If by any chance you happen to buy a game or any other app on the Google Play Store and find that you have insufficient storage space on your device, or maybe your device has some location restrictions or its not supported for a certain title; you can still download an APK file of this application, save it on your PC and install it later on your Android smartphone or tablet when you have found time to free up some space.
Here’s a simple guide on how to download an APK file from the official Google Play Store.
There are several ways in which you can download an APK file from the Play Store. One way is using the Chrome extension/Firefox add-on or a website which will generate a specific link for you to download the file. It is even possible to download an APK file for a paid app directly from the store.
Downloading an APK file from Google Play Store using Chrome or Firefox extension
Getting a Chrome extension or Firefox add-on could make a huge difference just in case you are looking into downloading lots of other APK files from the Play Store. You can see now extensions do not just block ads or share links; they can also be used to download APK files. Follow the steps below carefully:
There are numerous browser extensions. However, for the purposes of this guide, we will use CodeKiem APK Downloader v2, which supports both browsers, that is Firefox and Chrome. Once the extension is added to the browser, you’ll almost be set. However, there are a few things to take note of.
- First of all you’ll need to add your email address which the extension will store and associate it with your Google Play Store account as well as your device ID for any other later requests.
- You can get the device ID of your Android smartphone by keying in the dialer the following: *#*#8255#*#*. Enter the ID in your Chrome extension and you should be able to see the GTalk Service Monitor details.
- Just like any other APK, you’ll have to enable installation of apps from unknown sources via the Security settings.
- Using a USB cable, connect your phone to a PC and copy the APK file onto your phone via a process known as side loading. Make sure you save the file in an obvious folder.
- On your phone, go to the just copied APK file and tap on it to begin the installation of the file. Remember, you can always disable this installation from unknown sources option after you are done with this process.
Downloading an APK file from Google Play Store using a website
If you are looking for just a single APK file for some reason, you probably don’t need a Chrome extension. Instead, you can simply visit the XDA Developers forum or search for the APK file of your specific app from Google.
- Go to Google and download the APK file
- Copy the package ID of the app
- Paste the package ID of the app or even the whole URL into the box that you can find at the starting of the page like Evozi’s APK Downloader, which also has a Chrome extension or rather a Firefox add-on.
- Hit on the blue button you see on your screen to generate a link which you’ll save on your PC.
- Sideload the APK file from the download link above to your tablet or smartphone, using a USB cable and just like with the previous case, install it on your device after enabling the installation of unknown sources on your device.
Disclaimer
Note that using any of these methods may be against the Google Play Store Terms and Conditions, thus use them at your own risk.
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