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How To Sideload Apps On Your Android Phone - Geeky Gadgets
However, it's crucial to exercise caution when sideloading apps, as apps obtained from third-party sources may pose security risks. Before proceeding with sideloading, ensure you only download apps from trusted sources and thoroughly review the app's permissions and potential security concerns.
Enabling Sideloading on Your Android DeviceBefore embarking on the sideloading journey, you must enable this feature on your Android device. The process for enabling sideloading may vary slightly depending on your device's Android version. Here's a general guide for Android 8 Oreo and newer:
The primary format for sideloading Android apps is the APK (Android Package) file. These files contain all the necessary components to install and run an app on your Android device. To sideload an app, you'll need to locate and download the corresponding APK file.
Sideloading apps on Android offers flexibility and access to apps not available on the Play Store. However, it's crucial to exercise caution and only sideload apps from trusted sources. By following the guidelines provided, you can safely sideload apps and enjoy the benefits of app exploration and experimentation.
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Andy Walker / Android Authority
There are a few apps I must install on any new Android phone. Without them, using my handset would be quite challenging. These include the usual suspects like shopping and banking apps, browsers, AI search tools, and WhatsApp. Surprisingly, I also rely heavily on open-source apps. A quick count shows that over a dozen of my apps are open source, many of which enhance my phone experience.
How many open source apps do you have on your phone?6798 votes
None.
24%
1-5.
40%
6-10.
15%
11-20.
8%
More than 20.
14%
In honor of these apps, here are the 10 open-source Android apps I always install without hesitation:
LocalSend
Andy Walker / Android Authority
LocalSend is a free, open-source, cross-platform file-sharing service that uses my local network to transfer files between devices. I'm a relatively new user, but the app quickly won me over. I used to struggle with Quick Share and USB cables for transferring files from my phone to another device or my PC, but not anymore. LocalSend simplifies this process, using my fast local network for quick transfers.
Its easy setup is a major advantage; just install the app on both the sender and recipient devices, and you're ready to go. It's compatible with Apple products, Linux, Windows, and Android, allowing seamless file transfers between Android and iOS.
Kvaesitso
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Kvaesitso is a free, open-source Android launcher focused on minimalism and search. As a former Nova Launcher user, Kvaesitso has completely changed how I use my phone since I adopted it over a year ago.
Instead of multiple screens, Kvaesitso uses a vertically-scrolling layout just below the screen's edge. This supports multiple widgets and lets me hide them until needed.
The launcher heavily relies on its search capabilities, which can pull up data beyond apps and shortcuts, including files, contacts, calendar events, and even Wikipedia results.
Breezy Weather
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Breezy is a free, open-source weather app that fully embraces Google's Material Design. As a result, it's one of my favorite alternatives to Google's own weather platforms. Its GitHub description highlights its proficient use of Material Design, and as a result, it looks great on Google Pixel devices. Despite this, the app still has its own personality and offers all the vital weather metrics at a glance, several sources, and the option to delve deeper into daily forecasts if required.
Material Files
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Material Files is my go-to file manager. This free, open-source app is lightweight, makes moving files easy, and includes a handy breadcrumbs menu for effortless navigation. It supports archives, themes, and, importantly for me, my NAS. Basically, it covers every requirement I have and more.
Obtanium
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Managing apps from multiple sources and keeping them updated can be a chore, but Obtanium makes it surprisingly enjoyable. The app acts as a central hub for all non-Play Store apps, allowing users to search for apps on platforms like F-Droid and GitHub and download them directly.
Shizuku
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Like Obtanium, Shizuku is one of the most important apps on my phone, though I don't actively use it. It allows other apps to access higher privilege APIs that they usually couldn't.
For example, Smartspacer, which enhances my Pixel's At a Glance widget, needs Shizuku to function. Many other apps also rely on it, and it's the lynchpin for making your Android phone feel more like a Pixel.
URLCheck
Andy Walker / Android Authority
URLCheck is a free, open-source link-checking app that is a middleman between my thumb and browser. It's indispensable for verifying the destination of obfuscated links in emails and social apps.
I wrote a dedicated piece on why URLCheck is a permanent fixture on my phone. In short, it lets me remove tracking snippets, check links for viruses, and open links in my app of choice.
Xtra
Andy Walker / Android Authority
I don't use Twitch as much as I used to, but I turn to Xtra when I do. This free, open-source Twitch client is less annoying than the official app, offering access to third-party emote services and background playback. It also lets me download VODs for offline viewing, which is perfect for flights.
OsmAnd
Andy Walker / Android Authority
The free, open-source mapping app OsmAnd excels where Google Maps falls short. It uses OpenStreetMap data, which I rely on for navigating back roads. In my area, several gravel routes aren't on Maps. OsmAnd highlights road quality and surface, helping me decide if I can traverse a bumpy farm road. As a result, it's also one of the most important Android Auto apps on my device.
RedReader
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Finally, RedReader is the only reason I am still considering using Reddit. It's exempt from Reddit's third-party app restrictions and is the best app for browsing the social network (of the apps that still exist).
It's fast, simple, and customizable enough for my needs. I love its legibility settings, especially the ability to adjust font sizes precisely.
I've shared my favorite apps, and now it's your turn. Are there any open-source apps you always install on your phone? Let the community know in the comments below.
How To Sideload Unsupported Android Apps In Windows 11
Microsoft spent years trying to make its own mobile operating system work, but that's in the past, and now it's all-in with Android.
Microsoft makes Android-powered Surface phones, helps you connect Android devices to Windows, and you can even install Android apps in Windows 11. However, the partnership with Amazon's Appstore provides access to only a handful of useful Android apps. If you want more Android power in Windows 11, you can "sideload" other apps in just a few steps.
Getting set upBefore you develop any fanciful ideas about running every Android app under the sun, you should check your system specs. The Windows Subsystem for Android requires at least 8GB of RAM, but 16GB is recommended. Your PC also needs a relatively modern processor in the form of an 8th-gen Intel Core i3, AMD Ryzen 3000, Snapdragon 8c, or newer. On the storage front, Windows 11 needs to be installed on an SSD rather than a spinning hard drive.
Ryan Whitwam/IDG
Even if you don't want to use Amazon as your app provider, you'll have to grab that from the Windows Store to get the prompt to enable the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). The PC will reboot after installing the WSA, but you're not done yet.
To sideload apps, you have to go into the WSA settings to enable Developer mode, which is under the "Developer" tab. On this same screen, you should make note of the internal IP address, which you will need later. Note that the IP address may only appear when the Android Subsystem is running.
Finding Android appsEven if Windows 11 had access to the full catalog of the Amazon Appstore, pickings would be slim. As it stands, you only get a subset of Amazon's apps. If you want to install something from outside the Appstore, you'll need to get your hands on the APK file. You've got two options: download apps from a reputable source or save APKs from an Android phone.
If you have an Android phone, grabbing the APK from your installed app list is the safest way. You'll need an APK extractor app like ML Manager to do that, but you can save and share the file to your PC without worrying about the source.
Even if you do have an Android device, downloading APKs from a trusted online source can be worthwhile. You can sometimes get apps that aren't hosted in the Play Store, as well as older versions of apps that have been changed or updated with undesirable features. APK Mirror and F-droid are both good, trustworthy options to download free apps. If you want paid apps that aren't in Amazon's store, you'll have to raise the Jolly Roger and engage in software piracy, which makes it much more likely you'll pick up malware.
Sideloading apps
Ryan Whitwam/IDG
In order to install your APK files, you need to tinker around with a command prompt tool known as the Android Debugging Bridge (ADB). Download the Platform Tools from Google's site. Open a command prompt or terminal from the folder where you've saved Google's platform tools, and then you're ready to connect to your virtual Android system.
First, use the command adb connect ip_address, replacing the "IP address" with the one you copied above. With that done, you can use adb devices to verify that ADB is connected to the Android subsystem. (You can see examples of these commands in action in the picture above.) Again, this only works when WSA is running.
With your PC and Android subsystem connected, you can use adb install file_path, replacing "file path" with the actual file path to the APK you previously downloaded. (Again, see the image above for an example.) We're using the Twitter app as a test here, but it should work the same for any APK. Not all apps will work correctly in the Android subsystem, which is still just a preview feature.
Ryan Whitwam/IDG
After installing your Android app, it will appear in your Windows Start menu app list like any native Windows app. This is a bit of a drawback as you won't be able to tell Windows and Android apps apart at a glance. However, uninstalling is a snap and doesn't require a command line. Simply find the app in Start, right-click, and choose uninstall. If sideloading adventures go sideways and you suspect you've broken something or installed malware, you can simply uninstall the WSA for Android like you would an app and start from scratch.
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