In this article, we will show you how to download and install Android apps in the Bluestacks emulator on Windows and Mac OS X computers. In this emulator, any application can be downloaded from the Play Store. If there is no application in the Market, download and install it using the APK file.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Using the Play Store
Step 1. Install and configure Bluestacks
If you don't have Bluestacks on your computer, go to https://www.bluestacks.com/en/index.html and click the green Download Bluestacks button in the middle of the page. Click on the green Download button at the top of the next page and then install the emulator:
- Windows: Double click the downloaded EXE file, click Yes when prompted, click Install, click Finish when this option becomes active. Open Bluestacks if it doesn't start automatically, then follow the onscreen instructions to sign in to your Google account.
- Mac: Double-click the downloaded DMG file, double-click the Bluestacks icon, click Install when prompted, allow third-party software to be installed (if needed) and click Continue. Open Bluestacks if it doesn't start automatically and follow the onscreen instructions to sign in to your Google account.
Step 2. Click on the My Apps tab
It's in the upper left corner of the window.
Step 3. Click on the System Applications folder
You will find it in the upper left side of the My Apps page. A folder with pre-installed Bluestacks applications will open.
Step 4. Click "Play Store"
It's a multicolored triangle-shaped icon on the System Applications page. The Play Store will open.
Step 5. Click on the search bar
It's at the top of the Market page.
Step 6. Find the application
Enter the name of the app (or search term if you don't know the name of the app), then press ↵ Enter.
As you enter the name of an application, a list of matching applications may appear below the search bar. If the application you want appears in the list, click it and then skip the next step
Step 7. Select an application
Scroll through the search results, find the application you want and tap on it to open its page.
In most cases, the application you want will appear at the top of the search results. Click "Install" next to the application to start its installation; in this case, skip the next step
Step 8. Click Install
It's a green button in the upper-right side of the page.
Step 9. Click Accept when prompted
The installation of the application will begin.
In some cases, you do not need to click the "Accept" button
Step 10. Run the application
Once the application is installed, it can be launched in one of two ways:
- click "Open" on the application page in the Play Store;
- click on the application icon in the "My Applications" tab.
Method 2 of 2: Using an APK file
Step 1. Install and configure Bluestacks
If you don't have Bluestacks on your computer, go to https://www.bluestacks.com/en/index.html and click the green Download Bluestacks button in the middle of the page. Click on the green Download button at the top of the next page, and then install the emulator:
- Windows: Double click the downloaded EXE file, click Yes when prompted, click Install, click Finish when this option becomes active. Open Bluestacks if it doesn't start automatically, then follow the onscreen instructions to sign in to your Google account.
- Mac: Double-click the downloaded DMG file, double-click the Bluestacks icon, click Install when prompted, allow third-party software to be installed (if needed) and click Continue. Open Bluestacks if it doesn't start automatically and follow the onscreen instructions to sign in to your Google account.
Step 2. Download the APK file to your computer
APKs are app installers. They are usually used to install third-party applications that are not available in the Play Store, but they can also be used to quickly install some applications such as Chrome. To download the APK file, enter the application name and the word apk (for example, "facebook apk") in the search engine, open the site and click "Download", "Download" or a similar button.
APKs are available on popular sites APKMirror, AppBrain, and AndroidAPKsFree
Step 3. Click the My Apps tab
It's in the upper-left side of the Bluestacks window.
Step 4. Click Install ARC
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. An Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window opens.
Step 5. Select the downloaded APK file
Navigate to the folder with the downloaded APK file and click on it to select.
Step 6. Click Open
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. The APK file will open in Bluestacks, meaning the installation of the application will begin.
Step 7. Run the application
When the application icon is displayed in the My Applications tab, click it to open the application.
Advice
- As of July 2018, the latest version of Bluestacks is running Android Nougat (7.0).
- To uninstall an application, press and hold its icon until a red X appears in the upper left corner of the icon. Then click X> Delete.
Warnings
- APK files can contain viruses. To keep your computer safe, download apps from the Play Store.
- Bluestacks is slow even on high-performance computers. Because of this, some applications may have problems launching.