How to Sideload Android Apps (and What to Watch Out For)
Android, unlike some phone operating systems, allows users to install software from outside the default app store (even if you don’t live in Europe ). And that’s good, because there are a lot of great programs that aren’t on Google Play.
A prime example is the game Fortnite : the developer of this game, Epic, does not want to pay Google a cut of sales, and therefore it is not available in the main Android app store. Other apps are unavailable due to Google’s interests—for example, there’s an ad-free, privacy-respecting YouTube client that you can’t find on Google Play.
However, if you’ve never installed Android software without using Google Play, you may not know where to start. The good news is that sideloading apps is easy.
Sideloading has security concerns
However, before you go to extremes, be aware that there may be security implications – you should be careful when sideloading Android apps . While it’s not always ideal , Google Play has a system in place to prevent malware from entering their app store. Installing applications from outside this ecosystem means that you yourself need to undergo such verification. Only download apps if you are sure where they come from. F-Droid, which I talk about in this article, is supported by the open source community, and I tend to trust it. Don’t install APKs unless you’ve done your due diligence and have good reason to trust the source.
Getting started with side loading
First, you need to download the APK file of the app you want to install. I’m going to use F-Droid , an alternative app store that only has free and open source apps, to demonstrate how it works. I downloaded the APK file from the site, then tried to open it. I was told that I am not allowed to install unknown apps from my download manager – in your case the warning may be calling Chrome or whatever browser you use. Either way, you can tap Settings to configure settings that allow apps to be installed.
Once you enable this setting, you can return to your browser and open the file again. You will be asked if you want to install the application – click Install . You will see the installer for a few seconds, after which the application will be installed.
Please note that you will have to repeat these steps for any other software sources. For example, if you try to install an APK using your phone’s file browser, you will need to enable the file browser as the software source. The same goes for F-Droid and any other alternative app store – you need to give the app permission to install apps.
The exact steps will vary depending on the specific phone model and operating system – this is the norm for Android. And in some cases, your phone may be locked to prevent such software from being installed – for example, many company-issued phones are locked by IT departments. However, in addition to all this, you will now be able to install APK files. Enjoy your freedom!