It just determines the resolution and specs of the virtual machine. Note that you will start with a very barebones version of Android that doesn't even come with many of Google’s apps or modern features, though you can add the Play Store by clicking the Open Gapps icon in the sidebar to install it.Īlso, no matter which template you choose, you won't get any custom versions of Android-picking the Samsung Galaxy S10 template, for example, won't get you Samsung's One UI. You can then navigate around the home screen, launch apps, and emulate certain events like GPS location. Install the template you want and double-click it to enter Android. When you start Genymotion, it will present you with a list of device templates you can install-this determines the screen resolution, Android version, and resources allotted to the emulator. (And enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V from your computer's BIOS, if you have it.) During the download process, make sure you select the Personal Use version during the wizard.

Genymotion uses VirtualBox to emulate Android, so either download the version with VirtualBox bundled or install VirtualBox (Opens in a new window) separately to your PC. If you're looking to explore the Android operating system itself-rather than individual apps-Genymotion is a decent emulator. Its main product is designed for developers and costs money to use, but there is a free version (Opens in a new window) of the software you can download for personal use you just need to first create an account on the website. For this reason, there are no storage requirements with BlueStacks X. If you specifically want to play Android games on your computer, consider installing BlueStacks X (Opens in a new window), a cloud-based solution that allows you to stream games without the need to download them first. Double-click an icon to run the app in question. Download any apps you want, and they will appear on the BlueStacks home screen and your Windows desktop as their own shortcuts. Open the app, and you're greeted with a customized home screen and access to the Play Store. Over the years, it's become the best Android app emulator around, making it a great solution for games and apps that don't have a corresponding desktop version.īlueStacks 5 (Opens in a new window) takes up 5GB of space (Opens in a new window) on your computer (plus any apps you download).

If you're just looking to run a couple apps and don't need the emulator to look like Android, you should try BlueStacks (Opens in a new window). How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.

How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.

Google play store pc windows 7