Installing Android applications on a computer can be performed by several methods that differ in both complexity of setup and performance. In most cases, such an operation is not required, because there are many analogues of programs for windows with wider functionality. But interest often does not play on the side of common sense.
Basically, programs that allow you to run applications written for Android are used by developers to test and debug the finished product. To be honest, it’s impossible to install Android on a classic computer, but you can use the emulator with all the functions of the OS.
Bluestacks
The first option that answers the question of how to install Android on a computer is BlueStacks. This is not to say that this is a full-fledged emulator. A program has been created specifically for launching games written for the Android system on a PC. But it is considered one of the most popular among ordinary users, because it is well optimized and ahead of competitors in terms of performance.
BlueStacks is developed for Windows and Mac, you can download it for free from the manufacturer’s official website. After installation is complete, a program window will open, it will display a list of games that can be installed. But you can use the built-in client for Google Play to download applications not from the list. To install any application, you will definitely have to create a Google account or use an existing one.
Also, if you use a smartphone or tablet with the Android operating system on board, you can download the BlueStacks Cloud Connect program to your mobile device. It is used to synchronize installed applications between a smartphone and a PC.
Genymotion
"How to install Android on a computer if BleuStacks does not start the necessary applications?" - you ask. We answer. Try Genymotion. It will not cause any problems during installation, the whole procedure is very simple. But I must say that this is a powerful tool that can emulate a fairly large number of real devices. In addition to choosing a device, the OS version with which the virtual machine will work can also be selected. The most important advantage of this program over others is the support for hardware graphics acceleration .
On the official website, developers have posted both free versions for download and commercial ones. For use on a home PC, those features that the free distribution offers are quite enough.
Downloading the distribution kit is available only after passing the registration procedure. In this case, it is best to choose an option that includes VirtualBox, and automatically sets it up during installation. Be careful: VirtualBox does not need to be run separately.
Program inclusion and settings
Since it is very easy to install Android on a computer in this way, this procedure does not require additional descriptions. Difficulties will begin not at the installation stage, but after launch. Immediately after loading, an inscription will appear on the monitor screen informing that no virtual devices have been created in the system. Confirm that you want to create a new one, and after that - click on the Connect button. Now you will need to enter the registration data that were previously specified when creating the account on the site.
Choose which virtual device will be emulated in the program. Wait for all the necessary components to load. After that, the virtual machine can be started. Just click on the Play button.
By following these simple steps, you can already install Android applications on your computer. The virtual machine has flexible settings and wide capabilities, but most likely, nothing of this will be needed in the work. Most of the functionality is required only by developers.
Note: run the emulator as an administrator, otherwise problems may occur during operation.
How to make an Android program on computer without emulators?
Windroy - development of programmers from China. As is clear from the description (written on the official website), this program is fundamentally different from emulators of Android devices. The latter start the OS based on the software capabilities of the computer. In Windroy, an attempt was made to port the Dalvik Java machine for Windows. Theoretically, such a solution would be able to use all available computer hardware .
This approach allows you to get maximum performance. Since you can install Android on your computer in other ways, using Windroy is not yet recommended. Development is still at the testing stage and cannot boast of stability and a 100% ability to run even the lightest application written for the Android OS.
The easiest installation, but no guarantees
If you still wonder what the program is hiding, it can be downloaded for free from the developer's site. During installation and startup, no additional user action is required. A little tip: install the application in the root of the system partition, otherwise it will not work. Now try to run any apk-file, after placing it in the directory "C: \ Windroy \ windroy_root \ data \ app \". If nothing happens, wait for the new bug fix version. If the launch of the application is successful, consider that you are lucky, and instead of the emulator, the computer is equipped with a more powerful software tool.