What Is an APK File?
A file with the APK file extension is a package file used to distribute apps on Google’s Android operating system. APK files are saved in the ZIP format and are typically downloaded directly to Android devices, usually via Google Play, but can also be found on other websites. Some of the content found in a typical APK file includes an AndroidManifest.xml, classes.dex, and resources.arsc file; as well as a META-INF and res folder. APK files can be opened on a number of operating systems, but they’re used mainly on Android devices.
How to Open an APK File on Android
Opening an Android app on your Android device just requires that you download it like you would any file, and then open it when asked. However, APK files installed outside the Google Play Store might not install right away because of a security block put into place. To bypass this download restriction and install APK files from unknown sources, navigate to one of these menus depending on your Android version:
Settings > Apps > Special app access > Install unknown appsSettings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access > Install unknown appsSettings > Apps and notificationsSettings > Security
You might need to give a specific app permission to install unofficial APK files—for example, after selecting Chrome, you might need to then toggle on Allow from this source. Or, if you see it, enable Install Unknown Apps or Unknown sources. If the file doesn’t open, try browsing for it with a file manager like Astro File Manager or ES File Explorer File Manager.
How to Open an APK File on Windows
You can open an APK file on a Windows PC using an Android emulator. See our list of the best Android emulators for Windows for suggestions like BlueStacks. See How to Use BlueStacks to Run Android Apps on Windows if you need help. You can also get Android apps on Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store, eliminating the need to deal with APK files at all. Android Studio is what’s used to make these apps, but you won’t be able to use that to easily play an Android game or test out a new app on your computer. It works on Windows and macOS.
How to Open an APK File on a Mac
BlueStacks works on Mac, too; see How to Use BlueStacks on Mac for all the details. Nox is another option.
How Open an APK File on iOS
You can’t open or install APK files on an iPhone or iPad because the file is built in an entirely different manner than apps used on those devices, and the two platforms aren’t compatible with each other. iOS apps are stored in a format that uses the IPA file extension.
How to Extract APK Files
You can also open an APK file from a desktop operating system with a file extractor tool. (Try one from our Best Free Zip & Unzip Programs list.) Since APK files are simply archives of multiple folders and files, you can unzip them with a program like 7-Zip or PeaZip to see the different components that make up the app. Doing that, however, doesn’t let you actually use the app on a computer. To do so requires an emulator (like BlueStacks), which essentially runs the Android OS on the computer.
How to Convert an APK File
Although a file conversion program or service is normally necessary to convert one file type to another, they’re not very useful when dealing with APK files. This is because an APK file is an application that’s built to run on specific devices only, unlike other file types like MP4s or PDFs that work on a variety of platforms. Instead, if you want to convert your APK file to ZIP, you’d use the instructions explained above. Either open it with a file extraction tool and then repackage it as a ZIP, or simply rename the .APK file to .ZIP. As you read above, you can’t convert an APK file to IPA for use on iOS, nor can you convert APK to EXE to use the Android app in Windows. However, you can normally find an iOS alternative that works in place of the Android app that you want to be installed on your iPhone or iPad. Most developers have the same app available on both platforms (an APK for Android and an IPA for iOS). Instead of an APK to EXE converter, install a Windows APK opener from above and then use it to open the Android app on your computer; it doesn’t need to exist in the EXE file format for that to work.
