app you are interested in, all you need to do is open it and follow the on-screen instructions. Typically, this type of file is placed by default in the Download folder of the Android operating system, which you can easily access from a file manager app.

After opening the file in question, you might be required, for example, to set the option related to authorization to install apps from external sources to ON. Although the procedure may vary slightly depending on the model of Android device you are using, simply follow the instructions displayed to complete the process quickly.

After doing this, a pop-up will appear that allows you to press the Install option to install the application you downloaded. Perfect, you’ve learned to perform a classic manual installation on Android. If you’re wondering, though, how to open an APK file with Family Link, you may find it helpful to check out my guide on how Family Link works to better understand the situation.

For the rest, considering that there are now many apps that have abandoned the .apk format, you might want to continue reading the guide to better understand how you can proceed in the field of more modern formats.

Open APKM Files

The first solution I recommend considering for the installation of bundles on Android, as explained in the preliminary chapter, is related to the APKMirror Installer app, available in beta on the Play Store, linked to the well-known APKMirror portal and capable of installing files in .apkm format.

Downloading an application in this format is a piece of cake, as the process regarding APKMirror is the same as I illustrated in the previous chapter of the guide, although in this case, at the final stage, you need to select the DOWNLOAD APK BUNDLE option (not the DOWNLOAD APK).

Having made this clarification, to proceed you can reach the APKMirror Installer page on its respective portal, managing the cookies as you see fit (for example, tapping on the ACCEPT box). Then simply scroll the displayed page until you reach the All versions section, which highlights at the top the latest version of the application.

After selecting this version, press the SCROLL TO AVAILABLE DOWNLOADS button and then press the link indicated as pertaining to the APK (not the BUNDLE). At this point, all you have to do is tap the DOWNLOAD APK box, thus obtaining APKMirror Installer in this format and being able to install the app using the same methods previously illustrated for .apk files.

After this, launch the APKMirror Installer application for the first time and manage the respective cookies (which you can do, for instance, by pressing the Consent option). Now select the Browse files option, thereby granting the app all necessary permissions, toggling the switch for Grant access to manage all files (or similar) to ON. It will be after performing this operation that the contents of the Download folder of your Android smartphone/tablet will be displayed on the screen, including the .apkm file of the application you have decided to download.

After tapping on it, first tap on the Install package option (located in the lower right) and then on Install app (or optionally on Watch ad and install app, if that option appears and it is required to watch an advertisement to proceed).

You will likely be asked for additional permissions from APKMirror Installer, which you can typically grant by toggling the switch for Allow from this source to ON. After doing this, a final pop-up will appear on the screen with the Install button, which will allow you to complete the installation of the involved application.

Open XAPK Files

Another widely used format for Android bundles is the .xapk format. In this case, it is linked to another popular independent alternative store, known as APKPure. It’s no coincidence that the application of the latter is needed to install apps distributed in this manner.

To download the digital store in question on your Android device, connect to the APKPure portal, manage the cookies according to your needs and preferences (for example, by tapping on the I consent option) and sequentially press the Download APKPure App and possibly Download anyway options (something required if you are using the Google Chrome browser). This will get you the relevant .apk file, which is still installable in the manner described at the beginning of the tutorial.

Once you first launch the APKPure digital store app, you can choose whether or not to enable notifications for the application (you can simply tap the Do not allow option if that is how you want to proceed). At this point, you may be prompted to install a selection of apps, but you can easily skip this by tapping the X icon at the top right. Likewise, skip any ad screens that may be presented to you.

After doing this, you can proceed to install applications distributed in the .xapk format. However, it might interest you to know where to find them first. In this case, the source to refer to is the APKPure website, which allows you to proceed by tapping the name of the application you need and sequentially tapping the Download APK and Download XAPK options. You will then find the .xapk file in your Download folder on your Android smartphone/tablet.

After opening it, you will be asked to grant the APKPure application all necessary permissions to proceed. Then tap first on the CHECK NOW option and then on GRANT, toggling the switch for Grant access to manage all files (or similar) to ON. You might now need to re-open the .xapk file to complete the operation by pressing the INSTALL button, after possibly following on-screen instructions to toggle the Allow from this source option to ON.

How to Open APK Files on PC

Now that you know all the possibilities regarding manual installation of applications on Android, I would say it’s worth considering the possibilities related to the PC environment. This starts from how to open an APK file on Windows 11 (or possibly from Windows 10). In this case, I recommend using BlueStacks, one of the most popular Android emulators for PC.

Upon the first launch of the program, you will see a window resembling the Android drawer, containing shortcuts to apps installed in BlueStacks. If your intention is to use the emulator solely to run APK files, you can skip running the Play Store (along with any Google account association) and head straight to the “meat,” skipping the login request by pressing the Later button.

Now, to upload the file of the app you’re interested in, press the + button located in the upper right corner of the program to display the sidebar of the program (if necessary). At this point, click the Install APK option (or the rectangle with the downward arrow and the word APK) or press the Ctrl+Shift+B key combination on the keyboard and use the next panel to select the package of your interest.

After this operation, the app installation will complete automatically; once the process ends, the icon of the installed application will appear on the BlueStacks Home screen. For further details, you might want to check out my tutorials regarding how to download BlueStacks and in general on how to open an APK file on PC.

How to Open APK Files on Mac

Even BlueStacks for Mac allows for extremely simple installation of APK packages, just as it does on Windows.

In this case, however, depending on the version of the involved program, you might want to follow a different method to install the APK files of your interest. You can thus navigate, via the macOS Finder, to the folder where the downloaded files of this type are located, then right-click on the one you want to proceed with.

Then, simply follow the path Open with > BlueStacks to start the installation using the emulator. You can then launch the application by selecting the corresponding icon on the Home screen of the emulator. Everything, in short, is very simple in this context as well, but you might like to explore my guide on how to emulate Android on Mac to clear any doubts you might have.

How to Open APK Files on Android TV

What do you say? In light of a recent purchase, have you set up an Android TV in your living room, and this is why you’re interested in proceeding? If this is the case, let me give you some tips that might help you in manually installing apps on the television.

It should be noted that not all apps are well-optimized for TV, so you may encounter some display issues, but this does not mean that sideloading cannot be done in this context. What you might find useful to do in this regard is to copy the .apk files of the applications of your interest to a USB flash drive, then connect this to one of the USB ports on the TV.

After that, all you need to do is launch a file manager (the built-in one, for instance, if available) capable of viewing the contents of the USB flash drive just connected. You simply need to open the .apk file of the application you are interested in from here, thereby completing the installation of it in the manner described at the beginning of the guide. You shouldn’t encounter too many problems reaching your goal even from a Smart TV with an Android operating system.

How to Open APK Files on iPhone

I’ve been clear, right from the beginning of the tutorial, about the fact that .apk files are exclusively installable on Android. However, it’s not unusual for one to wonder, at this point, whether something similar is possible on an iPhone.

While you must come to terms with the fact that how to open an APK file on iOS is not possible, you might find it interesting to explore the possibilities regarding sideloading on Apple devices.

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