Anyone reading a technical article about the installation of games apps, you must have come across this word more than once. Even if that is not the case, we are pretty sure that you have heard the phrase APK files installation at least once in your lifetime.
So, in this article, we shall discuss what these APKs are and for what they used? Simply saying, we shall walk you through everything that is there to know about APKs and how to use them.
This article will include everything starting from download APK to installing and running them in whatever the device that you will be using.
What are APK files?
An APK, which is the short form for Android Package Kit, is a file format created especially for the Android operating system of Google to enable the distribution and installation of applications.
These files include the entire setup of such applications and come in a much smaller size when compared with the original. It mainly consists of the main file, the library files, and the resource files.
What is the OBB file?
The OBB is an additional data file that comes with the apps that you are using. Some games need it, but most of them do not require an OBB file.
Therefore, you should download them if there is a link for the OBB file.
How to install APK files?
Well, there is no use unknowing what they are if you do not know how to install APK. The real problem with these third-party apps is how to install lies the type of APK that you have used.
Therefore, we shall look into it as follows.
Official play store APK files
If you have installed it from the official play store, you will have to go to the file manager and locate the file and click on install on it.
The installation is not going to take more than five minutes and will be the simplest thing that you have ever to try when installing files in your device.
Other websites APK files
For the installation of APKs from other websites, you will first have to download it to the device. Make sure that you use a proper and trusted site to perform the task.
Why do you want to install third-party apps?
The main reason behind this requirement is the unavailability of all the apps in the Android Play store. At such circumstances, you will have no other option other than to install a third-party app.
There are also occasions where you will have to look for a free application if the original one costs way higher than you expected.
These are some of the most common occasions where the use of APKs are seen as fundamentally important.
How to check for good or bad APK files?
Since Android does not have restrictions over the security features that is has provided, there is a very high risk of you installing a viral file in your device.
Therefore, the best method to say whether a given file is a good one or a bad one is by following a set of trusted sources. You can also always get help from comments and ratings because people tend to comment on places where viral files are found.
How to install APK on Android devices?
It is the most natural thing that you will ever have to do because you have to go to the downloaded file location, click on it, and enter install.
It will automatically get installed on your device.
How to install APK on PC?
If you were looking for a method to install APKs in your PC, many android emulators would help you do so.
The BlueStacks and the Android Studio are trendy ones.
Once it is downloaded, you have to install it in your device, and then drag and drop the APK file to the BlueStacks folder.
If you have installed it correctly, the installation of the game file will start automatically.
How to install APK on Mac?
It is the same set of procedures that you will have to follow to get APKs in your MacBook because BlueStacks is an emulator that works on both types of PCs.
How to install APK on TV Box?
It is the same as installing in any other device because you will have to use an Android emulator.
You will then have to change the security settings in your TV box and download the APK file and install it.
What is an XAPK file?
An XAPK file is a variation of the original AOK and is used to store APK file for app installation. These include not only the primary data for installation but also the data files required to proceed with the tasks.
How to install XAPK files?
It is the same as any APK file.You have to go to the installer that you have and locate the XAPK file. Then you can select the install option and wait for it to be finished. You can start playing as soon as it is installed.
How to open APK files?
To install them, you will have to follow the instructions given above, but if you want to view what is inside the file, you can extract it and take a look.
The APK file is necessarily a ZIP file; therefore, the extraction of it is enough to open the file.
Common errors – App not installed, update failure, parse error
There are a few types of common APK errors, and we shall be looking into those now.App not installed: if you get this message, it means that there is a preinstalled version of the app in your device. You can also try turning off the protect setting in your device security or when the device is not compatible with the APK file downloaded.
Download failed: this error is seen if you forget the OBB file. Therefore, make sure that you download everything that is required.