Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world, but just because it's meant for mobile doesn't mean it can't be installed on the desktop. Macbook camera settings. There are many ways to get Android running on a PC, including virtual device emulators, bootable USB versions, and even full standalone applications like BlueStacks. Each has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs. Here is the full breakdown of each.
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If you're looking to install Android on PC, we have your back!
Using Android Studio and the virtual device
For the most part, Android development requires a tool called Android Studio. This is the software developers use to enter their code, test their apps, and manage their projects. It also happens to include a powerful 'Android virtual device manager' (AVD Manager) for setting up and installing emulators that can run full-fat Android extremely well.
Using this Android virtual device has many advantages. If you select x86_64 as the architecture, there is the option to run the Android virtual device in using Intel's Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM) to speed up the performance. In many cases this will offer a seamless experience; especially on more powerful hardware.
Another big advantage of the AVD is that it comes with the latest version of Android. In fact, this is how most developers will first try out new updates to Android, to see how they affect their apps. That means you can even try beta versions of Android before they're released! Another way that the virtual device has evolved since the early days is by including the Google Play Store on some devices. This means you can access all the apps you've already purchased!
See also: Android SDK tutorial for beginners
The AVD does require a little more set-up than some options on this list. You'll need to download Android Studio first (alongside the SDK) and then you'll need to create your new virtual device. This process does give you the option to choose the display size, memory, and even Android version. Unfortunately, the combination of Android Studio, the Android SDK (which houses the Android Virtual Device), and the Android platform all take up a lot of harddrive space.
This method will work on OS X, Windows and Linux without issue. Android Studio, including the AVD Manager, can be found here.
Pure Android emulation with Genymotion
Genymotion is a legacy Android on PC project, offering pure Android emulation with thousands of configuration options available to tailor your experience. The software runs an Android Virtual Device from within VirtualBox, which you'll also need to install.
One of Genymotion's biggest draws is the simulation of GPS, camera, SMS & calls, multi-touch, and basically all the other familiar Android hardware features. Other features include ADB access, support for a variety of app testing frameworks, even cloud access through services like Amazon and Alibaba.
Remember though, Genymotion is primarily targeted at developers looking for an environment in which to test their applications. As such, it's a professional environment with a selection of price plans to match. However, you can download and use the Personal Edition for free.
Open source Android x86.org Android on PC
Next on our list is a free open-source option – Android x86.org.
Based on the Android Open Source Project, Android-x86.org set out to make Android available to anyone with a PC. This makes Android x86 one of the best options if you're looking to install the latest version of Android on PC and use it as your primary operating system or run it in a VM. The software offers near complete stock Android with no additions whatsoever, which is a mixed bag. The good news is that Google Play Services is installed by default, but using something made for touch on a desktop is not that intuitive.
Unfortunately, installation is a little more involved than some of the applications listed below. The standard method is to burn an Android-x86 version to a bootable CD or USB stick and install the Android OS directly to your hard drive. Alternatively, you can install Android-x86 to a Virtual Machine, such as VirtualBox, giving you access from within your regular operating system.
From inside your Virtual Machine, you can install the ISO file and then boot into the operating system. An official guide to the installation options for Android-x86 can be found here.
Old but gold – BlueStacks
BlueStacks is one of the longest-enduring methods to install Android on PC, founded in 2011 and still going strong. BlueStacks has impressive performance, though it's not a patch on the Android Virtual Device. Additional features include: a simplified UI, optimizations dedicated to gaming, key-mapping, and multi-instance support to run multiple apps and even Google Accounts at once.
The user interface on Windows is more akin to what you would see in a web browser and offers quick app switching in a tab format on the top of the window. Those hoping to install their own launchers will be disappointed, however, as the option is no longer available since BlueStacks 4. On the plus side, BlueStacks also integrates with Windows to transfer files like APKs and there is even universal copy and paste.
BlueStacks remains a virtual machine at its core. So you don't quite get native system performance, but this keeps the application simple to install and run. BlueStacks 4 runs on a 32-bit version of Android 7.1.2 Nougat, so it's not the most up-to-date out of all the options out there. It is also heavily monetized, which some find distasteful: it will repeatedly request that you download apps from its partners, and you'll need to pay a fee if you choose not to. Can you put an sd card in a macbook pro.
Even so, BlueStacks remains one of the best methods of running Android on PC out there. Check out what BlueStacks has to offer by clicking on the link below. You can download the platform at the bottom of the page.
One for the gamers – MEmu
If you're after a simple way to run Android games on a Windows PC, MEmu might be the way to go. The Chinese software is ad-supported, which might be a put-off compared to alternatives. However, MEmu's gaming-focused features might be worth it for some.
MEmu supports multiple-instances, allowing you to run several apps at once to level up multiple accounts. There's also support for keyboard and mouse input as well as gamepads so you can play your way. Other functionalities include the ability to sideload apps and window resizing with a minimum sizing that prevents apps from becoming unusable.
In terms of performance, MEmu gained popularity as a faster emulator compared to BlueStacks 3. However, the race is much closer these days given BlueStack 4's performance improvements. The latest MEmu version supports up to Android 7.1, with Android 5.1 and 4.4 compatibility included too.
There are a number of other game-focused clients that let you install Android on PC, including Gameloop (formerly Tencent Gaming Buddy), NoX, and others. Check out our list of the best Android emulators for more niche options.
Comparing the best options to install Android on PC
Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, but it really depends on what you want out of having Android on your desktop.
Bluestacks and other emulators like it have some baggage. Genymotion uses VirtualBox's virtualization. Android-x86 works great as a proof of concept, but it isn't that practical to use when comparing it to the other options discussed in this article.
On balance, this author finds installing the AVD Manager to be the optimal solution. While it comes packaged with Android Studio, the performance and flexibility are unmatched. Plus it is genuinely free, officially supported by Google, and constantly up-to-date. Hey Google! Why not release the virtual device separately?
Android is one of the most popular operating systems for small handheld devices (smartphones, tablets, smart watches etc) and other electronic gadgets such as streaming TV boxes, smart TVs etc.
Being developed by Google, Android is a stable and mature Operating System which can be easily extended and enhanced by downloading and installing apps (there are millions of Android apps available) to offer an enhanced user experience.
Did you know however that Android can also be installed on a regular PC computer?
There are some excellent Android OS flavors available if you want to bring the android culture in your PC as well.
In this article we have carefully screened out the best android OS software for PCs so that you can run your favorite Android applications (games etc) smoothly on your Personal Computer.
Let's see the list below:
Table of Contents
BlueStacks
BlueStacks is nothing but an Android emulator for your PC. It's like having an Android phone but having it on your computer. Basically, you can download any Android application through BlueStacks on your PC or laptop.
BlueStacks is great to play Android games on PCs and is also one of the fastest mobile gaming platforms available with lower CPU and memory usage.
It helps you to get faster gameplay and better graphics, and at the same time saves your phone's battery and storage space.
Currently, there are more than 370 million people using BlueStacks and 212 countries have access over it. It is also free which makes it an excellent choice for using Android OS on a PC computer.
There are 3 steps involved to start enjoying Android games and apps with Bluestacks:
- Download and install Bluestacks on your Windows computer.
- Download the game or app of your choice from the Google play store (within BlueStacks).
- Customize your controls or use the built-in controls and start playing.
Although there are many other alternative emulators online, Bluestack is considered one of the best and is certainly one of the most popular options.
PrimeOS
PrimeOS is basically a desktop optimized version of Android for laptops and desktops. Their mission is to liberate the power of Android and empower everyone with its productivity.
This software is using Android x86 based OS for PCs to give a complete desktop experience similar to Windows or MacOS with access to millions of Android applications.
You can play any Android games with a keyboard and mouse to get full comfort. The software is designed to give you the best of both worlds (Android flexibility with million of apps and power of a PC or laptop computer).
With the key mapping functionality, you can assign keyboard keys to Android game controls.
What I like about PrimeOS is that you can install it on your computer in dual-boot mode together with your Windows OS. This means that you will create a separate disk partition for PrimeOS so that every time you power up your computer you will have the option of booting into either Windows or PrimeOS.
Chrome OS
Chrome OS is for people who spend most of their time on the web. It's a Desktop Operating System from Google that provides a fast, simple and more secure computing experience. You can download a copy of Chrome OS and install it on Chromebook computers.
To run Android apps on Chrome OS, you need to use the Google Play Store app on supported Chromebook models, sign in to Play Store and then under settings you need to enable 'Install apps and games from Google Play on your Chromebook,'.
From there on, you can download and install Android apps on your Chromebook laptop device.
Bliss OS-x86
Bliss OS-x86 is an open source Android-based operating system for PC computers and tablets. Hardware wise, this Android OS flavor can be installed and run on any Windows/Linux PC, Chromebook, Macbook or Tablet released in the last 4 years (i.e 2016 and later).
The current version of Bliss uses the Android 9.0 Pie codebase and is designed to work with both the mobile systems as well as with desktop and laptops. The new Bliss OS 12 will be based on Android 10.
Their main focus of Bliss OS is to provide quality ROMs that can be installed on as many hardware platforms as possible. This can run on most of your devices, preserving customizations and options. The x86 variant is of course for Desktop PC computers that are equipped with x86/x86_64 compatible CPUs.
The User Interface can be configured as either Desktop UI or Tablet UI based on the launcher being used.
Phoenix OS
Phoenix OS supports both 32-bit and 64-bit computers and is one of the best options in this list (currently supported and maintained by the developers).
The current version development is based on Android 7.1 which is a fairly new and stable version. It comes in two versions, the default one which is for PCs and another version for ARM hardware processors.
You'll need at least 2GB internal hard disk storage to install the Phoenix OS on your computer and the beauty of it is that when installed it does not affect the original document system.
Moreover, you can even install it on a USB which should be more than 6GB capacity and high-performance.
With this software, you'll get to have the PC browsing experience along with the fun of the android operating system. It enables you to have multiple fully resizable windows open at a time. The Phoenix OS is an excellent choice for those who want to have a full-fledged android experience on their windows PC.
OpenThos
OpenThos is a relatively new Android operating system for PCs that lets you enjoy both Android and Linux applications side by side. The apps can be run on a windowed mode enabling you to multitask and manage several apps at a time.
It uses the Android Lollipop kernel and runs only on computers with 64-bit technology. You also don't need to install any driver as it will detect your PC or laptop automatically. However, OpenThos doesn't include Playstore so you need to get that from a third-party site.
Since this is a Chinese app, you will have some difficulty to download and install the OS. Also, there are not that many English instructions online.
Remix OS for PC
Remix OS started out as a very promising Android OS for computers but the developers (jide) stopped maintaining it. However you can still download the software and check it out, although it uses the codebase of the old Android Marshmallow 6.0 version (based on Android-x86).
The taskbar of the system and right-click function is similar to Windows 10. Remix OS has a super easy installation process and you can utilize the system on an older PC as it's easier to operate compared to Linux or Windows.
The hardware requirements are pretty low, with 2 GHz dual-core processor, 2 GB RAM and minimum 8 GB of hard disk space. It also works on both 32 and 64 bit systems.
Android-x86
This OS option has the goal of being a 'complete solution for Android on common x86 platforms.' according to the developers. As they say on the official website, 'You may think Android-x86 as an Android BSP (Board Support Package) of generic x86 platforms.'
There are tons of software that lets you use Android on PC but not all work the same. Android-x86 is one of the finest open-source systems for your x86 or x64 computer.
It provides a wide range of supports such as a multi-touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, camera, and many more features.
The Android-x86 uses the Linux kernel 4.19.15 which enables it to support a wide variety of hardware. Overall, it is one of the most resourceful Android OS systems out there. Currently, the developers are working to support Android 10 as well (the current version is 9).
LineageOS
The original name of LineageOS was 'Cyanogen' which was a very popular custom ROM used for flashing smartphones with an enhanced OS.
Lineage is of course based on the Android OS and is free and open-source. It offers customization for your personalization and preference as everyone is unique and your device should be too.
Although LineageOS is mostly installed on smartphones and tablets by users, it can also be installed and run on Windows or Linux PCs. Here is a video showing how to install it on a PC and dual-boot with Windows 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGB_OV0yCUo
Because this software has a very big community, it is actively developed and supports even the latest Android versions.
Moreover, with its enhanced tools and exclusive APIs, it will turn any device into the perfect device for apps development.
Koplayer
Koplayer is an Android emulator that allows you to run any Android apps or games on your computer. It has several other features, but particularly designed for Android gamers and content creators.
One of the most popular features of this emulator is the video capture feature. You can record directly from the emulated device's screen. So, you'll be able to share the gameplay you recorded. Moreover, the emulator has its own marketplace for you to download the apps.
Genymotion
Genymotion is an Android emulator with pure simplicity and performance. All you have to do is three clicks and Genymotion is up and running. It integrates perfectly into your developer's environment. Simply just pick from the list any mobile device that interests you. Then select the Android version to start testing.
There are various versions of Genymotion. The Desktop version is the one which can be installed on PC computers and thus emulate many Android versions, apps etc. It is free for personal use, therefore you can run Android on your Windows/Mac/Linux computer with no cost.
Final Words
There are tons of Android OS systems out there. However, you need to choose the right one that will let you have a smooth user experience and a trustworthy interface.
Keep in mind that you might need to install and test different options from the list above until you find something that can work flawlessly on your specific computer hardware.
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