How to Download Google Play Store Applications to a PC

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Easily download APK files on Windows
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Do you want to download Android apps or APK files to your PC? There are many great apps and games for Android, but a lot of people prefer to experience them on a large monitor. Luckily, there are many ways you can download Google Play apps to your PC. You can use a free Android emulator called BlueStacks to install and run apps directly from the Play Store, try Google Play Games (Beta) for Windows, or download APK files from the Play Store using an APK downloader. This wikiHow teaches you how to download Android apps to your Windows PC as APK files and fully functioning apps.

Ways to Download Google Play Store Apps on PC

  • To use any Android app on your PC, install an Android emulator like BlueStacks .
  • To play Play Store games on your PC, try Google's new Play Games application.
  • To download the APK file for a Google Play Store app on your PC, use APK Combo .
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using BlueStacks

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  1. 1
    Download Bluestacks from bluestacks.com. BlueStacks is an Android emulator that makes it possible to download Google Play apps to your Windows PC. To download the installer, click the blue Download link on the Bluestacks homepage.
  2. To install BlueStacks on your PC, double-click the downloaded .EXE file and follow the on-screen instructions. Once installed, Bluestacks will start automatically. [1]
    • If BlueStacks doesn't open automatically, you will now find it in your Start menu.
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  3. 3
    Go to the Android home screen in BlueStacks. You'll usually see an advertisement for a game on the opening screen. If you do, click the X to close it, and you'll then see the BlueStacks store. To get to the Play Store, you'll need to get to the Home screen, which you can do by clicking the house icon at the top of BlueStacks.
  4. 4
    Click System Apps . A list of installed system apps, including the Play Store, will appear.
  5. It's a multicolored triangle icon. This will open the sign-in screen if you haven't used the store yet.
  6. To download apps from the Google Play Store, you need to log in to your Google account . Click Sign In , then log in with the username and password associated with your Google account.
  7. In the Search bar at the top of the screen, type the name of the app you want to install, or the type of app you’re interested in. Once you find the app you want, click to select it.
  8. It's a button in the upper-left side of the page. Your app will now download to your Android emulator's home screen.
    • If asked to allow the app to access specific permissions, click ACCEPT when prompted before proceeding.
  9. To do so, use one of the following steps once the app finishes installing:
    • Click OPEN in the Google Play Store.
    • Click the icon that resembles a house in the upper-left corner, then click the app icon to start your app.
  10. If you downloaded an APK from the Google Play Store or the internet, you can install the APK file directly to Bluestacks by doing the following: [2]
    • Open Bluestacks if it isn't already open.
    • Click the "Install APK" button in the menu to the right. It has an icon that says "APK" with a "+" sign above it.
    • Select your APK file and click Open.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using Google Play Games (Beta)

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  1. Google Play Games allows you to play Android mobile games on your PC. While this application is still in Beta (meaning, it's still being developed and might be buggy or have missing features), you can still use it to download Android apps and games to your computer. To download the installer, go to the Google Play Games Beta homepage and click Download beta . [3]
  2. Double-click the Install-GooglePlayGames-Beta.exe file, click Yes , and follow the on-screen instructions to install. When the installation is complete, you'll be prompted to sign in to your Google account.
  3. To do so, click the white button that says Sign in with Google . Then either select your Google account or log in with the username and password associated with your Google account. [4]
    • If you don't have a Google account, you can create one easily.
  4. Google Play Games beta doesn't have a search function just yet, but you can browse the available Play Store games and select the one you want.
  5. This installs the Google Play game. You can find Google Play Games you have installed in your Library or Downloads menu.
    • To play, click a game, then click the Play button.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using an APK Downloader

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  1. You can use an APK downloader like APKCombo to download the APK file for any free Android app on the Google Play Store. First, you'll want to find the app's URL in the Play Store.
    • Keep in mind that you can't use this method to download paid apps, and you won't be able to open the APK file without special software like BlueStacks ), or by transferring it to your Android phone or tablet .
  2. To do so, click the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner, then type the name of an app you want to download or a search term related to the app. Click the app you want to download in the search results to open the app's information page.
  3. 3
    Copy the URL of the app you want to download. Click the address bar to select the address, then press Ctrl + C to copy it.
  4. 4
    Go to apkcombo.com/downloader. This website makes it easy to download APKs of Play Store apps to your PC.
  5. 5
    Paste the URL and click Generate Download Link . To paste the copied address, right-click the field and select Paste . After a moment, a download link for the Android app will appear.
  6. 6
    Click the download link to save the APK to your computer. The file will download as an XAPK file, which you can install on your Android using an XAPK installer like APKPure , which is available as an APK file you can install on your Android. You can also use BlueStacks , the Android emulator, to install XAPK files without installing a separate XAPK installer. [5]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What do I do if I download something on my PC but can't find it?
    Community Answer
    On most PCs, you can search for it. Go to documents, look for "This PC" at the top of the window, click it and look for "Downloads," It is most likely here, unless you chose to download it somewhere else. You can use the search bar to find it.
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    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 14
  • Question
    Can I download Bluestacks on a Windows 7 laptop?
    Community Answer
    Yes, as long as your laptop has more than 2 GB of RAM. It is not recommended to use Bluestacks on a PC with less than 4 GB RAM and decent graphics card.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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  • Question
    Is this a secure way to download? The source of the APK file is unknown. Is it from a third party or an official Google Play store?
    Community Answer
    If you have doubts about security, use the play store in bluestacks. Though if your trying to download for a phone the APK should probably be safe to download if you run it through an antivirus.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061525271-How-to-download-and-install-BlueStacks-5
      2. ↑ https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057712191-How-to-install-an-app-from-the-BlueStacks-Store-Play-Store-or-using-an-APK-on-BlueStacks-5
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/11358888?hl=en
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/11358888?hl=en
      5. ↑ https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057712191-How-to-install-an-app-from-the-BlueStacks-Store-Play-Store-or-using-an-APK-on-BlueStacks-5

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Go to https://www.bluestacks.com .
      2. Download the latest version of BlueStacks.
      3. Run the installer.
      4. Open BlueStacks.
      5. Click the Gooogle Play Store .
      6. Sign in with your Google account.
      7. Use the search bar at the top to search for an app.
      8. Click Install .
      9. Open the app on the Home screen.

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