How to Download Google Play Store Applications to a PC

Easily download APK files on Windows

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: March 22, 2023 Tested

Using Bluestacks

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Using Google Play Games (Beta)

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Using a Chrome Extension

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Video

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Q&A

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Warnings

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, install a Google Chrome extension to download the APK files for free, or try Google Play Games (Beta) for Windows. This wikiHow teaches you how to download Android apps to your Windows PC as APK files and fully-functioning apps.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Bluestacks

1
Download Bluestacks 5 or Bluestacks 10 from https://www.bluestacks.com. Both allow you to download Google Play apps.
- Bluestacks 5: Bluestacks 5 is the standard Bluestacks emulator, which lets you access the Google Play Store and download, install, and play Android apps on your PC. You do not need an internet connection to play installed apps, but you do need good hardware.
- Bluestacks 10: This cloud-based emulator allows you to use Android apps over the internet without having to download and install them. Choose this option if you have a slow PC but a fast internet connection.
- Once you decide on a version, click the Download button for the version you want to install. This saves the installer on your PC.
2
Install and launch Bluestacks. To install Bluestacks 5 or 10:
- Double-click the .EXE file you downloaded from Bluestacks.com.
- Click Yes to run the installer.
- Click Install now and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Once installed, open Bluestacks from the Start menu.
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3
Click the Google Play Store in Bluestacks
. It's a multicolored triangle icon on the Home page. This will open the Google Play Store.
- If you are not on the Home page, click the house in the upper-left corner.
4
Log in to your Google account. To download apps from the Google Play Store, you need to log in to your Google account. Log in with the username and password associated with your Google account.
5
Search for the app you want to download. In the Search bar at the top of the screen, type the name of the app you want to install, or type of app you’re interested in. Once you find the app you want, click to select it.
6
Click INSTALL. It's a green button in the upper-right side of the page. Your app will begin downloading onto Bluestacks' "My Apps" tab.
- If asked to allow the app to access specific permissions, click ACCEPT when prompted before proceeding.
7
Open your app. 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.
8
Install an APK file. 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:^{[1]
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- 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.
- Click Open

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Google Play Games (Beta)

1
Go to https://play.google.com/googleplaygames in a web browser. 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 PC.
2
Click Download Beta. It's the green button in the lower-left side of the web page. This downloads the Google Play Installation file to your PC.
3
Run the installer. 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.
4
Sign in with your Google account. 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.
- If you don't have a Google account, you can create one easily.
5
Browse the available games. 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.
6
Select a game and click Install. 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 green Play button.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Chrome Extension

1
Install APK Downloader for Google Chrome. By installing a free extension in Google Chrome, you can download the APK file for any free Android app on the Google Play Store. Keep in mind that you can't use this method to download paid apps. You won't be able to open the APK file without special software (e.g., Bluestacks), or by using an Android phone or tablet].
- In the Google Chrome browser, go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/apk-downloader/bmblbechbdbgaebdioelojhkhenkkjpf in a web browser.
- Click Add to Chrome
- Click Add Extension.
2
Go to https://play.google.com/store/apps in Chrome. This will open the Google Play Store on your PC.
3
Search for an app. 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. This opens the app's information page.
4
Open the APK Downloader extension. To do so, click the puzzle piece icon in the upper-right corner of Google Chrome, then click APK Downloader.
5
Click Download APK. It's the blue button in the APK Downloader pop-up window. This downloads the APK file. You can find your downloaded files in your Downloads folder. by default.^{[2]
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Community Q&A

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.
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.
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.

Warnings

While the extension recommended in this article is safe, others can be dangerous! Don't give your password to any application or extension if you don't feel confident about it.

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