Download the Android emulator application to your computer. The best Android emulators for your computer

The Android emulator for Windows can be launched in various ways, which will determine the functions and performance of the emulator in future use. An Android emulator for PC will allow the user to get Windows but with .

Android emulator "Nox app player"

Android emulator for PC "KoPlayer"

KoPlayer is a newer Android emulator for PC. The main emphasis, like Nox App Player, is on games. You will be able to use keyboard layouts to emulate a controller from your keyboard. Players will also be able to record the game and upload it wherever they want.

The installation process is simple enough that even a beginner can figure it out. Like most emulators, you will be able to use it for a variety of purposes. The only bad thing is that it is still buggy. However, it is a good, free option. Download the emulator for Windows from the official website: http://www.koplayer.com/

Android emulator for Windows "Android Studio"

The Android-Studio emulator simulates the device and displays it on your computer. The emulator supports Android phone, tablet, Android and Android TV devices. It comes with predefined device types so you can get started quickly, and you can create your own device definitions and skin emulator.

Android emulator for PC Windows "Bluestacks"

Bluestacks also simulates Android on your Windows PC. The developers have done a lot of work, resulting in many necessary updates for their platform. The result of this work is called Bluestacks 2, and is faster, more stable, and one of the best Android emulators for PC. It supports app multitasking and has built-in functionality for things like screen rotation and location pointer, features it didn't have before.

An Android emulator for PC allows you to get a personal computer with Android applications. There are already quite a lot of such programs; every user who faces the problem of emulating such programs on a PC will have to choose

There are many reasons why you might need Android emulators on your PC. Application developers test their products on emulators before releasing them on Google Play. Gamers use emulators to play Android games using a mouse and keyboard. In addition, in emulators you can select the simulated device and specify settings such as Android version, number of CPU cores, RAM, presence of an SD card, etc.

In any case, it’s not so important why you need an Android emulator, you need to know that, firstly, such programs exist and there are many of them, secondly, emulators are largely similar in their filling to each other and, thirdly , the installation and configuration process is not so simple and requires minimal technical literacy, so be patient. Below are the 15 best Android emulators on PC with comments. Choose the one that suits you.

Table of comparative characteristics of the main Android emulators for PC

	Bluestacks 3	Andy	NoxPlayer	Genymotion	AMIDuOS	Memu	Droid4X
Price	Free / $2 per month	Free	Free	Free / $132-$412 per year	15$ / 10$ (one time)	Free	Free
Windows	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mac	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Linux	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Applications and games	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Streaming	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Changing screen sizes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Customization and configuration	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
File sharing	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Synchronization	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Connecting external devices	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Virtual sensors	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multitasking	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Running applications as root	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Android Studio Emulator is an emulator for developers.
Free

Android Studio is an IDE (integrated development environment) for Android recommended by Google. This environment has a large set of development tools specifically for Android. And, of course, the program has a built-in emulator so that you can test the developed application or game.

We can say for sure that this program is unlikely to be suitable for those who want to play games or who need an ordinary “consumer” emulator. However, for developers this is a real godsend, a powerful and at the same time free environment with the ability to test on the fly.

Installing this emulator is quite a headache, but once you install and configure it, and then understand all the features, you most likely will not need anything else.

Bluestacks 3 is the most popular emulator.
There are free and paid ($2/month) versions

Bluestacks is the most popular Android emulation program on your computer. According to the developer, Android applications are launched more than a billion times a month on Bluestacks! And there are several reasons for this. To begin with, we can mention that there are versions for Windows and for Mac. They were the first to make a multi-platform emulator that worked well. Mainly BlueStacks aimed at gamers. Early versions were a bit bloated and complex. The latest version (#3) was released in 2017 and differs from the previous ones in that it is noticeably simpler and faster. At the same time, it allows, for example, to work in multitasking mode and run several applications. You can even run multiple versions of the same game at the same time. In addition, the application supports assigning hotkeys in games. Agree, for many games this can be a very good bonus. Although Bluestacks 3 is noticeably faster than previous versions, it still remains too bloated and overloaded when compared to Andy or Remix.

And yet, those who choose an emulator for games should take a closer look at Bluestacks 3.
If you want something simpler and faster, choose something else. Even though Bluestacks is number 1, there is still a choice.

AMIDuOS is a relatively new emulator.
There is a free trial version and two paid versions ($10 and $15)

AMIDuOS is a relatively new emulator for Windows (Win 7, 8 and 10 are supported). Android version can be: Lollipop and Jelly Bean. Just the version of the program with Jelly Bean costs $10, and the version with Lollipop costs $15. And it seems like this is the only difference. The good news is that these are one-time payments and not monthly payments.

AMIDuOS is tailored to fulfill various needs (not just games). Its main feature is high performance. Therefore, this emulator will be a good choice for office or home needs. For example, for Instagram, Telegram... The emulator does not have any special features for games, but games run relatively well on it. Developers can use AMIDuOS for some simple tests, but it is unlikely to be suitable for more complex use. In general, on the whole, AMIDuOS is a good program and deserves attention.

Do a trial to see if it suits you or not.

Andy is one of the best emulators for games.
Free

Next on our list is a completely free emulator called Andy. It appeared quite a long time ago and at the time of its appearance it was full of bugs and various surprises. However, a lot of time has passed since then, and the developers did not waste it: today there are practically no bugs, and the program itself is an excellent lightweight alternative to such monstrous emulators as Bluestacks. On Andy you can run the entire gamut of Android applications. And although Andy is more focused on non-gaming use, you can play on it just fine. Whatever one may say, the emulator is free and works well.

In addition, Andy has a significant advantage: applications can be launched as root.

Available for Windows and Mac. Below is a video comparing Bluestacks and Andy (in English).

Remix OS Player is a fresh update for gamers.
Free

Remix OS Player (developed by Jide) is one of the newest PC emulators on the list. And this is the only emulator at the moment that works on the Android version of Marshmallow instead of Lollipop or Kit Kat. The installation process is very simple. The program is also quite easy to use. Mostly Remix aimed at gamers. Inside the program there is a convenient sidebar where you can change the emulation settings.

Due to the fact that the program is relatively new and free, the developers continue to catch some bugs. That said, Remix is ​​better than many on our list and performs relatively well. And besides, it's free.

Weak spots: Remix OS Player only works on Windows 64-bit (7 and above) and does not support AMD processors.

ARChon is an emulator add-on for Google Chrome.
Free

ARChon is not your average emulator. Simply because it is not a program at all. This is an add-on for Google Chrome. You install this extension in Chrome and after that you can launch Android applications directly in the browser. Sounds cool, right? In theory, yes, but in practice, installing the extension can turn into a real pain. Here are the installation instructions. Perhaps she can help. If you don't have minimal technical skills, then it might not be worth trying.

You need to install this extension (in developer mode). And then you need to convert the APK of the required application using their utility into a format that will work in Chrome with the ARChon extension enabled. Sounds complicated? Then don't try it. If you want to dig in, it might not be that difficult.

The extension works on Windows, Mac and even Linux. This is perhaps the most difficult emulator to install and configure. But also the most unique of its kind.

Genymotion is a fast emulator for developers.
Free for personal use (with paid options)

This option is more suitable for developers. It allows you to test your application on many different devices without owning them. You can select in the Genymotion parameters the device and version of Android on which you want to launch. For example, you can choose a Nexus One with Android 4.2 installed or a Nexus 6 with Android 6.0 installed. And at the same time, you can switch between devices on the fly.

Genymotion is not the most user-friendly program for consumer needs. But this is a bomb emulator for developers. In addition, the program is shareware for personal use. And only for those who really need it, paid options arise.

Droid4X is a simple emulator for games.
Free

Droid4X has its pros and cons. And for many people and their needs, it is not an ideal emulator.

However, it suits most people due to its ease of installation and simple, uncluttered design. In addition, Droid4X was originally created for gamers. Therefore, the program is focused mainly on emulating games that are not graphically complex. In principle, you can try to run something more heavyweight on it.

But remember that the program is a little outdated. So far, the emulator download page is live, but apparently, the developers stopped updating the program a long time ago.

In general, download at your own risk: the emulator may be buggy. Yes, there seems to be a version for Mac somewhere in nature, but it seems impossible to find it.

KoPlayer is for gamers.
Free

KoPlayer is one of the new products. Perhaps that is why it has not yet enjoyed the popularity it deserves. This emulator is aimed mainly at gamers. The program supports assigning hotkeys in games. In addition, KoPlayer supports a feature such as gameplay recording. So, streamers and game bloggers, take it into account. The installation process is quite simple and the emulator itself seems to work without errors. Although there are bug reports on the forums. But this is again a tribute to novelty.

Overall, KoPlayer is a good choice. And not only for games, but also for everyday use (for example, for Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.). But for now there are bugs in it. There will probably be fewer of them in future versions, unless the developers abandon their creation.

MEmu – supports Intel and AMD.
Free

MEmu is another newcomer in the list of emulators that has just entered the scene. But it has already won the hearts of users. The main feature of MEmu is that it supports not only Intel processors, but also AMD ones. If you think that this is not that rare, then it is not. So if you have AMD, feel free to download MEmu.

MEmu emulates several versions of Android: Jelly Bean, Kit Kat and Lollipop. Additionally, multitasking is supported and you can run multiple applications at the same time. In fact, there aren't many emulators that offer Lollipop multitasking.

MEmu supports most games and applications. However, I recommend using it not for gaming.

NoxPlayer (bignox) – a bomb emulator for gamers (in Russian).
Free

NoxPlayer is an emulator created specifically for gamers. It contains utilities and settings to improve your experience with the game. For example, in addition to the keyboard, the use of gamepads is supported. And it supports various native gestures (such as “swipe right”), which can be assigned to buttons on the keyboard or joystick. In general, this is cool and, apparently, it works like a charm.

The program is free. There is a version for Windows and for Mac. Supports gaming at 60 fps.
If you are looking for a powerful Android emulator for games, download Nox, you won’t regret it!

YouWave is a dinosaur.
There are free and paid ($29.99) versions

YouWave is one of the oldest Android emulators for PC. He is already many years old, really. And although the last update was in 2016, it is still slightly outdated. The free version of the emulator uses Ice Cream Sandwich. If you pay $29.99 for the paid version of the program, you will get a Lollipop emulator.

Overall, the emulator works well and without any glitches. Installation is also easy.

And although YouWave does not have any special options for gamers (for example, assigning hot keys or native gestures), you can still play on it. Perhaps this emulator will appeal to developers, especially beginners.

There is a version of YouWave for Mac.

VirtualBox - DIY for developers.
Free

VirtualBox Party

Generally speaking, this is not just an Android emulator, it is an emulator for any operating system. Like all DIY on this list, installation and setup requires technical skills. Therefore, if they are not there, then look at emulators “out of the box”.

Ok, that's how it works. You need to download the VirtualBox file for your OS (Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris) from the link above. Then you need to download the Android image from the website. And then you need to install the Android OS image into the virtual machine. Get ready for the fact that the likelihood that it will work out right away is not so great. If this doesn’t work, then you need to “smoke” specialized forums and search the Internet for step-by-step guides. Write in the comments if such a guide should be made. If we have to, we'll do it.

To summarize, this emulation option is suitable for geeks and old-school programmers.
What advantages does it have then, you ask? In fact, there are a lot, and the main one is that you can install absolutely any version of Android and configure absolutely everything. Full customization.

Xamarin – Microsoft IDE for developers.
There is a free version and paid options

Xamarin is an IDE (integrated development environment) that is similar to Android Studio in many ways. The difference is that Xamarin can connect to a monstrous development environment like Microsoft Visual Studio.

Just like Android Studio, Xamarin has a built-in emulator for developers.

Xamarin is a tool for developers. Although theoretically it may be suitable for you for personal use if you want to customize the entire Android infrastructure for yourself. Xamarin is not as powerful as Genymotion, but it can handle all applications at once.

Xamarin runs on Windows. It is free for personal use.
Development teams and companies can choose different pricing plans.

Windroy - Dinosaur #2.
Free

Windroy is a classic. This is one of the oldest emulators in history. Due to this, it is difficult to recommend it to anyone.

Use it only if you have completely lost hope and newfangled programs cannot solve your problems.

There is an opinion that Windroy works better on older versions of Windows (for example, XP).

Windroy is more about non-game applications, such as office ones. Games on it can only be played by those as ancient as itself. And that's a stretch.

On the other hand, the emulator is free. And it installs quite easily.

If you (suddenly) have Win XP, install Windroy.

As a conclusion

Above are all the best Android emulators for PC currently available online. By and large, they are all good in their own way and it is up to you to decide on the choice. Compare the stated features and choose the one that best suits your needs. You need to understand that there is no one program that is ideal for everyone. One is good for a developer, the other is good for a gamer, and the third is good for a Telegram channel admin. But I can definitely recommend not to rush into buying paid versions of programs. Install the trial, play with the settings and only then switch to the premium version.

Also on the site:

15 Best Android Emulators for PC (Gaming and Development) updated: January 25, 2018 by: admin

Absolutely all users of tablets and other mobile devices are aware of the advantages of the Android operating system over its analogues, which have long lost their popularity and fame for obvious reasons. The love of some advanced users for 7 is so high that they decide to download an Android emulator on a PC running 7 or 8 to then run their favorite utilities on it. There are a great variety of applications for emulation on a personal computer of the Android OS.

In one of the articles, we already recommended that readers install it in Russian, and today we will tell you about another interesting product, which also enjoys great fame and popularity. So, I want to introduce you to a program in the form of an amazing emulator called “Bluestacks”, which you can download after reading this article to the end. Unlike a similar program, it works with all mobile tablets and devices, regardless of manufacturer.

Among all the other existing tools specifically designed for emulating the fourth version of the Android operating system, the announced program is the most popular and in demand by a multimillion-dollar audience of users. Having decided to download an Android system emulator absolutely free on your PC under Windows version 7 or 8, you are guaranteed to have at your disposal a set of mobile applications that function without any failures or slowdown problems. In order to completely and completely eliminate unfoundedness in my short story about the emulator program, I want to move on to a description of its functional competitive advantages.

It deserves the primary attention of a million-strong audience of users due to its extremely simple interface with a quick function control panel well-designed by the developers. You can understand and appreciate the highest degree of convenience by downloading it for free from the website link at maximum speed and without unnecessary advertising.

Omitting any details and relying on my semi-professional experience, I can say that there are no difficulties, much less problems, in the work. Your personal experience of actively using it for your own purposes on a personal computer will help you verify all my statements regarding this application.

AMIDuOS comes first on our list because it is a relatively new Android emulator for PC. There are two versions of the application available: for Android Lollipop and for Android Jelly Bean. The first costs $15, the second $10. No subscription is needed, you only have to pay to purchase the emulator once. The program copes well with numerous tasks. Most of its functions are aimed at increasing productivity. For this reason, this emulator is well suited for use in the office, work from home, etc. There are no special gaming features here, but the games run well despite this. Developers can use this emulator for basic testing tasks, but it is not suitable for more advanced purposes. Overall, this is a good emulator and worth giving it a chance.

Emulator from Android Studio

Android Studio is an integrated development environment for Android developed by Google. There are a number of tools here to help developers create apps and games directly for Android. This is not the best option for consumers, but application developers get a powerful and free tool for testing their programs. Setting up the emulator is not easy, but then it’s easy to work with.

Andy

When this emulator appeared, reviews said that it had some problems, but despite them, it is a good replacement for applications like BlueStacks. This emulator handles a wide range of Android tasks, including work apps, downloaders, games, and you can even install Root access. The program works well and is also available for free. Some users complain about problems during installation, you need to keep this in mind.

BlueStacks

BlueStacks has long been the most famous Android emulator on the computer. It could no longer be called the best option, but last year the developers devoted a lot of time to updating their program. The result is BlueStacks 2, which is faster and more stable. Multitasking applications and built-in functionality such as location setting are supported. The main target audience of this emulator remains gamers. This is not the best program for productivity work, but the price remains the same. There are quite a few bloatware applications here, but overall the emulator is not bad.

Droid4X

Droid4X has its advantages and disadvantages. This is one of the classic Android emulators on personal computers. It has a simple design that makes it easy for most users to use. It is unknown if development of this program is still ongoing, but the download page is still in place, so it is recommended to use it with caution.

Genymotion

This Android emulator is aimed at developers who want to test games and applications on different devices without having to purchase them. You can configure the emulator for different devices with different versions of Android. For example, you can emulate a Nexus One running Android 4.2 or a Nexus 6 running Android 6.0. You can quickly switch between different virtual devices. It's not the best option for consumer purposes, but Genymotion is available free for personal use.

KoPlayer

KoPlayer is a new Android emulator on PC that until recently remained in the shadows. The main audience of the program will be gamers. You can assign functions to keys and use the keyboard instead of the joystick. You can record gameplay on video and upload it to various services. The installation is quite simple and does not bring any unpleasant surprises. Like most emulators, this one sometimes encounters problems during operation. It can be used for a variety of tasks. The downside is that there are a certain number of bugs, but it is still a good free option.

Manymo

Manymo is also an interesting choice, mainly because it works online. This makes it a cross-platform program for any desktop operating system; it can run on any processor. There is support for different sizes and tools for developers. It is for them that the emulator is primarily intended, and not for consumers. The price depends on how many emulators buyers are going to use using the site.

MEmu

Another of the modern Android emulators, which is also doing well. One of the advantages is support for AMD and Intel processors, which is rare. Android versions Jelly Bean, Kit Kat and Lollipop are supported, and you can run multiple instances at the same time. This is one of the few emulators that supports such a modern version as Lollipop. It can be used for a variety of purposes and can run most applications and games. Recommended mainly for work.

Nox

Like BlueStacks, Nox will be useful mainly for gamers. There are utilities specifically for their needs. You will be able to interact with games as if you had a real joystick. You can assign a swipe to the right, for example, to an arrow on the keyboard and press it instead of the screen. In most cases, such a replacement does its job perfectly.

Remix OS Player

Remix OS Player from Jide was released on PC not so long ago. This is the only emulator on the list that works with Android Marshmallow instead of Android Lollipop or Kit Kat. The installation process is simple, as is working with the emulator afterwards. It's designed for gaming, and there are quite a few customization options on the sidebar. The emulator is new, so sometimes there are bugs. Even so, it works better than most and is free. The only major disadvantage is the lack of support for AMD processors.

Windroy

Windroy is a classic and is one of the oldest Android emulators on PC. For this reason, it is difficult to recommend it to all users. There is an opinion that this emulator works best on not the most modern versions of Windows. It is intended mainly for work, not for games; there will be no problems with running office applications. The emulator is free and easy to install.

Xamarin

Xamarin is an integrated development environment similar to Android Studio. The difference is that it can be connected to products like Microsoft Visual Studio. Like Android Studio, it has a built-in emulator for developers. This is a product for developers, unless you are willing to set up the entire development environment yourself. The Xamarin emulator isn't as powerful as options like Genymotion, but it gets the job done. The program is free for personal use; companies and large development groups must negotiate a paid plan.

YouWave

YouWave is one of the oldest Android emulators on PC, last updated in mid-2016. The free version offers Android Ice Cream Sandwich, while $29.99 gets you access to Android Lollipop. The emulator works quite well, the installation process is simple. There are no distinctive functions for games here, but it still handles games just fine. We can recommend this program to those who are encountering emulators for the first time.

Own emulator

You can even create your own emulator if you wish. You need to download VirtualBox and the system image from the Android-x86.org website. Next you need to find instructions on the Internet and follow them. This is the most difficult option to get an Android emulator; it is better not to try without a certain level of technical skills. There will be bugs and without programming skills it will be difficult to fix them.

Do you love the game on your smartphone and would like to play it at home on the big screen? Or did the Android utility turn out to be so convenient that it would be useful to use it when working on a computer? There are cases when a program was created exclusively for this platform and the search for analogs for the PC does not give the desired results. For all the situations described, there is one solution - launching the Android utility on your computer. For these purposes, you will first need to select an emulator that allows you to run Android programs on a computer running Windows OS.

There are many similar programs available on the Internet. The most common ones are Bluestacks, Droid4x and Genymotion. All of them are free to download and are always available on the developers' websites. The application distribution is added to the emulator in two ways. You can use installation files with the APK extension, previously downloaded from our website, or access the programs directly through Google Play.

Let's consider options for using voiced emulators.

How to Install Apps Using Bluestacks

1. Download the Android emulator on your PC and install it. After installation, a toolbar will appear at the top of the desktop.
2. Along with the program, several current modern applications are automatically installed. You can run them to check their operation.
3. To search for the necessary Android applications, use the search bar at the top of the main program window. BlueStacks will search multiple online stores at once. The largest of them (Market, GetJar, Appstore, 1Mobile and Amazon) are immediately available for search by default.
4. To install from Google Play, you will need a Google account. You can use an existing entry or create a new one.
5. After confirming your account, you will see a list of applications according to your search query. Select what you need. Please note that free ones must be marked “Free”. For paid ones, the purchase price is indicated.
6. Click the “Install” button. In the window that appears, click “Accept”. The installation process will begin.
7. After waiting for the installation process to complete, you can safely start launching your favorite Android application on your PC.

How to install apps using Droid4x

1. Download the Android emulator to your computer and install it. A shortcut to launch will appear on the desktop.
2. Launch Droid4x using the shortcut.
3. A window will open in which icons of the most frequently used menus will immediately be displayed. Here, in the main window, there is a Google Play shortcut.
4. We go to the Google Play store. In the search bar, type the name of the program we are interested in and click OK.
5. From the proposed list, select the desired application and click “Install”.
6. In the window that appears, click “Accept”. The installation process will begin.
7. Immediately after installation is complete, you will be prompted to launch the application and enjoy the Android experience on the big screen.

How to install apps using Genymotion

1. To receive a link to download installation files, you must register on the site using your email address. The link will come in a registration confirmation email.
2. In the window that opens via the link, select the installation option and click the appropriate button.
3. The installation will start, after which the VirtualBox, Genymotion and Genymotion Shell shortcuts will appear on the desktop.
4. When you launch Genymotion using the shortcut, you will find the “Play”, “Add” and “Settings” buttons. They are used to create and launch a virtual Android gadget, and to configure the emulator.
5. To create a virtual device, click “Add”, use your credentials created in step 1. A list of devices will appear in front of you.
6. Check out the list and select a device, click “Add”.
7. In the window that appears, click “Next”, after which the installation of the virtual machine will begin. Then, when prompted by the emulator, enter a name for your device and click Finish.
8. To launch the device, select it in the main program window and click “Play”.
9. After that, you can select, install and launch applications as if from the screen of your device.

Summarize

All emulators considered cope with the main function - running Android utilities on a PC. Regarding ease of use and performance, small conclusions can be drawn. They will help you choose an emulator in order to transfer Android applications to your computer.

BlueStacks- a simple emulator that performs the main task, but nothing more. The utility allows you to run games, but it is not always stable and performance leaves much to be desired. It is distributed as a shareware, that is, the basic set of functions is free, but you will have to pay for additional features. An acceptable option for home use.

Droid4x– also simple and undemanding, but, unlike its previous colleague in the shop, more functional and productive. A huge plus is the stability of operation and at the same time it is absolutely free, it never asks for the purchase of additional functions and other things. An excellent option for home use.

Genymotion– a higher rank emulator with many additional features. However, they will be of interest mainly to developers for the initial testing of their programs before testing on real devices. The quality of the product and focus on professional use have led to a disadvantage for ordinary users - the emulator is distributed on a paid basis. The free version does not have an Internet connection and many necessary functions. Not suitable for home use.