While they have always been secure, fast, and minimalistic, Chromebooks only supported progressive web apps in the beginning. That changed six years ago when Google announced the arrival of Android apps for Chromebooks, supercharging these small machines with millions of apps available for the mobile Android ecosystem (via Google). The apps can send notifications, work offline, and even allow touch input. Show
Downloading Android apps on Chrome OS is a breeze with the Google Play Store; you can get, say, Android versions of Skype, Zoom, or Photoshop with a single tap. And although the Play Store is the easiest, it isn't the only way to install apps on your Chromebook — you can also sideload them using Android Package (APK) files. You might want to install apps with APKs for any number of reasons. Some Android apps aren't available on the Play Store (often because of geo-restrictions), for example. Google's rollout of updates lags behind the APK archives, and older versions of an app can often only be tested with APK files because the Google Play Store installs the latest version. Android apps can be sideloaded in two ways: using Developer Mode or ADB on Linux. We'll explain both methods for installing APKs on your Chromebook. How to install APKs in Developer Mode
APKs can be installed on a Chromebook with a single click in Developer Mode, but we don't recommend this option. Turning on Developer Mode is much like rooting an Android or jailbreaking an iPhone — namely, it may void your Chromebook's warranty (via Chromium). The process also erases everything on your Chromebook (unless it's backed up to the cloud.) Google even warns you about potential security, software, and hardware risks every time you boot up the machine in Developer Mode. The method used for entering Developer Mode can vary slightly between Chrome OS machines. Some Chromebooks have a dedicated physical switch to enable Developer Mode, while others only require keyboard shortcuts. You can head over to The Chromium Projects and search Developer Mode, followed by the model of your Chromebook for detailed instructions. With that said, the following method should work for most Chromebooks.
How to set up ADB on Linux for installing Android apps
We recommend you sideload APKs in the standard stable mode with the ADB utility. The sideloading doesn't require Developer Mode, but the process isn't one-click: you'll need a little terminal know-how to install your APKs with ADB (via Android). Plus, your Chromebook needs Linux support. Modern Chromebooks have a built-in sandbox environment to run Linux apps, but it's not enabled by default; we'll turn it on before setting up the Android Debug Bridge (ADB). You can check out how to set up Linux on Chromebooks for in-depth instructions, but the process is simple:
Chrome OS will ask for confirmation again before the Sign-in screen and show you a message that the device is running unverified apps. You'll have to Powerwash (factory reset) your Chromebook if you ever want to turn off the debugging bridge. How to install APKs on Chromebook with ADB
With Linux and debugging enabled, we can install the ADB utility. ADB is a powerful tool that (among other things) lets you sideload APKs (via Android). You'll also need to move your APK file to the Linux container. APKs for most apps can be downloaded from multiple third-party stores.
Troubleshooting APK installation on Chromebook
The "adb install [apk file path]" command should work without a hiccup for ARM-based Chromebooks, but if ADB returns an error, your Chromebook likely has an Intel or AMD chip inside. For the "more than one device/emulator" error message on Intel and AMD Chromebooks, use the command "adb -s emulator-5554 install nameofyourfile.apk". Again, replace the file name with the name of your downloaded package. You can also establish an ADB connection with your Chromebook over a network. First, type "adb connect 100.115.92.2:5555", and then press Enter. Use the "adb devices" to ensure it's connected. The following will install your APKs: "adb -s emulator-5554 install nameofyourfile.apk" (via Android). If you get an error while connecting ADB over the network, try enabling Developer Options. Open the Google Play Store and go to Manage Android Preferences > System > About Device > Build Number. Repeatedly click Build Number until the Developer Options message appears. Now go back to Settings > Developer Options and enable ADB Debugging. Why cant I download Android apps on my Chromebook?Not all Android apps work on Chromebooks. If you are using the Play Store on your Chromebook and can't find an app, the developer may have stopped the app from running on Chromebooks. To check, contact the developer.
Can you install Android APK on Chromebook?APKs can be installed on a Chromebook with a single click in Developer Mode, but we don't recommend this option. Turning on Developer Mode is much like rooting an Android or jailbreaking an iPhone — namely, it may void your Chromebook's warranty (via Chromium).
How do I install apps on my Chromebook without the Play Store?I just want the steps!. Enable Linux support on your Chromebook.. Download whichever app (APK) file you would like to install.. Open the Files app and rename the app file (leave “. ... . Drag and drop the app file into “Linux files“. Open the Settings app and navigate to “Developers“. Click “Linux Development Environment”. Can you download non Google Apps on Chromebook?Fortunately, it's not only possible to enable Linux (and install Linux apps) on your Chromebook, but it's also possible to enable the installation of Android apps. Once you have this feature enabled, you can install any app from the Google Play Store.
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