While this may not be a feature everyone uses, knowing how to download the APKs directly from Google is a good Android pro-tip to keep tucked away for when you need it. While this won’t allow you to circumvent the Play Store restrictions for any paid application you haven’t bought, the ability to directly download APKs from Google is still handy, allowing you to bypass geographic restrictions on applications, test apps on Chrome OS or inside an emulator on Windows, and even directly share apps to other users. Though Google doesn’t make this clear, it is possible to grab APK files directly from the Google Play Store’s desktop website in order to share and use those files. Android also has the ability to install APKs from outside sources, making it an operating system just as expandable as something like Windows 10.

So even though you’re using a store interface to search through millions of Android apps and games, the process is basically identical to installing an application on Windows or Mac OS. That’s an installable archive file on the Android operating system.

Any application you download from the Play Store installs on your device using an APK file. Likewise, your Android phone also operates using its own installable software. Each of these file types allow the operating system to load, utilize, and install a corresponding application. Whatever the case, you’ve undoubtedly installed applications on either Windows or Mac OS using. Maybe you rely on several different utilities downloading from the internet to control your computer. Most of the applications on your computer have probably come from the web-for example, you’ve probably found yourself downloading iTunes from Apple’s website to listen to music, or downloading Steam from Valve’s website to play games. So, let’s get started on what they are and how to download them from the Google Play Store. These apps use APKs, and, you might have to download those directly to get that app on your phone or other device.

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