Even though Android apps don’t work out of the box with macOS, it’s not hard to run Android apps on a Mac. Just getting the apps won’t be enough. You’ll need to choose and install an Android simulator before you can run them on your Mac.
This piece of software makes your Mac act like it has an Android working system, so you can run the apps. Here, we show you how to choose an emulator and install it so that you can run Android apps on a Mac.
5 Best Android App Emulators for Mac
The apps are easy to use and rely on Android emulators for MAC, which let you install and run your Android.apk files on MAC. So, check out the versions that are talked about below.
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BlueStacks Is an App Player
One of the best Android apps for Windows and macOS is BlueStack. You can run any Android app on your PC with this emulator. For those who don’t know, it’s the only Android clone that Intel, Samsung, Qualcomm, and AMD have all put money into.
2. The Xamarin Android Player for MAC
This is the other best way to run your favorite Android apps on your MAC OS. The process of setting up is a bit long. But you have to follow the directions it gives. And with this emulator, you can get your favorite apps to run on your MAC PC.
3. Andyroid
Well, it’s a full-featured operating system for mobile devices that works on Windows and macOS. It works with almost all of the apps and games on the Play Store. Android is great because it bridges the gap between desktop and mobile work and keeps you up to date with the latest Android OS feature upgrades.
4. Droid4X
Well, Droid4X is for people who want to run Android apps on a Mac computer and are looking for the coolest way to do it. Drag and drop your app files (.apk) into the simulator, and the installation process will begin. Then you can use this emulator to run your favorite apps. So, the best version you can try is Droid4X.
5. ARChon! Android Emulator
Archon is what you need if you want to run Android apps on your Chrome computer. This is a web app that lets you access Android apps and games right in the Chrome browser. Since it’s a web app, you can use it on any operating system, like Linux, Android, macOS, etc.
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Choosing an Android Emulator
You can choose from a number of different models. If you know a lot about technology or just want to see what’s out there, you might want a choice that gives you more control over how it works.
If you’re making Android apps on your Mac, you might need better creation tools. Next, we show you how to set up BlueStacks, which is our best all-around emulator for Android.
BlueStacks is one of the best and easiest-to-use Android emulators for Mac that is still being updated. It’s also easy to set up, which makes it great for almost anyone, no matter how tech-savvy they are or how much they know about Mac or Android.
BlueStacks is also very well documented, so if you have trouble setting it up or using a certain app, it’s likely that someone else has already solved your problem.
Putting Apps on Blue Stacks and Running Them
BlueStacks needs macOS Sierra or later to run. BlueStacks was not originally compatible with macOS Big Sur, but it is now.
You’ll also need 4GB of RAM and 4GB of free room on your hard drive. If your Mac was made before 2014, the graphics card might not be strong enough to run Android apps. You can view the full needs to ensure you’re all set.
Also, BlueStacks pulls Android app files from the Google Play store to download them. If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to make one before you can use BlueStacks to run apps.
BlueStacks 4 is the most recent version for macOS at the moment. But BlueStacks 5 has just come out and should work soon. Check back often to find out when the newest version will be ready.
- First, navigate to the emulator’s download page, then double-click on the downloaded setup file with the .dmg extension.
- When the application opens, double-click on the BlueStacks logo to proceed.
- Click the “Install Now” button that appears at the bottom of the app window.
- If you get a “System Extension Blocked” pop-up, click on the “Open Security & Privacy” button.
- This should open a system privacy settings menu. At the bottom, click the “Allow” button.
After that, the process should continue on its own. If you can’t figure out how to do these steps, you can watch BlueStack’s video of the installation process and follow along. Once BlueStacks is set up, it won’t be hard to run Android apps.
When BlueStacks is running, you can use the main app page to go to the Google Play store. You can then start to download your apps. After you have received these apps, you can open them by clicking on their icons on the main page.
Other Options for Emulators
You can also use other emulators to run Android apps on a Mac. BlueStacks is the easiest to use most of the time, though. Some, like Android Studio, are more like places to build and test apps than to download and use them.
A famous alternative to BlueStacks is the Nox App Player, which works the same way. Once everything is set up, you can add more user accounts, which is a nice bonus. This is helpful if you want to play the same game with more than one character or account.
Andy is also a choice. It’s meant to make switching between Android and Windows or macOS as easy as possible. Even though you can use your phone as a device, it’s not the most recent emulator.
OS X Mountain Lion is the most recent version of macOS, and Windows doesn’t work with it. It might not work with more recent versions of macOS. But if you have an older version, it could be a great option for BlueStacks.
If you are a creator and want to test your apps, Genymotion is a great tool. It’s not a free emulator, and PC use costs by the hour or by the year. This one isn’t for you if all you want to do is play your favorite Android games on your Mac.