Getting Android apps without using the official Google Play Store can be a mixed bag, depending on where you get your apps. While Android lets you install any app you want, you must be cautious about where these files come from. Also, some popular devices, like the best Amazon Fire tablets, aren't preinstalled with the Google Play Store.

The solution? Using a third-party app installer to get the version you want. This requires making some adjustments and workarounds, but you have plenty of versatile options. We walk you through what to do.

Apps on the Google Play Store are specifically vetted for the latest Android platform. Older versions of apps may have been removed because they posed a security risk or no longer work with Android properly. Apps that aren't on the Google Play Store may have bugs or malware. If you're doing this, accept the risks involved.

Getting your Android device ready

First, you'll need to know how to change a few settings on your Android phone or other device so that it doesn't block any attempts to get an app from an unrecognized source.

  1. On your Android device, swipe down and select the cog icon to access Settings.
  2. Scroll down to find Biometrics and security, and select it.
  3. Select Install unknown apps.
  4. Select the app you'll use to install files and select it. It could be a browser, an installer app you recently downloaded (more on this below), or a similar option.
  5. Select Allow from this source.

You probably don't have to worry about these settings if you download APKMirror or another third-party app store from the Google Play Store. But once you search these stores for apps, visit these settings again and make sure the right permissions are enabled. If you download from a website, like the web version of APKMirror, also give your browser permissions.

How to download and install apps outside of the Google Play Store

There's a plethora of third-party options outside of the Google Play Store and other app stores (like Samsung's store) that are on your device. We chose APKMirror for our example because it's reliable and runs important security and compatibility checks on apps to make this process smoother. However, you can choose another popular store like APKPure, Aptoide, F-Droid, TapTap, and others. The steps should be similar across apps.

You can sideload many Android apps without using a third-party installer, but that's starting to change. With the rise of "bundling" and split APKs, the original APK format is no longer the default choice for some app developers. APKs are still popular, but the Google Play Store enforces the use of the Android App Bundles format by default for new apps. APKMirror Installer supports all app file formats, including APKs, so you can safely install your apps.

  1. Download and install the APKMirror Installer app (or other preferred third-party app) from the Google Play Store. You can download it from the Google Play Store, then use APKMirror Installer to install or update your apps afterward. Otherwise, grab the APKMirror Installer app from the official APKMirror website.
  2. Visit the APKMirror website and search for an app you want to install on your Android device. Third-party apps have similar collections like this: The UI may not be as friendly as the Play Store, but it gets the job done.
  3. Browse apps by APK, app, and developer names. When you sort by app or developer rather than APK, choose the version of the app you want. If this doesn't matter to you, the latest non-beta version also works. Scroll down to All versions and find the one you need.
  4. Tap the Download icon on the right side of the app you want.
  5. Tap the app that matches the version you need, and then scroll down to the Download section. Or tap the See Available Downloads button toward the top to jump to the Download section. You may have more than one option available. If that's the case, check the FAQ and do some research to determine which version is appropriate for your phone.
  6. Tap the Download arrow to the right for the app variant you want to install.
  7. Tap the Download APK Bundle or Download APK button.
  8. When asked whether you'd like to save the file, you might see a warning that the file format/extension is potentially dangerous. If you trust APKMirror as a source, allow it.
  9. The app variant you selected downloads to your device's internal storage and is ready to be installed from here.

The installation may fail if you download the wrong version, but only sometimes. If an app installs regardless of the selected variant, it may work fine but have strange text or display issues. If this happens, download the correct version for your device and try the process again.

Open your downloaded app file

After downloading the file, you'll need a way to open it to install it on your device. There are a few choices, and all lead to the same place. Check out the following steps to open your downloaded app:

  1. Swipe down on the top of your screen and tap the Download complete entry.
  2. Tap the Download complete notification when the file finishes downloading. Some web browsers show the download message at the bottom, but it's the same process no matter where it appears.
  3. If prompted, open the file with APKMirror Installer to move on to installing the app.
  4. Tap Allow or Allow from this source to grant APKMirror the proper storage permissions.
  5. Select Install to continue the process.
  6. Wait for the app to install successfully. Sometimes, an installation runs into compatibility problems or other issues, in which case APKMirror and many other apps give you a warning. You may want to try a different version of the app to see if you can fix this problem.
  7. When the installation is completed, you'll find an option to Open App. Open the app and test a few features to check that everything runs properly and that it doesn't immediately crash when you use it.

Installing the Google Play Store

Not all devices come with the Google Play Store, even if they have other preinstalled stores. The Amazon Fire tablets are a great example. If you want an app that's only available on the Google Play Store or it's one you prefer, you can download the Play Store on most devices with the right series of steps.

Without opening any of these until you reboot at the end, install the following apps in this order:

  1. Google Account Manager
  2. Google Services Framework: Check your phone's Settings app to find your Android version (Settings > About phone or Settings > About phone > Software information) and download the latest services framework that matches (for example, Google Services Framework 12-7567768 if you run Android 12).
  3. Google Play Services
  4. Google Play Store

After all four Google apps have been installed (again, without opening them), reboot, and you should be able to use the Google Play Store. If you get a notification that Google Play Services needs to be updated, don't worry. If you can sign in to your Google account, everything should automatically update to the latest compatible version soon after.

Troubleshooting issues when sideloading apps

If you run into trouble, most issues can be fixed by one of the following escalating steps:

  • Rebooting the device.
  • Clearing app data for the Google Play Store and relaunching it. Go to the Apps or Apps & Notifications section of Settings, tap Google Play Store, and select Force Stop. Then go to Storage and select Clear data or Clear Storage.
  • Clearing app data for Google Play Services and rebooting. Go to the Apps or Apps & Notifications section of Settings, tap Google Play Services, go to Storage, and select Clear data or Clear storage.
  • Uninstalling all four apps, rebooting, reinstalling all four apps in the order described above, and rebooting again.
  • Reset your device as a last-ditch effort if you are sure you're using the correct versions of the right APKs and doing things in the proper order.

Not all devices are compatible with a sideloaded Google Play Store, and you may experience issues or odd behaviors. We can't guarantee any of these steps will work for your Android device, but it never hurts to try. If you need more help, we have a complete guide that walks you through installing the Google Play Store on any Android device.

Why install apps outside the Google Play Store?

There are many reasons to look for apps outside of Google's store. Odds are, if you're here, you have at least one. Still, there are some reasons you might not be aware of.

For one, Google sometimes removes apps from the Google Play Store based on content, functionality, or as a matter of censorship to comply with local laws. Sometimes apps are kicked to the curb for legitimate and valid reasons, like containing malware or violating user privacy, but that is only sometimes the case. For better or worse, Android gives you the freedom (and associated responsibility) to get your apps anywhere you like.

Another reason to download apps from a third party is that some apps aren't available on the Google Play Store. Apps on the Google Play Store can also be geographically restricted or censored, and users in some countries don't have access to them. Other times, apps distributed on the Google Play Store roll out updates progressively. So when it comes to playing with the latest cutting-edge features you might read about in our coverage, you may not have access to them yet.

Get the apps you want, even if they're not on the Google Play Store

By enabling app downloads in your settings, you can choose from various third-party app stores like APKMirror to download apps (or versions of apps) that aren't available on the Google Play Store. Downloading apps like this carries some risks, but with these steps, you can minimize problems and finally get the apps you need on your phone.