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I downloaded the APK file for an app to my PC. How can I install it on my phone?

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In addition to the answers below, you need to allow for non-Market apps to be installed. That setting can be found at Settings | Applications | Unknown sources – Al Everett Feb 2 '11 at 14:23
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On ICS the setting has moved to Settings | Security | Unknown sources – THelper Oct 12 '12 at 7:53

5 Answers

up vote 23 down vote accepted

  1. Use DropBox. Put the APK in your DropBox folder. Open up the DropBox app on your phone, find the apk, tap on it, and it should download it to your phone and then install it.

  2. Use the SD card. Plug your phone into the computer via USB. Mount the SD card drive. Copy the APK into the SD card. Unmount your phone. Browse to the APK using a file browser app such as Astro. Tap on the APK and it should present to install it.

There are countless other ways to do this, but these two are probably the easiest.

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DropBox is by far the easiest way. – Graham Borland Feb 2 '11 at 15:36
Is it possible to just email the APK to yourself and then open it from the email app? I presume you would've said so if it's possible, but just pointing out another possibility (which might be easier). – Ricket Feb 2 '11 at 17:36
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@Ricket Email should work too, or at least it does on my Droid1 running CM6 (Android 2.2). I'm not sure about older versions of gmail. – Bryan Denny♦ Feb 2 '11 at 17:44
As easy as that? – Nathan Fellman Feb 2 '11 at 18:37
Yeah, the Gmail app definitely supports direct APK installation if the APK is an attachment. – Konklone Dec 6 '11 at 17:59
up vote 10 down vote

Another way...

  1. Place the .apk file onto your SD card (by using your phone as a mounted drive).

  2. Enable applications from unknown sources (go to Settings > Applications > then verify that Unknown Sources is selected).

  3. Use an application such as Installer or APK Manager to install the application.

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Why do I need an installer? Isn't it enough to tap the .apk file? – Nathan Fellman Feb 2 '11 at 18:37
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You don't need an installer if you have a file browser to view the .apk file. – gary Feb 3 '11 at 3:42
up vote 6 down vote

I prefer using the ADB. However, It's a little less user friendly. This isn't the easiest way, but it will work without an SD card and will work without the device being internet connected(some devices(tablets) aren't).

At the command line you would type:

adb install "full-absolute-path-to-apk-here.apk"

The "tools" directory of the SDK must be in your path for the adb command to work.

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up vote 2 down vote

You need two other applications from the market to to this

  • A file browser (astro, ...)
  • A application installer (appinstaller, ...)

First, you must go to Settings -> Applications -> check "install application from untrusted sources"

Then, you can navigate to the apk file (you must have copy the apk file to your SD card) with the file manager and launch it with appinstaller

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1. I can browse directly from the stock file browser. 2. why do I need an installer? – Nathan Fellman Feb 2 '11 at 18:38
Because you can't install a apk file with the market. – Nicolas NOEL Feb 3 '11 at 7:44
up vote 2 down vote

I think all the above answers are very relevant. Next time I would recommend downloading the APK directly to your device from the mobile browser. You will save the time and hassle of moving to the sd card or uploading to dropbox to download to your phone.

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FYI: Referring to the "above answers" is a little problematic if people sort the answers differently from you. – Al Everett Feb 3 '11 at 14:23

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